Man committed 21 burglaries, damage

Press, 12 November 1981, Page 5

Man committed 21 burglaries, damage

Twenty-one burglaries committed on Christchurch business premises in September by a man, aged 20. were all characterised by a high degree of damage, said Detective Sergeant C. A. McLeod in the District Court yesterday. Michael Gavin Rennie, unemployed. (Mr E. T. Higgins) who admitted the burglaries and two charges of wilful damage, was convicted by Judge Paterson and remanded in custody to November 21 for a probation report and sentence. Sergeant McLeod said Rennie overnight on September 26-27 had gone along an alley behind New Regent Street throwing punches at windows. He had done this because,, he later said, he was enraged after being in a hotel fight. When interviewed by the police on October 1 Rennie had admitted committing a number of burglaries in Christchurch business premises between September 4 and 28. As a result of the offence, carried out by himself, Rennie had obtained $2249 in cash. He told the police he only took cash. Damage done to the various premises totalled $4lOO and compensation of this amount, and the stolen money, was sought, said Sergeant McLeod. MOLOTOV COCKTAIL A man, aged 27, who admitted carrying an offensive weapon, a Molotov cocktail, told thhe police that he knew it was unlawful but he had it in case his gang was attacked by a rival gang. Augustine Rangi, aged 27, unemployed, (Mr K. J. Grave) was convicted and remanded on bail to November 25 for a probation report and sentence. Sergeant McLeod said that

on October 24 the defendant was a member of an out-of-town motor-cycle gang driving in the North Island. At Putorino he was seen by the police to walk into a shop carrying the Molotov cocktail. This consisted of a beer bottle, quarter-filled with petrol, and with a petrolsoaked rag sticking out of its neck. SEX CHARGE A man, aged 43, charged with having unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl, aged 14. in a rural Canterbury township was remanded without plea to November 18. Bail was set at $lO9O, with a surety of the same amount and the defendant was ordered to stay away from the complainant. SMASHED WINDOW Wayne Mark Andrews, aged 20, was convicted and fined $75 after pleading guilty to wilfully damaging a $123 armour-plate window at the Coachman Inn on Tuesday night. In addition he was ordered to pay $66.72 as his share of compensation. CUSTODY Philip. Edward Tetai, aged 22, a labourer, who admitted one charge of possessing an offensive weapon, another of burglary, and a third of attempting to escape from police custody, was convicted and remanded in custody to November 18 for a probation report and sentence. Sergeant McLeod said the offensive weapon charge related to a tense confrontation between members of the Black Power gang and the Mongrel Mob in the foyer of the Housing Corporation in which a plate-glass door was smashed. Junior Te Metu, aged 21, unemployed (Ms F. Bolwell), who was charged with hav-

ing an 18in wrench during the Housing Corporation foyer gang fracas, was remanded to December 21 for a defended hearing. A man facing a charge of threatening to kill Michael Arthur Kyne was remanded to January 26 for a defended hearing. He is Hepa Mihaka Marino, aged 22, unemployed (Mr K. J. Grave). The charge related to the same gang confrontation. PROVOCATION A dispute between two motorists which resulted in one of them being convicted on a charge of assault had not been without provocation. said counsel (Mr G. E. Langham). His client, John Cavan Rice, aged 19, a machine operator, had admitted assaulting Andrew Leslie Scott on October 25. He was fined $l5O. Rice had struck the complainant while holding a glass in his hand. As a result the complainant received a wound which required 16 stitches. Mr Langham said prior to the assault the complainant had poured a full milk-shake over his client's car. He submitted that the complainant had been the instigator of the offence and that his client had swung a punch without realising he still had a glass in his hand. Mr Langham said the complinant had then called his companions over and they had twice showered the defendant’s ' car with beer bottles. The defendant had 11 stitches to a wound in his hand and it had cost him $7O to get his car fixed. The Judge said he accepted that there had been a substantial degree of provocation but that this was no excuse for what followed.