Youth remanded to N.I.

Press, 8 May 1985, Page 12

Youth remanded to N.I.

A youth, aged 15, who caused the police armed offenders’ squad to be called out twice in a fortnight at Dobson, near Greymouth during the Christmas-New Year period, will appear for sentence in a North Island centre on May 23. Judge McAloon in the Children and Young Persons Court in Christchurch yesterday remanded the youth in the custody of the Social Welfare Department, to appear for sentence in the same court in a northern centre.

The youth did not appear at yesterday’s sitting. When he appeared in March, and admitted nine charges, he had been remanded in the department’s custody to yesterday for sentence. The department had been given leave to place him with a relative in the northern centre during the remand period. His counsel (Mr W. Rosenberg), said that it had been agreed with the department and the police that the matter should be finalised in the northern centre, thus obviating the defendant’s need to appear yesterday. The youth was “doing very well” with relatives in the north. The nine offences for which the youth is to be sentenced include some arising from police armed offenders squad call-outs on December 22 and January 4 at Dobson.

The charges relating to December 22 were of carrying a .30-30 rifle and a .22

rifle without lawful purpose, in Wainui Street Dobson, and discharging the .22 rifle in Dobson Domain so as to endanger property. The other Arms Act charge was of possessing a .223 rifle at Dobson, without lawful purpose, on January 4. Other charges were of breaking and entering a dwelling at Darfield, and unlawfully taking a Landcruiser vehicle valued at $15,000 at Darfield both on

January 3, unlawfully taking a Landcruiser valued at $15,000 at Flock Hill and stealing diesel valued at $lO, at Cass, both on January 4, breaking and entering the office block of a school in Greymouth on January 23, and escaping from the custody of an officer of the Social Welfare Department at Arthur’s Pass on January 24. Sergeant Jack Claridge appeared for the police.