Fine for dog attack

Press, 13 April 1984, Page 4

Fine for dog attack

An attack by a dog which bit a midwife resulted in the animal’s owner being convicted and fined $75 by Judge Paterson in the District Court yesterday. Veck Prodonov, aged 61, a labourer (Mr P. B. H. Hall) was charged with being the owner of a crossbred dog which attacked a woman on February 22. Sergeant M. P. Caldwell said that the attack occurred when the midwife was visiting the defendant’s property which contained a number of small flats.

The dog bit the back of one of the complainant’s legs, he said. The animal was not secured at the time. Mr Hall said the defendant’s property, containing a number of small flats, had been the subject of a number of burglaries and the dog had been acquired to deter such criminal activities. On the day, and while his client was off the property, one of the tenants, without Prodonov’s knowledge or approval had let the dog off its chain. Fortunately the injury was not serious. PERJURY CHARGE A man charged with perjury was remanded at large to May 31 for the taking of depositions. Tony Norman Morrison, aged 26, a commercial cleaner (Mr M. J. Glue) is charged with committing perjury by making false assertions on oath intending to mislead a tribunal between April 22 and July 1, 1982. The charge is a private

prosecution laid by Colin David Stoves, a prison inmate at Invercargill. Stoves was convicted on a series of arson charges. $9OOO BAIL

Bail of $9OOO was allowed for a man aged 26, facing charges of threatening to kill a man, and stealing a $3O stetheocope, the property of the North Canterbury Hospital Board. The defendant who, at the request of counsel (Mr E. Bedo), was granted continued interim suppression of his name, was remanded to May 28 for the taking of depositions. The defendant, who has been in custody at Sunnyside Hospital undergoing a

psychiatric report, was allowed bail of $3OOO with two sureties each of the same amount. In addition the defendant was ordered to report twice a week to the police. Before bail was granted counsel and the police prosecutor were shown a communication received by the Judge. CHARGE DENIED A charge of indecently assaulting a girl, aged 14 years and 11 months, was denied by a man, aged 19. The defendant, who was granted interim suppression of his name, was remanded to June 7 for a defended hearing. Police say that the alleged offence took place on March 1. CREDIT FRAUD After making inquiries about opening a credit account at the main branch of a city store, an unemployed man went to one of its suburban branches where, over a period of three months, he charged goods, worth $3697, to the account which at the time had not been approved. Peter Angus Eathorne, aged 23, (Mr E. Bedo), who admitted a charge of fraudulently obtaining the goods by means of a false pretence, was convicted and remanded on bail to May 7 for a probation report and sentence.

Sergeant Caldwell said that when spoken to by police Eathorne said he was a chronic gambler and that apart from some items he had given away as Christmas gifts, the rest had been sold to obtain money to gamble with. Compensation of $3697 was sought, said Sergeant Caldwell. $4OO FINE A fine of $4OO was imposed on a man earlier convicted of burgling a Huxley Street flat on March 20. In addition Grant James Foster, aged 25 (Mr Glue) was put on probation for 12 months and ordered to take treatment for his alcoholism.

Earlier, Foster a first offender, had admitted breaking into the flat and taking a video, worth $2OOO, and a stereo unit, valued at $lOOO.

Both items were recovered when police visited the defendant’s address. COMMUNITY SERVICE A woman found with a foil-wrapped LSD (lysergide) “trip” in her handbag which, she told police, was intended as a birthday present for a relative, was sentenced to carry out 50 hours of community service. Nicola Jane Barnes, aged 19, unemployed (Mr B. J. Pelham) who was also convicted of possessing cannabis leaf, also on March 23, was certainly guilty of misguided good intention, Mr Pelham said.

Barnes, a first offender, had admitted using cannabis but not LSD, said Mr Pelham. DEFERRED SENTENCE A deferred sentence of 18 months was given to a man who stole bales of wool, valued at $B6l, and an automatic washing machine and clothes dryer, valued at $BOO. The offences committed on March 2 and 6, were earlier admitted by Alan James Parkhill, aged 30,

unemployed (Mr W. Rosenberg).

The items were stolen from a farm and the wool was sold to a wool buyer. The washing machine, and dryer, were recovered at the defendant’s address. In addition to the deferred sentence Parkhill was put on probation for 18 months and ordered to take treatment for his alcoholism. THEFT OFFENCES After stealing a $2OOO car and a $4200 caravan, a man, aged 20, told police, when apprehended, that he had intended delivering the vehicles to a person he did not wish to identify, said Sergeant Caldwell. Kevin James Lane, aged 22, admitted stealing the car, the property of Gilbert Thomas Sprott, on March 30, and the caravan, the property of Mathew Roberts on April 1. Sergeant Caldwell said that both vehicles were stolen from outside the properties of their respective owners.

As a result of police inquiries the two stolen items were found being painted by the defendant at the rear of a house. The registration plates had been changed.

Lane was remanded on renewed bail of $2OOO to May 3 for a probation report and sentence.