Remand on four charges

Press, 12 March 1985, Page 4

Remand on four charges

Bail was set at $6OOO for a man who appeared before Judge Fogarty in the District Court yesterday on charges of kidnapping, assault, unlawfully taking a $lO,OOO vehicle, and the theft of a wallet. Peter Laurence Tauwhare, aged 22, a spinner (Mr M. J. B. Hobbs), was remanded to May 16 for the taking of depositions. He is charged with kidnapping Christopher John Wilding, assaulting Wilding, stealing a wallet containing cash to-a total value of $BO,

and unlawfully taking a $lO,OOO vehicle, the property of Ferniehurst Station. The police say all four offences took place on February 24. Tauwhare had earlier been remanded in custody. After a hearing in Chambers, Judge Fogarty set bail at $2OOO, with two sureties of the same amount. ESCAPER

Because of confusion over the length of a prison sentence he had received, Jason Craig Palmer had panicked and fled from the No. 1 Courtroom, said counsel (Mr R. S. Peters). He said Palmer, aged 18, unemployed, when earlier appearing for sentence on several offences mistook the meaning of cumulative and concurrent.

“Palmer thought he had been sentenced to 18 months in prison rather than six months,” said Mr Peters. The Judge said he accepted that the defendant had misunderstood the sentencing term. Escaping was, at any time, a serious offence, which could only be dealt with by a custodial sentence. He added one month to Palmer’s existing prison term.

When caught the defendant had put up “quite a violent struggle” during which he received minor dog bites. Palmer earlier admitted escaping from police custody and resisting a police constable. DRUG OFFENCES A man who was four years ago, and by his own admission, virtually an alcoholic had given up drinking since turning to cannabis, said Sergeant G. C. Jones. Kenneth John Officer, aged 28, a mechanic, admitted cultivating and possessing the drug. He was convicted and remanded to April 2 for a

probation report and sentence. Sergeant Jones said when the police executed a search warrant at the defendant’s address, 14 plastic bags, each containing an ounce of cannabis, were found. Officer told the police the cannabis came from two plants he grew. The defendant, who did not want legal representation, said he intended to bury the bags and dig them up, one at a time, as he required them. He said it was cheaper than buying the drug from persons with whom he did not wish to associate. OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOUR

A man who dropped his trousers outside an Oxford Terrace restaurant, and, with a companion, bared their backsides to the diners was fined $2OO. Simon John Smith, aged 20, an optical trainee, admitted behaving in an offensive manner on March 9. The police said Smith had been drinking prior to the incident. ARMS CHARGES Bail was “strongly” opposed for a youth, aged 17, facing several charges laid as a result of an armed offenders squad turn-out to an Avonhead Road address on Sunday. On the application of Sergeant Jones, Gary John Rolton, aged 17, unemployed, was remanded to Sunnyside Hospital for a psychiatric assessment. Rolton will next appear in court on March 25. Rolton, who did not plead, is charged with having a .22 rifle while under the influence of alcohol, unlawful possession of the rifle in Avonhead Road, presenting the rifle at two persons, and threatening to kill one of them. Bail was sought by a duty solicitor (Mr W. Rosenberg). In opposing bail Sergeant Jones submitted a medical report to the Judge.