Imprisonment for P.O. burglary in Sth Canty

Press, 18 March 1982, Page 4

Imprisonment for P.O. burglary in Sth Canty

Eighteen months imprisonment was imposed on a man, earlier convicted of burgling the Winchester Post Office in January when he appeared for sentence before Judge Fogarty in the District Court vesterdav.

The Judge told Douglas Rangi Cowan, aged 42, a driver, that the burglary had been a professional and wellplanned venture.

He also noted that Cowan had previous convictions — including several for burglarv — dating back to 1960. Cowan had admitted the offence which took place on January 12 and had told the police that he and his two companions had expected to net "a large amount." Cowan and another man were disturbed by a police patrol from Temuka as they were in the process of cutting open the post office safe with oxyacetelyne equipment. • The pair made off but were caught seven hours later, with the aid of a tracker dog, about five miles from the Post Office. A two,way radio was found in their possession with which they were in touch with a look-out down the road. Counsel (Mr M. J. Knowles) said although it was a serious offence, the defendant was not the organiser. Cowan had foolishly made the wrong decision to become involved in the enterprise.

Mr Knowles added that his client had been out of trouble

since his release from prison in June, 1980. REMANDED Three men each facing four charges relating to events after their escape from Paparua Prison on March 9 were convicted and remanded in custody for sentence in the High Court. James Eric Kydd. aged 23 (Mr G. M. Brodie), David Alan Greer, aged 21 (Mr M. J. Glue), and Steven Brooke Harris, aged 23 (Mr G. R. Lascelles), all pleaded guilty to the charges. These included escaping from Pararua Prison, wounding Joseph Wright, a prison officer, with intent to escape, converting an $ll,OOO car, and with assaulting Henry Vale, the owner of the vehicle, in order to convert it. Detective Sergeant C. A. MacLeod said the prison officer was wounded with a slasher while he had been on duty in charge of a work party at the prison farm. The officer suffered a broken arm, cut tendons and facia! injuries. Mr Vale, aged 93, had stopped his car after seeing an apparently injured man lying on the road as he drove near the prison, said Sergeant MacLeod.

When Mr Vale stopped to give assistance he was ordered at knifepoint to get out of the car and when he failed to do so he was dragged out and left in a shocked state on the verge of the road. The trio drove off towards the West Coast, The car was

abandoned on the eastern side of Arthur’s Pass and the three defendants were located in the area by the police using tracker dogs, said Sergeant MScLeod. "WANTON VANDALISM” A more wanton act’ of vandalism would be hard to imagine, the Judge told two men who were earlier convicted of wrecking a railway warning signal system on the main trunk line south of Christchurch. Gary Wayne Dillon, aged 20. and Christopher Desmond Goile, aged 21, both labourers, had admitted the offending which took place in the early hours of February 24. For the railway property offence he fined each man $750, placed both on probation for 18 months with special conditions that they undergo medical treatment or counselling for alcoholism and place their finances in the control of the probation officer. In addition both were fined $260 for stealing two road signs and two road-marking posts. The offences arose out of a drunken escapade. Judge Fogarty said ' the courts could not accept that the seriousness of the offending could be explained away by the fact that the two defendants had drunk too much liquor. After stealing various signs on their way back to Christchurch from Burnham the pair stopped at a railway crossing at the intersection of Johns Road and Curries Road.

After failing to remove a flashing light the arm was pulled down and bent, the flashing lights were smashed, the system’s wiring was torn out and attempts were made to remove the small reflector lights on the barrier arm. Each shouted encouragement to the other as they proceeded to wreck the system.

Counsel (Mr B. Stone) said the two men were not aware they had committed the offences on February 24 until they appeared in court two weeks ago.

“This is an indication of just how drunk they were,” he said.

Compensation of $460 in respect of the railway crossing damage had already been paid in full and compensation would be made with respect to the sign damage, said Mr Stone. On an unrelated offence of recklessly driving through several Christchurch streets on January 10 during which he drove through several red traffic lights and at speeds of up to 110 km per hour before smashing into a concrete fence Dillon was convicted and fined $3OO.

He was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver's licence for 18 months. NO PLEA A signwriter accused that with intent to injure he assaulted Michele Jean Hyland was remanded to March 24. Gibson Grace, aged 29 (Mr K. J. Grave) did not plead. He is alleged to have committed the offence yesterday. Bail was set at $l6OO. INJURY CHARGES Gary Raymond Lingard, aged 28 (Mr A. A. Couch), who faces two injury charges was remanded on bail to April 5 for the taking of depositions. It is alleged that on January 28 with reckless disregard for the safety of John David Miles and Mandy Anne Taylor he injured Miles and that he also caused grievous bodily harm to Mandy Anne Taylor and Mr Miles. THEFT CHARGE A service station attendant charged with stealing petrol coupons, valued at $865, from his employer, was. remanded on bail to March 24. No plea was entered by David William Cassidy, aged 26, who is alleged to have stolen the coupons from the Dallington Service Station between December 24, last year, and February 5. THEFT ALLEGED An unemployed driver alleged to have stolen a $3500 utility vehicle was remanded in custody to March 24. Earl Raymond Mako, aged 22, who is charged with committing the offence between January. 31 and February 15 did not 'plead. Bail was opposed by Sergeant MacLeod.