Girl seen with stolen ring

Press, 19 December 1981, Page 7

Girl seen with stolen ring

Evidence that the owner of a gold and diamond engagement ring valued at $l6OO saw a girl sitting in the public gallery of the District Court wearing it, a month after the burglary of her house, was given in the District Court yesterday. The defendant, Shayanne Kim Hura, aged 21, an unemployed masseuse (Mr G. H. Nation) was convicted by Judge Fraser on a charge of receiving the ring, the property of Pauline Anne Connolly, when she knew it was stolen, on October 30. She was remanded on bail to January 14 for sentence. She had denied the receiving charge and an alternative charge of theft of the ring.

Detective Sergeant C. A. MacLeod prosecuted. Mrs Connolly gave evidence that the gold and fourdiamond engagement ring was amongst property valued at between $9OOO and $lO,OOO stolen in a burglary of her house. Detective K. M. Burrowes said he was advised of the complaint in the courtroom and spoke to the defendant, who began abusing him.

He turned and spoke to Mrs Connolly and saw the defendant speak to two other girls and appear to pass something to one of them, who left the court hurriedly. She was followed and was seen to put her hand through an open car window. Two rings were found inside, one belonging to Mrs Connolly. Mr Nation called no defence evidence but submitted that there was no evidence to substantiate the theft charge.

He said there was lack of any cogent evidence of the defendant's passing something to the other person who was seen to go to the car. The defendant had been some distance away from the complainant in the Court, in the short time which she had to view it.

There was a doubt that the defendant had possession of the ring. The Judge dismissed the charge of theft but said the evidence led irresistibly to the conclusion that she had the ring in her possession in the Court and disposed of its possession in the interval which the police and complainant described.