Stolen clothes found in house ceiling

Press, 15 August 1984, Page 4

Stolen clothes found in house ceiling

An electrician working in the ceiling of a Ministry of Works house in Twizel on June 6 found a rubbish bag full of women’s underclothes, the District Court heard yesterday. A man, aged 37, yesterday admitted stealing the garments, valued at $437, between March and July, 1978, to satisfy his sexual fantasies.

Sergeant J. E. Dwyer said the defendant told the police he had been depressed and stole women’s clothing, only when he had been drinking. He hid the clothing in a rubbish bag in the ceiling of the Ministry of Works house before he left Twizel.

Counsel, Mr S. C. Barker, said this offence happened

over a short period six years ago and the defendant had settled down since then. Judge Paterson continued interim suppression of the defendant’s name. The defendant also pleaded guilty to a charge of wilfully failing to tell the Social Welfare Department that he had found employment and that between March and July, 1983, he received $l5BO unemployment benefit he was not entitled to. He was convicted of both charges and remanded at large to August 28 for a probation report and sentence. BAIL RESET Bail was reset at $4OOO

when Sharon Marie Humphries, aged 20, a labourer, pleaded guilty to two charges of burglaiy and two charges of driving while disqualified after hearing the prosecution evidence against her. The Judge convicted and remanded her to August 28 for a probation report and sentence.

Humphries (Mr A. N. D. Garrett) had earlier denied breaking into two Halswell Junction Road houses on May 26, and driving while disqualified on April 22 and May 26. Household goods valued, about $lOOO were taken from one house and goods worth aboout $5O from the other.