Extra jail term for escaper

Press, 16 July 1983, Page 9

Extra jail term for escaper

PA Auckland A prison escaper said to have “a raging drug habit” yesterday had 18 months added to his jail term for escaping and burgling two North Shore chemist shops and a doctor’s surgery for drugs. Anthony Thomas Beadle had pleaded guilty to escaping from the Paparua Prison hospital in Christchurch on May 10, as well as the three burglary charges and two more of possessing morphine and possessing needles used for drugs.

In the District Court at Auckland yesterday, Judge Hall sentenced Beadle to 12 months imprisonment for the burglaries, cumulative on the two-year term he was serving after a conviction in March.

For escaping from cus-

tody, a further six-month prison term was imposed to be served after the other terms. Beadle was convicted and discharged on the possession charges. Counsel, Mr R. M. Hesketh, said the imprisonment was accepted as inevitable for the charges, but asked the Judge not to make it too long to allow the possibility of rehabilitation. “This man does have a raging drug habit — nearly all of his previous convictions are for offences motivated by his singleminded pursuit to obtain drugs to feed his own habit,” Mr Hesketh said. However, the Judge said he believed there was at present no prospect of rehabilitation, and that Beadle needed long-term institutional care and substantial back-up.