Prison for receiving, drug charges

Press, 6 March 1985, Page 4

Prison for receiving, drug charges

Nelson reporter A man who pleaded guilty to 13 charges of receiving property stolen from holiday homes at Lake Rotoiti between March 31 and October 30 last year, was convicted and sentenced to six months jail by Judge Kearney in the District Court at Nelson yesterday. James Maringai McKay, aged 28, a mill hand, of Korere, admitted the charges and also three charges involving the possession of cannabis and cannabis seeds. On the cannabis charges, the fifth conviction

within three years, he was sentenced to one month’s jail.

Originally McKay was charged with the burglary of the baches. but these charges were replaced by receiving charges.

Mr A. D. Barnett said McKay was adamant that he had received some of the goods from an unknown person in a hotel and then learned where there were further stolen goods and picked them up. The value of the items taken was not substantial.

McKay had not been involved in offences of dishonesty for more than 10 years, he held a responsible job at the mill at which he worked and he had a remarkable work record- He submitted that to send him to prison would be counterproductive. He had already been held in custody for two months.

The Judge said that the five drug convictions in three years were sufficient to merit prison and when 13 receiving convictions were added, imprisonment was certain.