Woman admits false rape claim

Press, 13 July 1984, Page 9

Woman admits false rape claim

A fine of $5OO was imposed on a woman, aged 22, convicted by Judge Pain in the District Court yesterday on a charge of falsely asserting that she had been raped at Twizel in February.

As a result of the complaint, the police at Twizel had spent 90 hours investigating the alleged offence during which 920 kilometres were travelled, said Sergeant C. J. Shannahan. These inquiries showed the allegation to have been false. It was found that the woman had been a willing party to sexual intercourse, he said.

Counsel (Mrs J. Rotherham), said it was a friend and not her client who made the complaint to the police.

The defendant had said she did not want to lay a complaint. She had consumed a large amount of alcohol at a party and events which occurred later were “blurred.” Her client had awakened to find a man having sexual intercourse with her and assumed she had been raped.

“She still thinks the act took place without her consent, but says she could not stand the strain and trauma of a defended hearing,” said Mrs Rotherham. Counsel said that after saying she did not want to lay a complaint it was the fault of the police that they had to devote so much travel and time on their investigation. The Judge said that in the current climate the police would be liable to all sorts of “disastrous repercussions” if they were to ignore any charge of rape.

He said he viewed the matter of a false complaint “relatively seriously.” Under the circumstances the Judge acceded to counsel's request and suppressed the name of the defendant.

Sergeant Shannahan had earlier said the Twizel police had received a call to say the defendant had been raped on a playing field near the Twizel Fire Station just after midnight on February 15. PSYCHIATRIC REPORT

A psychiatric report is to be obtained on a Greymouth man aged 54, charged with attempting to murder

Veronica Norma Falconer, aged 62, on July 11. Steve William Gugum, described as a bridgeman (Mr A. Cadenhead), was remanded in custody at Sunnyside Hospital until July 19. Sergeant Shannahan said Gugum had already been seen by a police doctor who considered a psychiatric examination was not necessary. The charge relates to a stabbing in a Richmond house. The victim is said to have received several stab wounds. She is in hospital. FATALITY OFFENCE A man who admitted causing the death of Andrew Martyn Herbert when driving a car, while under the influence of liquor, later told the police he could remember “very little” of the accident, said Sergeant Shannahan. Carl Andrew Baker, aged 19, a labourer (Mr K. N. Hampton), who also admitted driving while disqualified, was convicted and remanded on bail to July 26 for a probation report and sentence. Sergeant Shannahan said the fatal accident took place at 6.30 a.m. on April 25. At that time Baker was travelling in a car along Fendalton Road at a speed of 110 km/h. Failing to negotiate a slight bend the car mounted the footpath and crashed into a brick and iron fence. Such was the impact that a passenger, Mr Herbert, was thrown out of the vehicle on to the road. He died at the scene of multiple injuries, said Sergeant Shannahan. Baker sustained minor injuries. A blood sample showed he had a level of 194 milligrams of alcohol to 100 millilitres of blood. As a special condition of bail the Judge ordered that Baker reside at the Queen Mary Hospital at Hanmer Springs where he is already undergoing treatment. COMMUNITY SERVICE , A man earlier convicted of committing eight burglaries, involving property worth $7500 was sentenced to 200 hours of community service.

Mark John Flannigan, aged 20, a chef (Mr M. J. Glue), committed the of-

fences, with an associate yet to be dealt with by the Court, in Christchurch and Lyttelton between April and June. The Judge told Flannigan that the total criminality of the offending justified a term of imprisonment. However, he said, he took into account that the defendant’s role had been a subsidiary one, he only had two previous convictions and that he had assisted the police in their inquiries. To cover his share of the unrecovered property, and damage caused, the Judge ordered Flannigan to pay $1065 in compensation. $3OO FINE A garage proprietor was convicted and fined $3OO for carrying on the business of a car dealer when not licensed to do so. Walter Kolioff, aged 48, (Mr M. J. Knowles), admitted the offence which took place between February 25 and May 8. Sergeant Shannahan said the defendant sold seven vehicles on which he made a profit of $l5OO which he used so he could continue employing a staff member. There were no complaints from people who bought the cars and all were genuine transactions, said Mr Knowles.

The Judge said he accepted that the defendant was an honest trader and that his fault lay in not having a motor-vehicle

dealer’s licence. (Before Judge Bradford) RECEIVED CIGARETTES An unemployed man admitted involvement in the taking of three cartons of cigarettes valued at $1876 from the firm of Dingwall and Paulger Ltd, on February 21. Dennis Errol Hesp, aged 21, (Mr A. N. D. Garrett, pleaded guilty to receiving the cigarettes from another man, by aiding in concealing and disposing of the cigarettes. He was convicted and remanded on bail to July 26 for a probation report and sentence. Sergeant G. C. Jones said a companion with Hesp called at the firm’s premises and took delivery of the three cartons of cigarettes, paying for them with a false cheque in another man’s name. Hesp waited outside in his car and and when the other man returned, learned that the purchase had been made with a valueless cheque. The cartons were taken in his car to his companion’s premises.

The police later searched the house and found the cartons under the floor.

Hesp was later questioned and admitted having been with the other man, and delivering the cartons to his house.

Sergeant Jones, said that all but $ll2 worth of the ciearettes were recnverea