Man used firm’s order book to defraud

Press, 2 May 1984, Page 20

Man used firm’s order book to defraud

A former service parts manager who misused his employer’s order book to obtain goods to a total value of almost $6OOO, was convicted gyesterday by Judge Laing on five offences and remanded on bail to May 15 for a probation report and sentence. On the application of his counsel, Mr P. B. H. Hall, the defendant, who was appearing in the District Court, was granted continued interim suppression of his name. The defendant was charged that being a servant of the store, he stole a video recorder pack and camera, valued at $3350, and that with intent to defraud, he used the firm’s order forms on four occasions to obtain engine parts and servicing, to a total value of $914, 200 litres of racing fuel, valued at $243, four tyres and wheels, valued at $B7B, and four town and country tyres, valued at $553. The offences took place between June and September, last year. Sergeant B. M. Findlay said that on April 12, as a result of an internal audit by the firm, a complaint was made to the police about the way the defendant had used the company’s order book for personal gain. When spoken to by the police, the defendant said he had been under certain pressures at the time and

that he deeply regretted defrauding his employer. Since the offending he had lost his job but had expressed willingness to pay compensation, said Sergeant Findlay. Mr Hall sought bail for his client to enable him to complete matters set in train for him to pay compensation prior to sentencing, and continued interim suppression of his name. CHARGE DENIED A charge of wilfully setting fire to a utility vehicle, valued at $3500, was denied by a man aged 20. The defendant, who was represented by Mr M. J. Glue, was granted interim suppression of his name and was remanded to July 13 for a defended hearing. The police say the offence occurred on April 20. HIGH COURT After pleading guilty, two men jointly, and separately, charged with manufacturing morphine, a class B controlled drug, were convicted and remanded in custody to the High Court for sentence at a date to be fixed. They were Brian Matthew Latta, aged 36, and Arthur' Francis Michael Jones, aged 32, both unemployed (Mr S. C. Barker). Latta also admitted permitting his address to be used for the commission of the offence. . THEFT CHARGE Interim suppression, requested by the police, was granted to a man charged

with stealing $2469 by failing to account for this amount to the Railways Corporation. The defendant, aged 22, was remanded without pleading to May 15. Bail was set at $l5OO. He is charged with having received the $2469 from various persons in terms requiring him to account for it to the Railways Corporation and, by fraudulently omitting to do so, he committed theft. The offence is said by the police to have occurred between January 1 and April 27. IMPRISONMENT A man, aged 44, described by Judge Fraser as “a skilful thief” was sent to prison for 10 months after earlier being convicted on three charges of burgling motels, and one charge of possessing instruments capable of being used to commit burglary. Jimmy Tuhikarama, a carver (Mr D. H. Stringer), had admitted burgling two units at Classique Motels, Blenheim Road, and a unit at the Blenheim Road Motor Inn, on the night of December 2. The Judge said all three motel burglaries had taken place the same night and had one of the occupants not awakened and seen the defendant, coupled with the quick action of a police patrol, he would have got away with several hundred dollars.

As the Crown had pointed out in seeking a deterrent: sentence, motel burglaries were prevalent in Christchurch and more difficult to detect. While accepting that Tuhikarama could not be punished for the offending of others, the Judge said he was convinced that imprisonment was the only adequate and appropriate penalty. In setting the term at 10 months, he said he was taking into account the amount of time the defendant had already spent in custody. While the Crown prosecutor, Mr D. J. L. Saunders, had sought a deterrent sentence, Mr Stringer said Tuhikarama was awaiting sentence on one episode of offending in December, last year. PERIODIC DETENTION Periodic detention for six months was the sentence given to a man earlier found guilty by a jury on a charge of conspiracy in an attempt to obtain $22,000 from an insurance company after reporting that a car and stereo equipment had been stolen from his flat and premises. Peter Laking, aged 26, unemployed (Mr G. H. Nation), was also put on probation for 12 months. He had denied a charge that between January 1 and February 28, last year, he had conspired with Richard Jeffrey George Barker to defraud the Q.B.E. Insurance Company. The charge alleged that he did this by falsely representing that a utility vehicle, valued at $15,000, and a stereo, valued at $7OOO, were stolen from him between February 5 and 6, and thereby attempted to obtain $22,000 from the unsurance company. Mr Nation said there was nothing in his client’s background to suggest that he was the instigator of the offence. The Judge said there was no doubt that Barker, a clever and devious man who employed his talents to commit crimes, was the instigator, whereas Laking only had a background of alcohol and drug abuse. Barker has already been dealt with by the court.