Youth jailed for part in raid

Press, 15 January 1982, Page 5

Youth jailed for part in raid

A youth, aged 16. was jailed for a total of nine months when he appeared for sentence in the District Court yesterday for his part in the burglary of a Christchurch cinema, and associated offences.

The defendant. Tamati William Gray, had previously pleaded guilty in the Children and Young Persons Court to charges of breaking and entering the Carlton Cinema, from which a safe containing more then $6OOO was taken, unlawfully taking a car which was used in transporting the safe away, escaping from the District Court cells after an appearance on these charges on January 7. and committing a breach of periodic detention imposed for previous offences last year. He had been committed to the District Court for sentence.

On the burglary and unlawful conversion charges Judge Fraser yesterday jailed the defendant for nine months. He. was jailed for three months for escaping from custody, and for one month for the breach of periodic detention. The prison terms are concurrent. and to be followed by two years probation.

The defendant had been charged jointly with two other offenders with the burglary of the cinema on December 27.

One. aged 15. is still at large after escaping from the court cells at the same time as Gray and two other prisoners. A formal arrest warrant was issued yesterday for his apprehension. imposing sentence yesterday the Judge said that in spite of the defendant’s age. there was no alternative to a prison sentence.

The burglary had been a serious one involving more than $6OOO in cash, and a substantial amount of this had not been recovered. He had a "formidable" list of previous convictions, and had been under the supervision of the Department of Social Welfare, under the department’s guardianship, and had fines, probation, community work and periodic detention imposed for previous offending.

Mr N. P. Chapman, who appeared for the defendant, submitted in relation to the burglary that the defendant had been confused after rejection by his parents. With no home available he slept in the Square or "slept rough" around town for many weeks with no money. During that time he met up with the offender who had instigated the burglary. The defendant had not broken down the door of the court cell but had joined in on the spur of the moment after

two other prisoners had broken the door. The defendant had a girlfriend and they planned to live together, the girl, who was pregnant, was intelligent and was exerting a good influence on him. The relationship provided some stability to him. Mr Chapman submitted. YOUTH JAILED

A prison term’ of three months was imposed on Brent Alan Stevenson, aged 16. who appeared for sentence on a charge of escaping from the custody of the Rolleston Corrective Training Centre on December 8. On a charge of having an offensive weapon — a knife — when apprehended by police, the day after his escape, he was convicted and discharged. The defendant had been remanded to the District Court for sentence from the Children and Young Persons Court. His counsel (Mr E. Bedo) sought a suspended sentence. DRIVING OFFENCES A man who reached speeds of up to 95km/h in a converted car while being pursued by a traffic patrol car through city streets in the early morning of December 24. admitted four offences in relation to the incident. The defendant, Craig Dean Emms, aged 19. unemployed (Mr N. P. Chapman) pleaded guilty to charges of unlawfully taking a car belonging to Joan Waddell on December 23. and driving while disqualified, driving while under the influence of drink or drugs, and driving in a manner which might have been dangerous, on December 24. He was convicted on all charges and remanded in custody to January 21 for a probation report and sentence. Senior Traffic Sergeant I. A. Freeman said the defendant was seen travelling along Durham Street at excessive speed. He was stopped but then drove off. reaching a speed of 70km/h and 65km/h through a stop sign in Oxford Terrace. He travelled along a oneway street system in the wrong direction at 70km/h. He lost control of the car at one stage, and then travelled the length of Papanui Road at 95km/h, before turning into Harewood Road. He drove on the wrong side of a median strip for 200 m. then stopped and ran into a property but was found in an adjacent property. When apprehended he said it was quite a chase. He admitted having consumed liquor and taken a few tablets. He was certified by a doctor as unfit to drive. He had been previously disqualified from driving

upon conviction for failing to ascertain injury after an accident. Detective Sergeant C. A. MacLeod said in relation to the car conversion charge, that inquiries showed that the vehicle belonged to Joan Waddell and had been taken from outside her property. The defendant told police he had no recollection of where he had taken the car. and gave no explanation due to the effects of his drinking or drug-taking. CUSTODY REMAND A man who is alleged by the police to have broken into the Winchester Post Office in South Canterbury, while he was on remand to appear in Dunedin on February 1 on an aggravated robe’ry charge, was refused bail. The defendant. Michael Peter Bain, aged 20. unemployed. was jointly charged that with two other men. he broke and entered the post office on January 12. The duty solicitor (Mr G. T. Steele) sought bail for the defendant and said the charge would be defended and the defendant would elect trial by jury. A surety was available.

The prosecutor (Detective Sergeant C. A. MacLeod) opposed bail. The Judge refused bail, but said when he appeared on January 21. applications would be heard for the transfer of the hearing to the District Court at Timaru and for his release on bail. ’SPECTACULAR'

A Duvauchelle fisherman whose car crashed through a fence along the Akaroa waterfront, rolled over, and came to rest on rocks on the beach, was fined a total of $lOOO and lost his driver's licence for two years, for two offences arising from the accident. Robin Jeffrey Anderson, aged 20. (Mr E. Bedo) admitted charges of driving with an excessive ratio of alcohol in his blood (181 milligrams) and dangerous driving causing injury to Murray James Vanstone on November 8. He was fined $5OO and disqualified from driving for two years on each charge. The disqualification terms are concurrent.

Detective Sergeant MacLeod said that while travelling along Rue Jolie and about to turn into Beach Road at 9.15 p.m.. the car mounted the footpath and crashed through a fence on the sea wall, rolled over, and came to rest on rocks. The defendant and his passenge were treated for minor if juries. The car was exte sively damaged. The car's tyres left mar of 50m. and the car travel! another 17m on the be* after hitting the fence. The defendant admid having just left a partA blood test showed a reaig of 181 milligrams of alcdMr Bedo said that-He “quite spectacular accflt really resulted from ( es ’ sive speed. One of the ? e l s of the car struck th^ er b and the vehicle, an old°del with the wheels not pierly aligned, had twisted Jund. The car had catapult f° r_ ward.

Both the defend- anc * passenger had suffe* on 'y slight injuries. . Mr Bedo submit t" at the defendant hacjuffered substantial loss redly with the car written il n the accident and he h^l so l° st fishing gear and her P os_ sessions, and inbe from catches of fish.‘ lrou Sh a fishing boat accptThe Judge sq the accident resulted f n a gross case of dang^ s driving arising from h/ speed and excessive coi^Pti oll liquor. / weaponharge On a charge having an offensive weJ l — an axe — at a projty > n Cashel Street on Dpiber 23. Petana Anae, a ged 22. a labourer, on bail to Ma> 2 for a defended fixtF He denied the charge. j