No plea on charge of assault

Press, 7 November 1984, Page 20

No plea on charge of assault

A man charged with assaulting the Minister of Police, Mrs Hercus, did not enter a plea when he appeared before Judge Fraser in the District Court yesterday. Hikurangi Nihoniho, aged 49, a driver, (Mr C. D. Eason), was remanded on bail of $5OO to November 20 on a charge of assaulting Margaret Ann Hercus on November 3. The alleged assault took place at a women’s conference in Christchurch. Mr Eason said a “large number” of matters needed to be looked into and he doubted if a week’s remand would be sufficient for the purpose. It is believed that the charge will eventually be defended. , BOOKMAKING Mervyn Frederick Bower, aged 43, a beef dresser, who faces four charges of carrying on the business of a bookmaker, was remanded without plea, to November 13. Bower, who was remanded at large, is charged with committing the offences between May 12 and July 7. CUSTODY A man who attempted to escape from the cells at the District Court on Monday afternoon was remanded in custody to November 13. Derek Arthur Connelly, aged 18, unemployed, is said to have committed the offence soon after having been convicted on charges of burglary and assault. TOOK LOADER Two young men who admitted unlawfully taking a front end loader, valued at $25,000 were discharged without conviction but ordered to pay $75 each towards the cost of the prosecution. Applications for suppression of the names of Paul David Whelan, aged 18, unemployed, (Mr J. J. Brandts-Giesen), and Karl Antony Holdorft, aged 18, a musician, (Mr E. Bedo), were refused. Sergeant W. P. Greasey said that at 12.30 a.m. on November 1 the defendants found the ignition keys in the loader, parked in Hounslow Street, and started it and drove it along the street to Memorial Avenue where it was

stopped by a police patrol. The loader, he said was "weaving” on the wrong side of the road with only the cab light on. Mr Brandts-Giesen said Whelan and his friend had earlier been listening to music at his place. As they were walking to his friend’s place afterwards they saw the front end loader. One he started the machine Whelan thought he would just drive his friend home. He intended to take the vehicle back to where he found it. Seeking “utmost” leniency Mr Brandts-Giesen said nothing went wrong, no damage was done, The episode was a spur of the moment prank. 30c ROBBERY A schoolboy, aged 15, was “foot tripped” punched and kicked while on the ground, and robbed of 30c by David Mason, said Sergeant Creasey. Mason, aged 17, (Mr P. J. Venning) was convicted and remanded on renewed bail' to November 20 for a probation report and sentence. The offence took place at 8.30 p.m. on October 13 when the complainant Terrence Andrew Page, was walking along Oxford Terrace with a friend. The pair were accosted by three youths one of whom was Mason. While his friend was assaulted and robbed by two associates, the defendant set about Page. Mason, when apprehended, told the police he heeded some bus fare in order to go and see his girlfriend. He had been drinking earlier. Compensation of 30c was sought. The two associates of the defendant would appear in the Children and Young Persons Court, said Sergeant Creasey.