Bottles thrown at police car

Press, 1 November 1984, Page 14

Bottles thrown at police car

Beer bottles were thrown out of a converted car at a police car during a highspeed chase after the burglary of a Christchurch shop from which a 5900 microwave oven had been stolen, said Sergeant MP. Caldwell in the District Court yesterday. . Mark Abraham Birch, aged 19, a pruner, and Chadwick Healey Pure, aged 17, unemployed, were each convicted by Judge Palmer and remanded in custody to November 15 for a probation report and sentence. Birch and Puru admitted unlawfully taking a 52000 car, and burgling the premises of Henry Berry, Ltd.

Birch also admitted a charge of driving in a dangerous manner while Puru admitted throwing beer bottles at a vehicle in a manner likely to endanger the safety of others. Sergeant Caldwell said Birch had earlier seen the microwave oven in the shop. He and Puru unlawfully took the 52000 car, went back to the shop, broke in, and took the oven. A police patrol sent to the shop in response to an

alarm being activated saw the vehicle, with the two defendants inside, leaving and gave chase. Speeds estimated at 120km/h were reached as the defendants’ car drove through red traffic lights and several times crossed over on to the incorrect side of the road, said Sergeant Caldwell. While travelling along Colombo Street at least six full bottles of beer were thrown at the pursuing police car by Puru. The patrol car had to swerve about to avoid the broken glass. The defendants were apprehended after their car was driven into an Ashgrove Terrace garden. Puru, said Sergeant Caldwell, was found hiding in a compost heap. offensive Weapon Because a traffic officer was said to have knelt on the neck of her boyfriend, a woman, aged 19, had approached the officer waving an aluminium baton, said Sergeant Caldwell. Judith Shirley Bishop, unemployed, admitted, and was convicted of, unlawfully possessing an offensive weapon in Riccarton Road.

She was convicted and fined 575. Sergeant Caldwell said the incident with the baton occurred when two traffic officers stopped the car in which she was a passenger and spoke to the driver, her boyfriend. A duty solicitor, Mr E. Bedo, said the car had been stopped after a traffic patrol noticed it was operating a siren. The boyfriend had agreed to go with the officers. He had got into the back of the patrol car but then got out because he insisted on driving his girlfriend home first In “effecting” an arrest said Mr Bedo, the boyfriend was thrown to the ground and an officer knelt on his neck which made it difficult for him to breathe. It was then that Bishop, a first offender, went back to the car, got out the aluminium baton, and approached the officer waving it at him. She was then arrested. NEEDED MONEY A solo mother who, with an associate, burgled three private dwellings from which property, worth 52300, was taken, later told the police she needed

money, said Sergeant Caldwell.. Karinya Kristian Harris, aged 22, Mr R. A. Peters, burgled premises in Aorangi Place, Trices Road, and Papanui Road, between September 26 and October 12. She was convicted and remanded on bail of 52400 to November 15 for a probation report and sentence. She was also ordered to report three times a week to the police. Sergeant Caldwell said property stolen included a stereo, jewellery, videos, rings, and cash. Some of the property had been sold and the cash shared between the defendant and the associate. Compensation of 51300 was sought Sergeant Caldwell expressed concern that the accused appeared to be making a living out of committing burglaries and he sought a deterrent sentence. CAR BADGES Forty car badges, valued at almost 5500, were stolen by the three defendants from car sales operators in Mborhouse Avenue just after midnight on October 28, said Sergeant Caldwell. Rodney Edward Erickson,

aged 17, a labourer (Mr M. J.. Glue), Anthony Justin Maxwell-McGinn, aged 17, an apprentice carpenter (Mr G. N. Langham), and Michael Charles Anderson, aged 18, a farmer (Mr E. Bedo), all admitted the five joint charges. They were each convicted and remanded at large to November 15 for probation reports and sentence. DRUG OFFENCES Fourteen cannabis plants, three cannabis “bullets,” and 318 cannabis . seeds, were found by police during a search of the premises of Shane Newsome Connolly, said Sergeant Caldwell. Connolly, aged 23, a timber worker, Mr E. Bedo, was convicted and remanded on bail to November 15 for a probation report and sentence. He admitted charges of possessing cannabis plant, seeds, and cultivating the drug. The offences occurred on October 25. BURGLARY OFFENCE Varied sentences were given to two men earlier convicted on a charge of breaking and entering the □am Meat Market in Shirley to reflect their different

backgrounds with regard to S offending, said the je.

Kenneth . Rangitira George Rule, aged 27, a storeman, who was virtually a first offender, said the Judge, was sentenced to periodic detention for five months and put on probation for 12 months. Melville Patrick Philip, aged 23, a supervisor, had 62 previous convictions for burglary. The Judge said he could not recall, in his experience, a person of 23 appearing before the courts with so. many convictions for burglary. The Judge said Philips must have inflicted “enormous pain and anguish” on people whose homes he had entered in the past Philips was sent to prison for five months. Of the burglary of the butchery the Judge said culpability was about the same for both defendants. Property, including a tray of meat and nine trays of eggs, was taken but was later recovered. Mr E. Bedo said the burglary was ill conceived, spontaneous and fuelled by alcohol.