Naked drive on thoroughfare

Press, 17 April 1982, Page 5

Naked drive on thoroughfare

A man, aged 33, who drove nude along Riccarton Road, controlling his car with one hand while allegedly masturbating with the other, was discharged without conviction by Judge Frampton in the District Court yesterday. Sergeant G. C. Jones said the defendant, a first offender, had been observed by an off-duty police officer riding past on a bicycle. The defendant, who was granted suppression of his name, was ordered to' pay $lOO towards the cost of the prosecution.

He had admitted a charge of obscene exposure on February 27. Counsel (Mr M: B. O'Regan) said his client had been sunbathing outside the city and because it was a hot day had not dressed for the drive back to town. He denied masturbating but said he had been scratching his private parts. The defendant had not committed an overt criminal act; rather it had been a grave and rather foolish action. There had been no inten-

tion to offend anybody, said Mr O’Regan. The Judge accepted this and also that the constable could have been mistaken about the masturbation. Agreeing to suppressing the man’s name, the Judge said the embarrassment caused by publication to the defendant and his family would be out of proportion to the offence. CHARGE DENIED A man, aged 52, charged with stealing 30 assorted stamps, valued at $Bl3.

denied the alleged offence. The defendant, a first offender, was remanded to June 18 for a defended hearing. He is alleged to have committed the offence on April 3. The -stamps were the property of David Ellis. An application for a continuation of suppression of his client’s name by counsel (Mr D. I. Jones) was granted. Mr Jones said a psychiatric report was being sought. FURTHER REMAND A Reefton miner charged

with the unlawful possession of six sticks of gelignite and 10 detonators was remanded to appear in the District Court at Greymouth on April 28. The defendant, who was granted continued interim suppression of his name, was also granted bail of $l5OO. The Judge was told; that the defendant would plead at his next appearance in court. The charge relates to a domestic disturbance at Reefton on March 18 in which the armed offenders squad was called.