Escaper stole $72,000 while on the run

Press, 4 October 1984, Page 4

Escaper stole $72,000 while on the run

Property worth $72,045 was obtained by an escaper from Paparua Prison while on the run for five months, said Sergeant Lou Corbett in the District Court yesterday. Sergeant Corbett said Kevin James Lane had broken into 21 houses and one business property, stolen four cars, and unlawfully taken two more. When the police searched a stolen car Lane had been using, a cut down .22 rifle was found under the back seat.

It was fitted with a silencer and had a live round in the breech.

told the police the firearm was for his own protection. Jurisdiction was declined by Judge Frampton who convicted Lane and remanded him in custody for sentence in the High Court at a date to be fixed.

Lane, aged 24 (Mr K. J. Grave) pleaded guilty to 22 charges of burglary, 10 of theft, two of unlawfully taking vehicles, two of receiving, one of unlawfully possessing the cut-down rifle, driving while disquali-

fled, and escaping from Paparua Prison. Apart from three offences committed in Blenheim and Picton, the remainder took place in Christchurch. Property worth $43,400 had been recovered, said Sergeant Corbett. When the Judge said he was remanding the defendant in custody for sentence, Mr Grave said he understood Lane had been in Sunnyside Hospital where he was a committed patient. Sergeant Corbett replied that he had been in touch with the hospital authorities who asserted that there was nothing they could do for Lane and that he had been returned to prison.

BURGLARY OFFENCE Danny Daniel Bennington, aged 18, unemployed (Mr J. Stringer), admitted committing seven burglaries between August 28 and September 13.

Sergeant Corbett said these were committed in the company •of Kevin James Lane.

Property totalling $8350 was obtained from the burglaries. In view of the scale of the

offending and the likely sentence, the Judge remanded Bennington in custody to October 9 for a probation report and sentence. CAR THEFTS

No pleas were entered by an unemployed man facing 10 charges of converting Ford Cortina cars, to a total value of $19,200.

Apatu Karanema Morehu, aged 18, unemployed, is also charged with unlawfully getting into a $9OOO vehicle, and possessing cannabis plant. He did not plead to these.

The police say the offences took place last month. Morehu was remanded on bail of $2OOO to October 10. INDECENCY OFFENCE A fine of $3OO was imposed on a man, aged 40, who admitted indecently assaulting a boy, aged 14, on September 22.

The defendant, a first offender, was granted suppression of his name. He was warned by the Judge that if he came before the Court on a similar charge it was most unlikely he would obtain suppression again. Sergeant J. E. Dwyer said the offence occurred at the defendant’s place of work where the complainant, a part-timer, had gone on what was his first day of employment. The defendant, who did not seek legal representation, sought the imposition of a fine as he was unable to do periodic detention because of a heart condition.