Former masseuse fined $75

Press, 7 September 1984, Page 11

Former masseuse fined $75

A $75 fine was imposed on an unemployed masseuse when she appeared before Judge Pain in the District Court yesterday on a charge, of offering her body for prostitution. Glenys Elizabeth Tuhura, a married woman, aged 24, pleaded guilty to the charge. Sergeant A. Smith told the Court that a plainclothes detective visited the Victorian Massage Parlour on August 10 and paid $l5 for a massage;

The defendant gave him the massage and offered to perform sexual acts at set prices, including full sexual intercourse for $6O. Sergeant Smith said the officer declined the offer and when the defendant was spoken to later she said she needed the money. Counsel, Mr M. J. Glue, said the request for “extras” came from the undercover policeman, not from the defendant. He asked her if she did “extras” and it was then that she told him full intercourse would cost $6O. The officer said he only had $l2 on him, but would be back. He submitted that the trauma of appearing in court on a charge of this nature was sufficient penalty and asked that she be dealt with leniently. An application for the final suppression of her name was refused.

A charge of offering her body for prostitution was denied by a masseuse, aged 17, but she admitted a second charge of working in a massage parlour while under the age of 18 years. She was remanded to October 2 for a defended hearing of the prostitution charge and was granted interim suppression of name. CUSTODY With his own consent, John Waititi Kupu, aged 32, a labourer, was remanded in custody until October 8 for the taking of depositions. Kupu (Mr P. J. Egden) faces

charges of burgling a Hastings Street flat on August 1 and assaulting a woman, aged 20, with intent to commit rape.

KEYS FOUND A set of 10 car keys were found on Stephen John Watson, aged 21, unemployed, when he was apprehended for taking a car from the Maximart car-park on August 30, the Court was told. Sergeant Smith said the 1964 Cortina was taken at about 9.45 a.m. and the defendant was seen driving it in Cashmere' Road a short time later. A brief chase ensued. The defendant ran off, but was soon located. He admitted taking the car and said that he and his cooffender intended to drive to Ashburton. At the police station the set of keys were found in his pocket Watson told the police he had put the assorted keys together so he could steal Cortinas, said Sergeant Smith. Watson (Mr K. J. Grave) was convicted and remanded on $lOOO to September 20 for a probation report and sentence. GOODS SOLD Goods taken in burglaries by Russell James McDonald, and stolen goods he received from other people were later sold to an undercover police officer, the Court was told.. McDonald pleaded guilty to six charges of burglary, six charges of receiving, and one charge of selling 20.8 grams of cannabis to the constable on May 10. Sergeant Smith said the undercover officer bought some of these goods from the defendant between January and July this year. The defendant took property worth $18,059 in the six burglaries and received goods worth about $lO,OOO from others.

He told the police he did it because he needed money. The defendant was con-

victed of these charges but denied further charges of receiving, burglary, possessing utensils for the purpose of committing an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act, possessing cannabis seeds, cultivating cannabis and selling cannabis. t'triv He was remanded on bail to October 9 when all matters will be dealt with. CARD FRAUD Fourteen charges of using a document with intent to defraud against Mark William Dowling were another result of the “plastic fantastic” world of bank cards, Ms E. H. B. Thompson told the Court. The bank card had been sent to the defendant’s address, but belonged to a previous occupant. Dowling, aged 19, unemployed, appeared for sentence on the charges. Ms Thompson asked that he be given one last chance in the community for the sake of his family. Dowling used the card to obtain goods and services worth $7BO, but most of these were for the defendant’s child, soon to be born, said Ms Thompson. Sentencing him to six months periodic detention and 18 months probation, the Judge said Dowling had displayed dishonesty and deviousness from the start. FALSE CLAIM

After arranging for his 1970 Ford Capri car to be stolen, Garth Beavan Beattie, aged 21, a fish cutter, lodged a claim with the State Insurance Company on August 28, the Court heard.

Beattie pleaded guilty to charges of making a false statement to the police that his vehicle had been stolen and fraudulently attempting to obtain $4500 from the insurance company.

Sergeant Smith said that on August 28 the defendant reported that his vehicle had been stolen from out-

side, his address, but parts of the car were later found at another address. The defendant admitted to the police that he arranged to have the car “stolen” after an approach was made to him by another person who only wanted the wheels as payment for the “theft” He was convicted apd remanded on bail to September 20 for a probation report and sentence. SHEEPSKINS When asked why he took nine sheepskin rugs from his employer, G. L. Bowron, Ltd, Trevor Gordon Anderson, aged 32, unemployed, told the police everybody. else did. Sergeant Smith said the rugs, valued at $225, were taken between July 1 and August 29, and were found at the defendant’s address. Anderson (Mr Glue) was convicted and remanded on bail to September 20 for a probation report and senBOTTLE ASSAULT The Judge ordered Brent Gary Nicholls to pay $250 of a $750 fine to the man he struck on the head with an empty beer bottle. Nicholls, aged 21, an electrician, appeared for sentence on a charge of assaulting Michael Thomson with intent to injure him. The assault occurred outside a party at about 1.15 a.m. on July 15 and Mr Thomson’s wounds required 20 stitches. Counsel (Mr A. C. HughesJohnson) said that by his guilty plea the defendant acknowledged that he overreacted to the situation, but acted in the belief that the complainant was about to pull a knife from his coat pocket The police accepted that it was possible that the complainant could have reached to his pocket, but there was no evidence of a knife.