Threats, resisting arrest admitted

Press, 10 January 1986, Page 7

Threats, resisting arrest admitted

Police, who were called to a domestic dispute at ‘ Hawarden on Christmas Day, were threatened by a solo parent who also threatened to harm three young children in the house if the police came any closer.

This was said by Sergeant G. C. Jones in the District Court yesterday when Anthony Aaron Swann, aged 24, admitted charges of threatening behaviour and resisting arrest. Judge Pain fined him $l5O on each charge. He said Swann’s conduct created a threatening situation, and the disapproval of the Court and the community had to be shown.

Sergeant Jones said the police were called to intervene in a domestic dispute on the evening of December 25, between Swann and his de facto wife who had run to a neighbour’s house to call the police. On the police’s arrival Swann grabbed a large stool and threatened a constable and told him that if he approached closer he would be hit. The constable moved back and kept Swann talking. Another constable arrived and was told that if he entered the house he would be “done in.” Swann also said that if the constables came any closer he would harm the three young girls in the lounge. They were aged three and two years, and two months. After 30 minutes of negotiations Swann tried to lock the front door but the constables forced it open. Swann tried to hit a con-

stable with the stool, but was overpowered and arrested.

He told the police he had returned to his de facto wife to try to make amends. An argument had then taken place, and property was thrown around. After his arrest Swann was seen to pass a kitchen knife, which had been in his back pocket during the incident, to his wife. Mr M. J. Glue for Swann, said he did not appear to have a propensity for violence. He denied threatening to harm the children. Swann was the father of the two youngest children and had custody of the two-year-old child. He was in receipt of a domestic purposes benefit. Swann accepted that the relationship had finished, and would not attempt to see his former de facto wife again, Sergeant Jones said. METAL THEFT More than a tonne of scrap gunmetal was stolen by Paul Fergus Kaye, aged 40, while he was working as a furnaceman at the Canterbury Engineering Company, the Court heard. Kaye pleaded guilty to a charge of theft from his employer of 1124 kg of gunmetal valued at $3169, between August 1 and December 1 last year. He was convicted by Judge Pain and remanded on bail to January 23 for a probation report and sentence. The Judge also called for a reparation report, saying that repayment of the metal’s value must be considered. Sergeant Jones said that while employed as a furnanceman Kaye began taking scrap gunmetal from the remelting pocesses. When questioned by the police about the theft he was totally co-operative and said he had sold the metal pieces that he took to a scrap dealer. He continued with the thefts after seeing how easy it was the first time. Kaye told the police he had received $1405 for the

metal from a scrap dealer. The Judge, remanding Kaye for sentence, said he had net been in serious trouble for a considerable time. However, this offence was serious and restitution had to be considered. ASSAULT DENIED A prison inmate denied charges of attempting to escape from police custody, and assaulting Constable R. J. Wouldes, in the execution of his duty in the District. Court holding cells on December 23. The defendant, Richard Bruce Barr, aged 18, a labourer, was remanded by Judge Pain to March 12 for a defended hearing. On a further charge yesterday of breaking and entering a house in Armagh Street on December 15, to which he pleaded guilty, Barr received a jail sentence of six months, which is to be served concurrently with his current prison term of nine months. Barr had received the nine months prison sentence on December 23 for eight charges of burglary and one charge of entering a property with intent to commit a crime. The police alleged he tried to escape and assaulted Constable Wouldes, while in the holding cells after receiving this sentence. REMAND A further five defendants appeared yesterday on charges arising from a' brawl at a party in Papanui last Saturday. All were remanded, without plea, to January 21. They were David Glen Cotton, aged 23, unemployed, charged with using threatening words in Ealing Street; Eddie Edwards, aged 17, a labourer, disorderly behaviour, Glen Edward Nevitt, aged 29, a baker, disorderly behaviour likely to cause violence against persons to begin; Lee Andrew Nevitt, aged 23, a printer, disorderly behaviour and escaping from a constable’s custody; and Gary Denis Shepperd, aged 24, unemployed, assault, and using threatening words.