Jail sentence imposed

Press, 8 September 1984, Page 4

Jail sentence imposed

Jailing Geoffrey Joseph Shaw, aged 19, unemployed, for 18 months for offences involving property worth $53,417, Judge Pain in the District Court yesterday said he would be failing his duty if he did not impose a substantial sentence. Shaw was sentenced bn 15 charges of burglary, two of entering with intent, and one of selling cannabis to an undercover policeman. The offences were committed between November 12 last year and August 22, and had been admitted by Shaw. A further charge of stealing property from a car was withdrawn by the police. Counsel, Mr K. J. Grave, said there was little he could say in mitigation of the offences and virtually nothing to explain them. It was clear Shaw was living in a world of his own, he said. He emphasised Shaw’s youth and lack of serious previous convictions. The Judge said burglary was a cause of concern to the community and although the defendant knew that the courts were imposing deterrent sentences for this he chose to continue. On the charge of selling cannabis, Shaw was sen-’ fenced to six months jail and 18 months jail on the other charges. The terms are concurrent. CHEQUE OFFENCES Goods, cash, and services, worth $897 were obtained by Andrew Lee Parry, aged 19, a sales manager, by using cheques from a closed account, Sergeant M. J. McCormick told the Court. Parry (Mr W. Rosenberg) pleaded guilty to four counts of false pretence and two of obtaining credit by fraud. The offences were committed in Oamaru, Christchurch, and Waimate last . month. When apprehended by the police, Parry said he knew his account was closed and. had no funds in it, said Sergeant McCormick. Parry was convicted and remanded in custody to September 14 for a probation report and sentence. 26 OFFENCES A further four-month jail term was imposed on Therese Marie Wilson, aged 22, when sentenced on 26 charges of false pretence. Wilson committed the offences, involving $3300, by using a stolen cheque book during a nine-day period in May while on remand for sentence on other charges. Counsel (Mr Grave) said the offences were associated with the defendant’s in- < volvement with drugs. A nine-mpnth jail term was imposed on Wilson when she was sentenced at Palmerston North on May 22, but 1 Mr Grave said that unlike other prison inmates she was not sour and embittered but looking positively to the future. At the end of her jail term Wilson will be on probation for 12 months. CREDIT BY FRAUD

A barman electfid president of Milton’s White Horse Inn Sports and Social Club failed to bank the $1674. funds he received in April, May, and June, the Court was told.

Sergeant McCormick said that Arthur lan Robert Clarke, aged 43, left Milton suddenly and used the money himself. He told the police he had not intended i.o take_ the money, but never got round to banking it.

When he arrived in Christchurch last month Clarke booked into five different hotels and left without paying the bills, totalling $876. He pleaded guilty to five charges of obtaining credit by fraud and one of theft by

failing to account He was convicted and remanded in custody to September 14 for a probation report and sentence. SHOPLIFTING Just two days after being sentenced on 10 counts of shoplifting, Lynley Kristan Robinson, aged 19, unemployed, stole a dress valued at $48.95 from Blooms Hereford Street shop, the Court was told. Robinson (Miss I. M. Mitchell) admitted the offence, committed on September 5. Robinson was sentenced on Monday to community service and put on probation on the 10 charges, involving assorted goods worth more than $lOOO. The Judge yesterday said he had been sceptical of the defendant’s ability to cope with her drug problem, and she was now prepared to submit to treatment. He deferred the community service sentence for six months and as a condition of her existing probation ordered Robinson to take three months treatment at Odyssey House in Auckland. Taking into account that this would involve a loss of liberty, the Judge convicted her and ordered her to come up for sentence within 18 months on the latest charge. ROBBERY IN STREET A “concern” in the community about behaviour in the streets prompted the Judge to order that a probation report be prepared on John Daniels, aged 18, unemployed. . Daniels (Mr J. Hobbs) admitted robbing a Lower Riccarton hamburger bar patron of his jacket about 9 p.m. on August 17. Sergeant McCormick said that Daniels grabbed the jacket from the complainant, who feared for his safety. Daniels was convicted and remanded on bail to September 21 for sentence. ARMS CHARGES Charges of unlawful possession of a firearm on August 28 were denied by four men — Mark Abraham Birch, aged 19, a pruner, Malcolm Colin Cook, aged 20, unemployed; Dean Noble, aged 24, unemployed; and Marty Fleming Brandt, aged 25, unemployed. They were remanded on $4OO bail to October 10 for a defended hearing. Two others ' similarly charged failed to appear. Warrants were issued for the. arrest of Tearini Melissa Lawrence, aged 20, a solo parent, and George William Masters, aged 24, unemployed. RECEIVING CHARGE Two sisters who admitted buying a stolen videorecorder were convicted and remanded at large to September 21 for a probation report and sentence. Jennifer Margaret Watson, aged 18, a computer programmer, and Katherine Miriam Watson, aged 21, unemployed (Mr H. D. P. Van Schrevan), pleaded guilty to a charge of receiving a Hitachi video-recorder valued at $l9OO. Sergeant McCormick said that the video had been taken during the burglary of a Christchurch house on August 20. The offender took it to the defendants’ flat and offered it for sale. One sister paid $350 for the video and the other sister was paid $5O for arranging the sale. $6OO FINE A $6OO fine was imposed on Alan Bernard Ryan, aged 21, a welder, when sentenced on a charge of selling a cannabis “bullet” to an undercover policeman on December 6. The Judge ordered that the fine be paid immediately, in default a three-month jail term.