Failing to pay taxi fare led to fine

Press, 2 July 1985, Page 6

Failing to pay taxi fare led to fine

A man who hired a taxi from Stewart’s Gully to get to the Telethon in the Town Hall on Sunday told the driver on arrival that he was an undercover policeman and that the Police Department would fix the fare, said Detective Sergeant B. M. Roswell in the District Court yesterday. Before Judge Palmer, Ryan Paul Stott, aged 17, a labourer, admitted a charge of incurring a debt for $16.50 with a taxi firm. In court yesterday he denied claiming he was an undercover policeman. He was convicted and fined $75 and ordered to pay $16.50 in compensation for the hire of the taxi. HEROIN CHARGE An Australian car serviceman charged with importing heroin into New Zealand, and possession of a needle, was remanded without plea in custody to July 4. John Patrick Muir, aged 27 (Mr D. C. Fitzgibbon), is charged with committing the two offences on June 28. Mr Fitzgibbon said an application for bail will be made in the High Court. CHARGES DENIED Six charges of stealing 20 video cassette tapes, to a total value of $2OOO, were denied by a man and a woman.

William Frederick Goode, aged 29, a pastry cook, and

Vanessa Claire Williams, aged 17, unemployed, were remanded to August 28 for a defended hearing. ’ The police say the offences took place from several video shops on June 18 and 19. DEPOSITIONS “In the public interest” Craig lan Grimwood, aged 19 (Mr E. T. Higgins), was remanded in custody to August 15 for the taking of depositions on a charge of robbery. Grimwood is one of three men charged with robbing a man, aged 79, of a wallet and contents, at his Linwood Avenue flat last month. Opposing bail because of the seriousness of the charge Detective Sergeant Roswell said there were fears about the recovery of the complainant, who is still seriously ill in Christchurch Hospital. The Judge said the remand in custody to August was subject to bail being sought in the High Court. $2400 BAIL Bail was set at $2400 for a man facing three charges of assaulting a traffic officer, two charges of resisting a traffic officer, and a policeman, assault on a man, and refusing to accompany an enforcement officer. No pleas were entered by Craig Leal Birtles, aged 26, a machinist, who is charged

with committing the offences on June 7. Bail was opposed by the police. DISCHARGED A student charged with using insulting words in Hereford Street on Friday was discharged without conviction but ordered to pay $25 towards the cost of the prosecution. Michael Charles Larooy, aged 22 (Ms D. E. Shirtcliff), admitted the offence. Irrespective of what led up to it, said the Judge, such insulting language should not have been used. Detective Sergeant Roswell said the group was being ejected from the Central Police Station when Larooy was heard to use the words for which he was subsequently charged. Ms Shirtcliff said she arrived at the Central Police Station to speak to a client and witnessed the incident. She said two police officers were heard to say: “That’s it,” and a group of protesters were pushed down a flight of steps outside the main doors. Larooy was pushed down hard against a rail about 10ft above the street. He was upset and stunned by what happened. Larooy suffered an injury to his ankle, and a female in the group was taken to hospital.

Ms Shirtcliff said a complaint will be laid against the police.