House burglar sent to jail

Press, 25 November 1981, Page 4

House burglar sent to jail

A man earlier convicted of breaking and entering eight Christchurch homes was sent to prison for four months when he appeared for sentence before Judge Bradford in the District Court yesterday. Wi Jack King, aged 21. a labourer. (Mr D. C. Fitzgibbon) had admitted the offences which occurred between August and October. Little or no property had been taken but compensation of $340, with respect to damage caused by the defendant, had been sought. Mr Fitzgibbon said his client committed the offences between August 22 and October 3 in order to obtain money with which to buy alcohol with which he had a problem. All the burglaries were of a minor nature and King could only be described as a most unsuccessful burglar. The defendant's way of life left a lot to be desired, said the Judge. Burglary was a very

prevalent crime in Christchurch and a deterrent sentence was called for. he said. The Judge said he would make no order for the payment of compensation. $B5O FINE A self-employed contractor, who admitted possessing 2000 cannabis seeds and cultivating 67 cannabis plants at his Lyttelton home, was convicted and fined $B5O. Peter Maria Cornelius Clemens Vianen, aged 34. committed the offence on November 23. Sergeant W. J. McCormick said that when police executed a search warrant at the defendant’s house they had found 53 cannabis plants growing in a glass-house with a further 14 growing nearby. All the plants, ranging in height from 15cm to 45cm, were healthy. Inside the house the police found 2000 cannabis seeds, said the sergeant. The defendant who was not at home at the time gave himself up at the Central Police Station the next day. He told the police that he grew the drug for his own use because he did not like some of the “seedy characters" who sold it, said Sergeant McCormick. . The Judge told the defendant, who did not choose to be legally represented, that enough publicity had been given to the attitude of the courts' towards people who cultivated cannabis. He said that the defendant’s claim that the drug was only for his own use “stretched the credulity of the Court somehwat.” Vianen. was fined $750 on the cultivating ’ charge and

$lOO on the possession of (he cannabis seeds. In addition the Judge ordered the destruction of the plants and seeds. FIREARM OFFENCE A large contingent of police went to the Corsair Bay picnic area on November 13 after receiving a report from a distressed female about a youth brandishing a shotgun in the area, said Sergeant J. E. Dwyer. As a result of the incident which occurred at 10.30 p.m. Warren Mark Bradley, aged 18. a labourer, was charged with carrying firearms without a proper and sufficient purpose. Bradley, who admitted the offence, was convicted and fined $5O. Sergeant Dwyer said when located in the picnic area, where about 40 young people had gathered, many of them drinking, Bradley had a .22 calibre air rifle and a .22 calibre air pistol in his jacket. Both weapons were loaded with small ball bearings. Bradley said, in explanation. that he had fired about 20 shots into an area of vegetation on a steep bank behind the picnic area, said Sergeant Dwyer. A duty solicitor said the defendant had gone to the beach area for target practice. • Bradley was. he said, emphatic that h'e did not point the rifle at anyone although he had let others use it. Bradley, who, the Judge said, had previous firearms convictions, should not be in possession of firearms. The Judge also ordered that both weapons be forfeited to the Crown. • DEPOSITIONS Kevin John Little, aged 20. a storeman. charged with receiving a $2OOO motorcycle, was remanded to December 21 for the taking of depositions. The alleged offence was said to have taken place on November 4. INJURY CHARGE A man. charged that with intent to injure anyone, he injured Suzanne Grooby. was remanded without plea to December 1. He is Mathew Peter Clark, aged 23, unemployed, who is alleged to have committed the offence on November 14. Bail, which was opposed, was set at $lOOO. CANNABIS OFFENCE A machine operator put a cannabis plant, which he was growing, on the roof of a city grain store because it was warmer there and he did not know what to do with it, said Sergeant Dwyer. Gerald Malcolm Crawford, aged 19. who admitted a charge of cultivating cannabis on November 20 was

convicted and fined $l5O. Sergeant Dwyer said that acting on information received the police visited the grain store where one cannabis plant was found growing on the roof. Crawford said it was his and that he had originally planted two seeds. Crawford told the Judge that it was the first, time he had tried to grow the drug. He was sorry and added that it would not happen again. CARD FRAUD A man. who admitted eight charges of fraudulently using a store credit card and one charge of attempting to use it. was convicted and remanded on bail to December 8 for a probation report and sentence. Sergeant Dwyer said that Craig Bernard’ At ley. aged 22. a shot blaster, had been given the credit card. After “testing" it at a branch of the store he then went to other branches where he obtained two clock radios and assorted property worth $547. He threw one of the purchased items, a torch, into a rubbish bin. thc clocks were sold, and some items were discarded in hotels, said Sergeant Dwyer. None of the discarded property had been recovered. Compensation of $547 was sought. The defendant had been Caught by store staff while attempting to use the card to purchase a stereo. In explanation Alley (Mr S. G. Barker) told the’ police that he committed the offences because he was short of money and needed some cash. PARTS BURGLARY A man convicted of burgling an Ashburton garage from where a $4500 "hot rod," parts, and tools, to a total value of $6OOO. were taken, was remanded to December 8 for a probation report and sentence. Earl Raymond Mako. aged 22. a driver (Mrs D. Orchard) who admitted the offence, which occurred between October 31 and November 2. was allowed bail. Sergeant Dwyer said that acting on information received police executed a search warrant on Mako’s address where they found some of the stolen parts and the defendant fitting the rear end of the "hot rod" to 'his own car. The body of the stolen "hot rod" was found the next day at Darfield. The value of the unrecovered property amounted to $2OOO, said Sergeant. Dwyer. Sergeant Dwyer said thc burgled premises wore used by. the Ashburton Hot Rod Club to' build up such vehicles'. '