‘Barbaric vandalism’

Press, 21 April 1984, Page 4

‘Barbaric vandalism’

The breaking into the homes of his estranged wife, and his in-laws, causing more than $lO,OOO worth of damage, was “barbaric vandalism and a totally uncivilised response to a marital situation,” said Judge Palmer in the District Court bn Thursday. Saying that the offences were “too serious to be dealt with in a communitybased way,” the Judge sent Peter Leonard Shilcock, aged 24, a chef, and Anthony Steven Shilcock, aged 21, unemployed, to prison for six months. Earlier the two defendants had admitted burgling a house in Karitane Drive and wilfully damaging the house and its contents to a value of $9214, and with burgling a house in Innes Road and causing $llO6 worth of damage. The offences took place on March 17.

The Judge said that he intended dealing with both defendants in the same way as their involvement in the offending was the same.

He made no order for compensation. This would be left for the two complainants to pursue in another jurisdiction, said the Judge. Although it had been

submitted by counsel (Mr K. N. Hampton) that the pair had been drinking heavily prior to committing the offences, each defendant had been sufficiently rational and purposeful to know what they were about. Mr Hampton said that Peter Shilcock and his wife had separated and in the settlement the wife got the $145,000 home and Shilcock had received $4OOO and some chattels. The “breaking point” came when he went to the family home to pick up a stereo, which had been repaired, only to find that his wife had sold it. All the violence had been directed at material things, not persons, said Mr Hampton who urged that the defendants be dealt with short of a custodial sentence. JEANS OFFENCE Kieron Michael Arlow who admitted receiving 25 pairs of jeans, valued at $625, was convicted and remanded in custody to May 3 for a probation report and sentence. Detective Sergeant D. M. Quested said that on December 8-9, last year, the premises of Harold Sparks Menswear was burgled and

260 pairs of jeans, valued at $6500, were stolen. Acting on information received police executed a search warrant at the defendant’s address where 19 pairs of jeans, stolen in the burglary, were found. Arlow, aged 26, unemployed (Mr E. Bedo) admitted having paid $lO a pair for the jeans. DRUG CHARGES A man and a woman jointly charged with possessing cannabis for sale or supply were remanded, without plea, to May 3. William Galvin, aged 37, a labourer, and Treena Robyne Hillman, aged 30, a scrub cutter, are charged with committing the offence on April 13. BURGLARY CHARGES No pleas were entered by a man charged with breaking and entering two pharmacies, one on January 30, and the other on March 17. John Peter Fearon, aged 23, unemployed, was remanded in custody to April 26. Bail was opposed by Sergeant Quested. PERIODIC DETENTION Periodic detention for eight months was the sentence given to a former pay clerk earlier convicted on

four charges of forging Post Office requisition forms for funds to meet salaries. Douglas William Weir, aged 22, had admitted the offences. In explanation to the police the defendant asserted that he had lost a cash tin, containing between $15,000 and $17,000, which was left in a Post Office vehicle and that in a panic he had tried to cover the deficiency by forging records to cover subsequent snap “cash checks.” The defendant had not reported the alleged loss and had hoped to pay it back before it was discovered. Mr K. J. Grave said that as a result of obtaining a loan, his client, a first offender, had already repaid $10,820 to the Post Office. Through a further personal loan sufficient money was now available to pay the $6641 sought in compensation. The Judge refused an application for the final suppression of the defendant’s name. In addition to periodic detention he put Weir on probation for 12 months and ordered that he pay the compensation sought.