Jail for receiving

Press, 9 March 1984, Page 13

Jail for receiving

Six months in prison was the sentence Judge Fogarty imposed on a man who appeared for sentence in the District Court yesterday on three charges of receiving stolen property, valued at $3649.

Gary John Harvey, aged 24, a storeman driver (Mr P. B. H. Hall), was also put on probation for 12 months.

The Judge said the magnitude of the offending was such that a deterrent sentence was inevitable.

The property found in Harvey’s possession was the only amount recovered of $41,332 worth stolen from three Christchurch burglaries. Mr Hall said that although there were three charges they all related to one transaction. Harvey, said Mr Hall, had been “prevailed on” by the vendor of the goods who he had earlier met in prison. Although, according to the police summary, the defendant had not paid for the property he received, Mr Hall said that since his arrest Harvey had paid out $lOOO for the property.

Harvey was not aware of the source of the stolen property. Mr Hall asked for a sentence of periodic detention as, he said, a prison sentence would not be much of a deterrent to his client. Items recovered at the defendant’s address were 21 silk shorts, valued at $6OO, an ornamental silk rug, valued at $ll5O, and a video recorder worth $1899. DEPOSITIONS Trial by jury was elected by Robert Charles Cullen who is charged with producing a substance containing morphine and other constituents of opium about December 12, last year. Cullen, aged 21, a sickness beneficiary (Miss E. H. B. Thomson), was remanded to May 17 for the taking of depositions. Bail, granted in the High Court, was continued. BURGLARIES

Two burglaries committed in Poulton Avenue, in which property worth $5OOO was stolen, were admitted by a youth who told the police he was under the influence of pills at the time, said Detective Ser-

geant D. M. Quested. Nathaniel Joseph Smith, aged 17, a labourer, was convicted and remanded in custody to March 15 for a probation report and sentence.

Sergeant Quested said from the first house Smith took jewellery and a video unit, valued at $2500, while from the second he took jewellery and perfume, valued at $2600. Some of the property was recovered, he said. CHARGES DENIED Six charges of receiving stolen property, totalling $3200, and a charge of carrying on the business of a second-hand dealer when not licensed to do so, were denied by a coin dealer. Thomas Bates Upjohn, aged 29 (Mr C. C. H. Knight) was remanded on bail to May 18 for a defended hearing.

He is charged with receiving property, mainly jewellery and rings, between January 15 and February 10. The unlicensed dealing relates to a period from October 8, last year, and February 16.