Perjury admitted by woman

Press, 26 February 1983, Page 7

Perjury admitted by woman

A woman who admitted committing perjury during a case involving a man charged with driving with an excess blood-alcohol level in June, last year, was yesterday convicted in the District Court and remanded to the High Court for sentence on March 11. Cynthia Ann Fraser, aged 28. a beneficiary (Miss E. H. Thompson), was allowed bail of $lOOO. She had admitted that as part of her evidence on oath that Michael Joseph Brosnahan (the defendant), was not the driver of a vehicle and that a person called Peter Clinton had been the driver of the vehicle at the time. Sergeant M. P. Caldwell said that at 11 p.m. on December 25, 1981, a Ministry of Transport patrol saw a car travelling south on the Main South Road get into a skid at the Sockburn roundabout. with tyres squealing. When stopped, the vehicle had two males and the defendant in the front seat. Brosnahan was found to have been driving with an excess blood alcohol level and was charged. At a hearing in the District Court on June 24, last year, Brosnahan called the defendant as a witness. She had said, on oath, that Brosnahan had not been the driver when the vehicle was negotiating the Sockburn roundabout,, said Sergeant Caldwell. She asserted that a person called Peter Clinton had been the driver. The defendant and Brosnahan stuck to this story and the case was subsequently dismissed, said the Sergeant. It was later found that Clinton had been in Australia since May, 1981. When questioned by the police, Fraser admitted having told a deliberate lie. She said she was afraid of being beaten up by Brosnahan and was too scared to tell the truth. DRUG OFFENCE A warehouseman who admitted possessing a cannabis preparation for supply was convicted and committed in custody to the High Court for sentence. Nigel Gerard Biggs, aged 18 (Mr J. G. Matthews), committed the offence on February 17. $4OOO BAIL A salesman and a solo parent jointly charged with possessing a cannabis plant for sale or supply were each remanded to March 4 on bail of $4OOO each. Michael John Smith, aged 21, and Tania Carolyn Cuther, aged 17, are charged' with committing the offence on February 24. Bail was set at $2OOO for

each defendant, with a surety of the same amount. Pleas were not entered. DEPOSITIONS A man charged with breaking and entering a New Brighton jeweller’s shop, from which property valued at $BOOO was taken, elected trial by jury. Tony Nash, aged 20, unemployed (Mr R. J. Murfitt), is charged with burgling the Brighton Mall premises of Crescent Jewellers, Ltd, on February 14, and with unlawfully taking a car and a motor-cycle between February 13 and 14. ' Nash, who did not plead, was remanded to April 8 for the taking of depositions. STOLE BOTTLES A solo parent and an unemployed man admitted stealing 600 empty beer bottles and 25 beer crates, to a total value of $43, and later sold them to a bottle dealer for $25 because they needed the money, said Sergeant Caldwell. The bottles and crates were the property of Wholesale Liquor, Ltd. Pearl Baker, aged 20, and Leo William Baker, aged 28 (Mr M. J. Glue); were each convicted. Leo Baker was fined $6O and ordered to pay compensation in full. His co-offender was convicted, ordered to pay $2O court, costs, and she was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for two months. Mr Glue said that Leo Baker claimed responsibility for the offence which was’ committed without any stealth or concealment. The items taken had no. significant value, he said. Sergeant Caldwell said that the pair had stopped in a vehicle outside the liquor store premises at 11.15 p.m. on December 31, last year. The two defendants then went inside and made repeated journeys to their vehicle with the empty bottles and crates. When spoken to by the police later, Leo Baker said the empties had been sold to another bottle dealer for $25 as they needed the money. TOLL CALLS A man who gave false particulars when he lodged 69 toll calls from a public telephone box to friends round New Zealand was convicted and remanded on bail to March 11 for a probation report and sentence. John Edward Hansen, aged 24, unemployed (Miss F. Bolwell), admitted a charge that with intent to defraud the Post Office of revenue, he gave false particulars when lodging telephone calls. The offences took place at Invercargill between December, 1981, and June 6, 1982. Sergeant Caldwell said

that the 69 telephone calls, made by the defendant, were lodged to a Wellington number. The calls cost $3lO. When spoken to by the police, Hansen said that in 1981. while in Wellington, he became friends with the person to whose account he billed the calls. Later, after falling out with his friend, the defendant had gone to Invercargill. Hansen said that he knew he should not have done what he did, but was hoping that his friend would accept and pay for the calls, as he had done in the past, said Sergeant Caldwell. $5 ROBBERY An unemployed youth who admitted that with menaces he demanded $5 from a man, aged 28, who was cycling through Hagley Park, was convicted and remanded to March 11 for a probation report and sentence. Sbrgeant Caldwell said that last month the defendant, Richard James Derry, aged 18 (Mr D. J. Taffs), had voluntarily gone to the police about the crime because he wanted to make a fresh start. Sergeant Caldwell said that the complainant had been stopped, and then chased, by the defendant as he was cycling through the park at 10 p.m. The complainant had been taken to a shelter where other youths were present. He had been struck on the back of the head and verbal threats had been made to him. After handing over $5, the complainant was taken back to his bicycle by the defendant and was told to “keep quiet” about the incident, said Sergeant Caldwell. Derry said that he had met the others in the group earlier that night and discussion had turned to “stopping a gay fellow in the park,” he said. BENCH WARRANT A warrant was issued for the arrest of Richard John Isherwood after his non-ap-pearance on a charge of stealing a stereo unit and tuner,, valued at $3823. Isherwood, aged 23, unemployed, is charged with stealing the unit, the property of Bob Brown’s Hi Fi, Ltd, on November 5, last year. SEX CHARGE A man charged with the attempted rape of a girl, aged 13, and with resisting a police officer in the execution of this duty, was remanded in custody to March 4 without plea. He is Abraham Akarama Edmonds, aged 38, a labourer (Mrs D. J. Orchard), who is alleged to have committed the offences on February 24. Bail was opposed by Sergeant C. J. Cole.