Burglar ‘criminal by choice’

Press, 7 January 1983, Page 5

Burglar ‘criminal by choice’

A man, aged 19. whom Judge Bradford described as “a criminal by choice,” was sent to prison for nine months when he appeared for sentence in the District Court yesterday on three charges of burglary and one of theft. The Judge said that Shane Anthony Jones, unemployed (Mr M. J. Glue) had a history of dishonesty and quite obviously showed no inclination to change his ways. The burglaries for which he appeared for sentence, which involved property worth about $2OOO and of which only $lOO worth had been recovered, were serious, bold enterprises committed in daytime within a period of 24 hours, said the Judge. The public was heartily sick and tired of returning to their homes to find them either broken into or vandalised, and property stolen. A deterrent sentence was called for and imprisonment was the only sentence in this case, said the Judge. Earlier Jones had admitted breaking into homes in Memorial Avenue, Papanui Road, and Stapletons Road on December 6 and 7. He was also convicted of stealing 10 litres of petrol, valued at $7, on November 19. Mr Glue said that his client’s offending had taken place at a time when he had been in a “desperate” financial situation. He had already been in custody since early December and Mr Glue submitted that a lengthy period .f periodic detention would be an appropriate sentence. RAPE CHARGE A married man charged with attempting to rape a woman in her city flat after breaking in with the intention of committing a crime was remanded to January 21 for the taking of depositions.

Hare John Rini. aged 20. a road worker (Mr Glue) was remanded in custody. He is alleged to have committed the offences on December 29. Mr Glue sought a psychiatric report so that it would be available at the depositions hearing. This was ordered by the Judge. PURSE THEFT A girl, aged 17, who admitted stealing a purse and its contents, together valued at $434, the property of Lorna Joy Langham, was convicted and remanded on bail of $l5OO to January 20 for a probation report and sentence. Sergeant J. E. Dwyer said that on January 5 the complainant, an employee at a city store, left her purse and bag on the floor in an unlocked office. The defendant, Pani Bain, unemployed, was seen with two other persons acting suspiciously in the office, and after they had left and the office was checked the purse was missing. She was apprehended in the vicinity and the property was recovered in Bain’s vehicle, said Sergeant Dwyer. Bain admitted that she had taken $lOO from the purse for herself. Jill Bain, aged 20, unemployed, and Patricia Watene, aged 23, a beneficiary, who are jointly charged with the same offence, were each re- , manded at large to March 2 ' for a defended hearing. DEFENDED HEARING A driver charged with communicating with a prisoner in the custody of the police without permission was remanded to March 1 for a defended hearing. Wayne Anthony Edmonds, aged 34, is charged with having committed the offence on January 5. He was allowed bail of $5OO.

CUSTODY REMAND A man facing charges of threatening to kill a woman, assaulting her, and intentionally damaging a glass door, the property of the woman, was remanded in custody until today. No pleas were entered by David Essex Leary, aged 40, a sickness beneficiary, who is charged with committing the offences on January 5. Bail was opposed by Sergeant Dwyer who said the complainant lived in fear of the defendant returning.

TYRE INTERFERENCE A man who admitted letting down the tyre of a police patrol car at Queenstown on December 30 was convicted and fined $2OO.

The Judge told Paul Kenneth Moorhouse, aged 23, an apprentice sheet metal worker, that the act of letting down a tyre was not a very serious matter. But in this case it was a police car parked at a popular holiday resort at a time when it could have been needed for an emergency. Sergeant Dwyer said that at 10 p.m. that day as a result of information received a police car went to make a routine visit to a particular hotel in Queenstown.

The defendant was seen near the vehicle and a loud hissing noise was heard. A police officer found that one of the rear tyres was flat and a local garage operator had to be specially called out in order to keep the vehicle mobile. This cost $3O and compensation was sought. At the time of the offence the defendant had been drinking. His act, which he now regretted, had been impulsive and foolish, said the duty solicitor (Mr Glue). In addition to the fine the Judge ordered that the defendant pay $3O in compensation.