Undercover police role brings results

Press, 30 August 1984, Page 4

Undercover police role brings results

Property worth $19,960 was stolen from four premises burgled by Dean Waka Nathan, and an associate, said Sergeant A. T. Smith in the District Court yesterday. Nathan, aged 18, unemployed (Mr K. J. Grave), admitted the burglaries committed on a video centre, a motel, and two private dwellings. He was convicted by Judge Fraser who remanded him in custody to September 5 for a probation report and sentence. Sergeant Smith said the offending was uncovered because of the work of an undercover policeman working in Christchurch for the last 15 months. As a result of his activities property worth $10,333 had been recovered. The police officer had paid $l5OO to obtain evidence of the defendant’s criminal activity and $9OO compensation was sought as Nathan’s share, said Sergeant Caldwell. Nathan had disposed of the stolen property within hours of stealing it, he added. In explanation Nathan told the police he was out to obtain property to sell to support his drug habit. RECEIVING OFFENCES Michael Anthony James, a man with what the Judge described as “a bad criminal record” was remanded in custody to September 5 for a probation report and sentence after pleading guilty to three charges of receiving property to a total value of $3300, and driving while disqualified. James, aged 23, a labourer (Mr W. Rosenberg) was convicted on charges of receiving clothing valued at $lOOO, and motor parts and a 1300 Mini engine, to a total value of $2300. Sergeant M. P. Caldwell said the $lOOO worth of clothing, found in the defendant’s car, was part of a $24,000 haul from a Riccarton Road store. James paid $5O for the clothing. For the $l5OO worth of motor parts $450 was paid. All the items were recovered. On August 23 a $6500 car was unlawfully taken. It was later found abandoned minus the motor, wheels, and doors, and the bonnet had been cut off, said Sergeant Caldwell. Three hundred dollars was paid for the engine and some accessories. Sergeant Caldwell said the $6500 car was damaged beyond repair and he sought an order which would force the defendant to sell his own vehicle so that some compensation could be made to the complainant. The Judge said he would make no order now but that the file would be noted for consideration when James came up for sentence. OBSTRUCTION CHARGES Nine persons charged with obstructing the vehicle

entrance of Cellar Ghost Cellars in Riccarton Road on August 25 were each remanded at large to October 29 for a defended hearing. They are: Christopher Edward .O’Donoghue, aged 22, a printer, Mary Therese O’Donoghue, aged 20, a trainee clerk, lan Paul Otten, aged 21, a student, Joy Unity Ritchie, aged 33, Nicholas David Smith, aged 19, a printer, Andrew Michael Xavier Leggatt, aged 17, a student, Stephen William Marshall, aged 21, Neil Patrick Challenger, aged 26, both students, and Nigel John Cairns, aged 30, a beneficiary. $4OOO BAIL A man facing five charges of selling cannabis to a person over the age of 18 between December 17 and June, this year, was remanded on bail of $4OOO to September 11. lan Nelson Benbow, aged 37, a rubber worker (Mr D. C. Fitzgibbon), was also remanded to the same date on a charge of receiving’ a set of satin sheets and pillow cases, valued at $123, on June 25. Benbow did not plead to the charges. RECEIVING CHARGE Nicholas Patrick Brown, aged 23, unemployed (Mr K. J. Grave) denied a charge of receiving four video recorders, valued at $6971, about September 6, last year. Brown was remanded on bail to October 25 for a defended hearing. He was convicted and fined $l5O after admitting being in possession of 375 cannabis seeds, found at his address on August 22. 26 OFFENCES Of $3347 worth of property fraudulently obtained by Therese Marie Wilson, only $BB6 worth had been recovered, said Sergeant A. T. Smith. Wilson, aged 22, an inmate at the Paparua Women’s Prison, had admittecrthe offences. She was remanded in custody to September 7 for a probation report and sentence. Sergeant. Smith said on May 10 the cheque book, used to commit the offences, had been stolen from its owner in Palmerston North. Subsequently 26 of the cheques had been presented by Wilson to obtain clothing, groceries and liquor. Some of the property was recovered at her address. Compensation of $2461 was sought, said Sergeant Smith. ESCAPERS Three months were added to the existing prison terms of two men recaptured yesterday after escaping from Rolleston Prison on August 21. Maxwell Ronald Dawson, aged 25, told police that he escaped because he had not been granted home leave. David John Nash, aged 32, said he left because “it was

too open and not secure enough.” Sergeant M. P. Caldwell said the pair escaped by squeezing through the bars of their cell window. They were caught in the city yesterday. Nash is serving an 18month sentence, and Dawson is in prison for 15 months, said Sergeant Caldwell. CHARGE DENIED A charge of selling cannabis to a person over the age of 18 was denied by Raven Karlinski, aged 30, a labourer (Mr K. J. Grave). He was remanded on bail to October 30 for a defended hearing. Karlinski was remanded to the same date for sentence after admitting cultivating 31 cannabis seedlings and having possession of 269 cannabis seeds. These were found at the defendant’s address. The drug offending was discovered by an undercover policeman working in the city over the last 15 months. COMPUTER EQUIPMENT Computer equipment and a video, valued at $4789, were stolen by Benjamin Peter Stevens, and an associate, after they broke into the High Street premises of Computer World on December 21, last year, said Sergeant Smith. Stevens, aged 19, a gardener (Mr P. N. Dyhrberg) admitted the burglary. He was convicted and remanded in custody to September 5 for a probation report and sentence. Sergeant Smith said in June, this year, two teenagers were spoken to by police and, as a result, property worth $2139 was recovered. Later Stevens said he had sold the stolen property to two teenagers in Cathedral Square on the night of the burglary. Compensation of $1325 was sought, said Sergeant Smith. DRUG CHARGE Seventy grams of cannabis were found in two plastic bags when police executed a search warrant at the address of Eric Raymond Taylor on August 22. Taylor, aged 29, a sickness beneficiary, who admitted possessing the drug, was remanded on bail to September 12 for a probation report and sentence. (Before Judge Paterson) COMMUNITY SERVICE One hundred and twenty hours of community service were ordered to be carried out by Sharon Marie Humphries when she appeared for sentence on two charges of burglary and two of driving while disqualified. Humphries, aged 20, a labourer (Mr A. N. D. Garrett) had earlier denied breaking into two houses in Halswell Junction Road on May 26, and driving while disqualified on April 22, and May 26.