Thais sent to jail for fraud

Press, 17 November 1981, Page 7

Thais sent to jail for fraud

Three Thai nationals earlier convicted of fraud and conspiracy offences involving $17,000, were each sent to prison for eight months by Judge Frampton in the District Court yesterday.

Appearing for sentence were: Vitoon Panpraserton, aged 25, a male, Buntha Soombarthorn, aged 41, and Somnuk Homhual, aged 34, both females. The three, desribed as “Thai merchants,” had pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to defraud a man of an unspecified sum of money on October 19, with obtaining $2400 in cash in Auckland on October 13 by falsely representing that five synthetic stones were diamonds, and the two women admitted a similar fraud involving $15,000 in cash paid for 19 "diamonds” in Dunedin on July 27.

The defendants had described themselves as Vietnamese refugees and had sold the fake diamonds on the pretext of needing money to get to the United States. The Judge said that in addition to the terms of imprisonment he would recommend that they be deported. In fixing the prison terms the Judge said he took into account that all three were first offenders who had entered guilty pleas to the charges and that they had already spent almost four weeks in custody. The Judge said he would not order the payment of compensation which could be pursued in a civil jurisdiction.

Counsel (Mr N. E. Dunlop) said all three defendants were of humble origin who were driven to this offending in order to release themselves and their relatives at home from “grinding” poverty. All three said they were not aware of the seriousness of the offences. Mr Dunlop said the trio claimed that the two complainants were involved in a profit-making capacity just as they were. Detective Sergeant C. A. McLeod said the police still held 43 “diamonds” which

while worthless had vast potential for criminal activity. He added that SNZSOO and SUSSOO was .also Held by the police. CANNABIS Two men who admitted cultivating 165 cannabis plants on land at the back of the Wigram air base were convicted and remanded on bail • to November 30 for a probation report and sentence. They are: Warwick Ballantyne Colligan, aged 35, a technician. and William Douglas Oldham, aged 34, an advertising agent, who were jointly charged. Sergeant J. E. Dwyer said that at 4.30 p,m. on' November 14 police had observed a car driving along a dirt road near Wigram Road. When stopped police spoke to the two occupants, Colligan, and Oldham. Under the front seat was found several grams of freshly picked cannabis leaves.

With the use of a police dog 165 cannabis plants were found growing nearby. There was evidence they had been freshly watered, and a watering can was found under some foliage. At first the defendants claimed they were looking for mushrooms but later admitted that the crop was for their own use. STOLE CARAVAN A father of nine who was convicted of stealing, with others, a $5OOO caravan and with receiving another valued at $2400, told the police that he committed the offences because he was under pressure to provide for his family, said Sergeant Dwyer. Stanley Russell Scott, aged 36, self employed (Mrs J. Rotherham) who admitted the offences, was remanded on bail to November 30 for a probation report and sentence. Sergeant Dwyer said that on June 25 a caravan, valued at $2400, was stolen from a Ferry Road display yard. It was' then taken to the defendant’s home where it was exchanged for a C.B. radio. The caravan had been repainted and the number

plates removed. It was located at Scott’s home on November 6. Its interior had been stripped of some property. Repairs were estimated at $6OO and $3OO was sought as the defendant’s share, said Sergeant Dwyer.

The defendant and three associates had gone to an address at Wilsons Road from where they had stolen the $5OOO caravan.

It had been towed away and this had caused damaged to the caravan’s brake system.

Again it had been repainted. Of $lOOO worth of property stolen from inside the caravan, $6OO worth had since been recovered. The three associates had also been arrested, said Sergeant Dwyer. Total compensation sought from Scott, he said, was $462. CONVERTED CARS An unemployed youth, aged 17, who admitted stealing 10 cars, to a total value of almost $19,000, told the police he had taken the vehicles — mainly Ford Cortinas and Escorts — because he was bored. John William Pottinger, who also admitted three fraud offences, was convicted and remanded in custody to November 23 for a probation report and sentence. Sergeant Dwyer said that Pottinger said he and a 15-year-old friend had used the cars for joy-riding. He said that between November 5 and 8 40 cars had been unlawfully taken in Christchurch. When the defendant’s car was stopped by the police it was found to have been converted earlier. Pottinger later admitted having converted 10 vehicles, using a set- of keys to open and start them, said Sergeant Dwyer. All the vehicles had been recovered. Of the fraud offences the Sergeant said Pottinger had cashed three stolen cheques between October 16 and 20 at different shops. As a result compensation of $BO was now sought, he said.