Youth sentenced on 29 charges

Press, 19 December 1985, Page 16

Youth sentenced on 29 charges

Nelson reporter

A youth, aged 17, who admitted 29 offences involving car conversion, burglary, theft, and false pretence, was sentenced in the District Court at Nelson to 12 months jail. In passing sentence, Judge Seeman said he acknowledged that Steven Brett Brown, unemployed, had a drug problem. He recommended that Brown be assessed for this and given treatment as soon as possible. Earlier, counsel for Brown, Mr M. Crosbie, said that a recommendation that Brown be psychologically

examined and assessed for his drug problem had been made before but as far as he knew nothing had been done.

Sergeant P. D. Grooby told the Court that between November 25 and December 7 — and after being sentenced in the District Court at Blenheim on November 20 to five months periodic detention on November 20 — Brown had converted 12 vehicles, interfered with two others, had committed three burglaries (including that of the Tahunanui Medical Centre, where drugs were taken), and had stolen and had issued valueless cheques.

The offences were committed mainly in Blenheim, Nelson, and Motueka although there were some offences committed in Christchurch, Kaikoura, and Richmond. He asked for $1548 in compensation for damage done or goods unrecovered. Mr Crosbie said the roof of Brown’s problems was drugs. There was, too, a psychological problem. He felt Brown was “a victim of the system” in that institutions to which he had been sent were unable to cope with his problem. ‘‘We are under a duty to do something about his addiction problem,” said Mr Crosbie. Brown was only 17 and had had every sentence that could be imposed. He submitted he should be sent now to a place such as Queen Mary Hospital, Hanmer Springs, and remain under supervision after treatment. As an alternative, any custodial sentence imposed should be accompanied by a recommendation that he be assessed and given treatment. The Judge said that this was now normal practice. Mr Crosbie said such a recommendation had been made the last time Brown had a custodial sentence, but as far as he knew nothing had been done. The Judge commented on Brown’s “incredible number of offences.” These included a breach of periodic detention imposed on him on November 20. There was clearly a pathological reason for his offending when his record was ex-