Man convicted for selling hired goods

Press, 22 June 1984, Page 14

Man convicted for selling hired goods

A man who admitted stealing a colour television and a video recorder, valued at $3374, later sold them to a friend for $BOO because he had financial problems, said Sergeant J. E. Dwyer in the District Court yesterday. Peter Richard Wilkinson, aged 25, unemployed (Mr K. J. Grave) admitted stealing the items, the property of Dominion TV Rentals, between October 6, 1983, and March 29, and making a false statement of a burglary to the police on March 29.

He was convicted and remanded on bail to July 5 for a probation report and sentence by Judge Paterson. Sergeant Dwyer said the defendant hired the colour television on October 6, last year, and the video recorder, on February 6. On March 29 Wilkinson went to the Central Police Station and reported that his flat had been burgled and the television and video recorder stolen.

When later spoken to by the police on June 13, Wilkinson admitted the complaint had been false.

Because he had been having financial problems over the last few months Wilkinson told the police he had sold the video recorder for $5OO and the colour television for $3OO. Sergeant Dwyer said since then the video had been stolen from the person who bought it while the whereabouts of the television were not known. Compensation of $2724 was sought from the defendant. PRISON A woman earlier convicted on four charges of fraud, one of theft, one of burglary, and with being found unlawfully in a yard, was sent to prison for six months.

Annabelle Paraha, aged 23, (Mr M. J. Glue), had admitted the offending which took place during April and May. The theft charge involved jewellery, valued at $1467. Compensation of $lB9O was sought in respect of the burglary. Clothing and groceries, valued at $2OO were involved in the fraud offences committed with stolen cheques.

In imposing sentence the Judge told the defendant that while he had great sympathy for her. the courts had to consider the wellbeing of the community. Mr Glue had submitted that his client came from an “appalling” background of personal degradation. Paraha was put on probation for 12 months. INDECENCY CHARGES

No pleas were entered by a man facing charges of indecently assaulting two women, and assaulting a man, on June 16. Cedric Tim Brandon Itsmaera, aged 21, described as an aircraft engineer, was remanded at large to July 5. FATALITY CHARGE

On a charge of causing the death of Andrew Martyn Herbert when driving a car, with an excess blood alcohol level, on Fendalton Road, a man, aged 19, was remanded to July 12. Carl Andrew Baker, a labourer, (Mr K. N. Hampton), is also charged with driving while disqualified. Baker, who is charged with committing the two offences on April 25, did not plead.