Defendant needed money to pay off debts

Press, 8 March 1984, Page 4

Defendant needed money to pay off debts

Because he needed money to pay off debts, a debt collector admitted three charges of fraud, involving property worth $5730, when he appeared before Judge Frampton in the District Court yesterday. Maurice Winston Clark, aged 41 (Mr K. J. Grave), was convicted and remanded in custody to March 15 for a probation report and sentence.

Clark also admitted, and was convicted a charge of receiving a cheque book.

Sergeant M. J. South said that this cheque book was stolen from a vehicle between January 16 and 31.

On February 3, Clark went to Noel Leeming’s store in the Barrington Mall where he purchased six car stereos, and speakers, for $1659.

The next day he went to another branch of Noel Leemings and bought a video recorder for $2195. From Dingwall and Paulger, Ltd, Clark bought 150 cartons of cigarettes, for $1876, using another of the stolen cheques. When questioned later by the police Clark said he bought the cheque book for $5O from a man in a hotel. Sergeant South said the defendant had sold the car

stereos in various hotels and none had been recovered.

Thirteen cartons of cigarettes, and the video recorder, had been recovered, said Sergeant South. Compensation of $lB3l, in respect of unrecovered property, was sought, he said. Clark, who was on a prison pre-release sheme, had, since the offending, been recalled to prison. COMPENSATION QUERIED The question of whether a defendant should have to pay compensation of $255 to a second hand dealer who paid him this amount for stolen goods, valued at $1775, was raised by the Judge. Judge Frampton asked the police prosecutor why the defendant, Raymond Mark Hill, should have to pay such compensation in a case where the second hand dealer had paid him only about one-sixth the value of the goods he had sold them.

Should the dealer not be facing a charge, he asked. Sergeant South said that without referring to the Second Hand Dealers’ Act he was unable to say. Hill, aged 17, unemployed (Mr D. J. Taffs), was appearing for sentence on charges of burglary, unlawful possession of an offen-

sive weapon, driving while disqualified, and driving with an excess blood alcohol level.

From the burglary of a house in Salisbury Street from which property worth $4710 was taken, Hill had sold $1775 worth to the second hand dealer for $255.

Sergeant South said that Hill told the police he had used the money to pay for repairs to his motor vehicle. Hill said he committqd the burglary after having been told about the address by a co-offender. Compensation of $1472 was sought from Hill. The Judge sentenced Hill to corrective training. On the traffic offences he was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for 18 months. CUSTODY Bail was opposed for a woman charged with forging a medical prescription, and with using it to obtain drugs. Debbie Day, aged 27, unemployed, who is charged with committing the offences on March 6, was remanded in custody to March 14. She did not plead. A duty solicitor (Mr J. B. Stringer) sought bail saying that Day’s brother in Auckland was terminally ill and that she wished to visit him.

In opposing bail Sergeant South said the excuse of travelling to see her brother was one of the reasons she was earlier given a deferred sentence last month.

A Catholic priest had provided the defendant with a (>lane ticket to go to Auckand but instead she was still in Christchurch and reoffending, he said. DEFERRED SENTENCE A 12-month deferred sentence was imposed on a man who was convicted on nine charges of fraud and two of theft.

Geoffrey Robert Muir, aged 29, a sickness beneficiary (Mr E. J. Tait), admitted the offences, committed during September and October, last year, by which he obtained liquor, clothing, shoes, and cash to a total value of $737. Sergeant South said that two cheque books were stolen from a vehicle while the driver was making deliveries in Christchurch.

. During the next four weeks eight of the cheques were used by Muir to obtain goods, some of which were then sold to obtain money for liquor. In explanation, Muir, who had a serious drink problem, told the police he had been going through a bad period at the time and that

all the offences had taken place to obtain liquor, said Sergeant South. At present Muir is a resident of the Salvation Army’s Bridge programme, he said.

The ease with which persons, like the defendant, could use stolen cheques to obtain goods and services without retailers taking adequate safeguards constantly surprised him, said the Judge. DRUG CHARGE A further remand to March 28 was sought by the police prosecutor for a man facing a charge of possessing cannabis for sale or supply. Harry Edward Cox, aged 29, unemployed (Mr A. N. D. Garrett), is charged with committing the offence on February 14.

Mr Garrett said the remand, to await an analysis from the Department of Scientific ana Industrial Research, was agreeable to him.

He said that he had received instructions by way Of side-band radio with his client on a trawler out of Greymouth to also seek a further remand without plea.

The Judge granted the remand and Cox’s bail of $l5OO was renewed.