Woman faces false pretence charges

Press, 24 January 1984, Page 4

Woman faces false pretence charges

A manageress, aged 21, was alleged in the District Court yesterday to have obtained a total of $4400 by two offences of false pretence, committed a month apart, late last year. The defendant, Paula Averil Hogg, was charged that on or about October 25, with intent to defraud, she obtained from a male complainant $4OO by falsely representing that she needed this sum for removal expenses to enable her to move to Hokitika; and that on or about November 21, with intent to defraud, she obtained $4OOO from the same man by falsely representing that he had made a woman pregnant and that the woman required the money to pay for air tickets, accommodation, and medical expenses to enable her to travel to Sydney to have an abortion.

Judge Hattaway remanded the defendant at large, without plea, to January 30. At the request of the prosecutor, Sergeant J. E. Dwyer, the Judge suppressed the names of the man and woman complainants named in the charges. He granted the defendant legal aid. VIDEO SETS TAKEN Restitution of $2OOO was

sought by the police for damage caused by David Epiha Pihama, aged 31, an unemployed chef, when he broke into the Merivale Mall shop of Noel Leeming, Ltd, and stole four video cassette recorders, valued at $BBB3, early yesterday morning. The defendant admitted a charge of breaking and entering, and was convicted and remanded in custody to January 30 for a probation report and sentence. Sergeant J. E. Dwyer said that, at 12.05 a.m. yesterday, the defendant broke a window of Noel Leeming’s shop with a paving stone and took four video cassette recorders. He dropped one on the floor while leaving the shop.

The defendant’s car was parked a short distance from the mall.

When spoken to by the police the defendant admitted the burglary and said he needed money from the planned sale of the videos to pay outstanding debts.

Restitution of $2OOO was sought by the police for damage to the recorders, display stands, and the broken window. PISTOL IN CAR An unemployed man whose car, parked in the Shirley Hotel car-park on

November 9, was seen to have a cut-down .22 calibre rifle inside, told the police when questioned that he had borrowed it from a friend and had it in the car because he had received threats on his life.

Stephen John Rayner, aged 33, admitted charges of unlawfully possessing a pistol — the cut-down rifle — on November 7, and of receiving the rifle between May 20 and November 9, when he knew it had been obtained dishonestly. On both charges he was convicted and remanded to February 20 for a probation report and sentence. Bail of $2OOO in the defendant’s own recognisance, and with two similar. sureties, was granted. Sergeant Dwyer said the police went to the hotel carpark at 7 p.m. and found the pistol in the defendant’s car. He admitted having borrowed it from a friend. It had been cut down to a length of 470 mm. The owner of the rifle from which the pistol was made had reported its theft to the police. Rayner told the police he knew at the time he obtained it that it had been stolen. DEPOSITIONS On charges of assaulting a woman, aged 18, with

intent to rape her, and indecently assaulting the woman on January 16, Michael Douglas Dawson, aged 23, a cutter, was remanded to February 27 for the taking of depositions. He was granted bail of $750 in his own recognisance, with a similar surety. Dawson pleaded not guilty to a charge of driving while disqualified in Colombo Street on January 16 and was remanded to March 23 for a defended hearing. WINE SHOP BURGLED A smash and grab raid on the Sumner wine shop at 1.20 a.m. on January 15 led to the appearance of two youths, each aged 17, on a joint charge of burglary of the shop. The defendants, Glenn Hogg, a process worker, and Grant Malcolm Loose, a labourer, admitted the joint burglary charge and were each fined $2OO and ordered to pay restitution of $125. Sergeant Dwyer said the two defendants, while driving in Sumner, decided to break into a shop to obtain liquor. Loose parked the car outside the wine shop and broke the window with a car jack, and the two took 10 bottles of wine.

They were stopped by the police and the bottles of wine recovered from the

car. Both admitted their involvement in the burglary and Loose said it had been a spur of the moment offence.

Counsel for the two. Mr B. J. Pelham, produced references for them from their employers and said they had consumed liquor before the offence. They were usually well behaved, and both deeply regretted the matter. His requests for a discharge without conviction and suppression of name were declined by the Judge. He said it was their first appearance in court, but the charge was a very serious one. FALSE PRETENCE On five charges of false pretence by which he obtained items worth $1010.34 from four Christchurch businesses and one in Wellington by the issue of valueless cheques between September 20 and October 15 last year, Stephen Ward Peebles, aged 24, unemployed, was convicted and remanded on bail to January 30 for a probation report and sentence.

Peebles admitted the offences.

Sergeant Dwyer said the cheques issued were used to buy items including groceries and electronic equipment. One item with $295 had

been recovered from a second-hand dealer's shop. Restitution of the other $715.34 was sought.

OBSCENE PHONE CALLS A man. aged 57, who made obscene telephone calls to tenants living below his premises, and calls to the central police station, was convicted of three offences under the Post Office Act.

The defendant, who was granted suppression of his name, was convicted and fined $25 on each charge. They were two charges of using obscene language over a telephone, and one of using a telephone to annoy the police. Sergeant W. P. Creasey said that on December 30 the defendant was at home and made numerous telephone calls to tenants, including three to those occupying the flat directly below him.

He made abusive and threatening remarks and used obscene language in the calls. He also made seven calls to the central police station, five of them on the emergency line. At the police’s request the Post Office traced the calls to the defendant’s telephone number.

The defendant then went to a police station and

appeared in a distressed state, and smelt strongly of alcohol. He demanded that the police call at his home as his telephone was out of order.

The telephone was found to have been “blocked" by telephone technicians because of the calls which had been made. The defendant was then questioned about the obscene telephone calls and admitted making them. Defence counsel. Mr W. E. Herbison, produced two medical reports and referred to the defendant’s continuing problems, particularly with alcohol.

There was no doubt that his actions that evening resulted from his consumption of alcohol, he said. Mr Herbison said the defendant had had considerable difficulties with the tenants of the flat below. The charges were not of a particularly serious nature. The defendant was a very lonely man and had resorted to alcohol for comfort. He had sought medical advice and help from the Alcohol Assessment Centre, to assist him in controlling his alcohol problem. Imposing the fines, the Judge noted that the defendant was seeking help for his alcohol problem.