Woman sentenced for ‘mean theft’

Press, 7 March 1984, Page 16

Woman sentenced for ‘mean theft’

For what he described as “a mean theft of substantial proportions” Judge Pain yesterday ordered Diane Maria Spencer to perform 160 hours community service and to pay $BOO compensation. A District Court jury had earlier found Spencer, aged 34, a machinist, guilty of a charge of stealing household furniture worth $6600 which had been stored in her garage last year by another woman who had shifted from Dunedin to Christchurch.

Counsel, Mr E. J. Tait, said that in spite of the jury’s verdict Spencer maintained she was innocent of

the charge and “adamantly and emotionally” contended that three prosecution witnesses gave perjured evidence at her trial.

He submitted that she was convicted as a party to the offence and she denied receiving any money as a result of what happened. She believed her association with certain other people had led her to this situation which she bitterly regretted. This was her first appearance before a court and as a result she had received threats and her home had been burgled. The Judge said he had to regard the offence as seri-

ous. He had heard the evidence that she had full knowledge of the theft, helped plan it and dispose of the goods, and had no compunction about sentencing her on the jury’s verdict

However, he agreed that this was out of character for her and her co-offenders had known criminal tendencies.

Ordering her to pay $BOO compensation the Judge said that he was aware that her husband had also been ordered to pay' $l7OO compensation when he pleaded guilty to a charge of aiding the commission of the offence.