Frauds followed gambling

Press, 17 January 1986, Page 7

Frauds followed gambling

A man who described ; himself as a ‘“compulsive ■ gambler of the most.’ pernicious kind” had his re- ” quest for a sentence provid- * ing for treatment for his gambling application ac- ’* ceded to by Judge Hattaway in the District Court yesterday. The defendant, Garth Muir Doull, aged 38, an unemployed painter, of Auckland, was appearing for sentence on 16 charges of false pretence by the fraudulent issue of cheques. The offences occurred in North Island centres from July last year, and in Christchurch in December. They involved the issue of cheques to obtain money, groceries, petrol, electrical goods, accommodation and other goods and services totalling $4292. On one charge of false pretence, the Judge imposed a sentence of eight months periodic detention, and on another he placed Doull under supervision for 18 months with a special provision that he take treatment or counselling for alcohol abuse and gambling addictions. On the remaining charges he was ordered to come up

for sentence within a year, if called upon. The Judge, said, when imposing the sentences, that he originally had resolved to impose a prison term for the offences. However, Doull’s counsel had been “persuasive,” and the probation officer believed there might be some chance of his perhaps controlling his addiction. He had decided that Doull should be given that opportunity. The Judge said Doull could have expected to spend the rest of this year in prison; the future was his, as to how he responded to the chance being given to him to control his drinking and gambling. In his submissions in mitigation of penalty, Mr E. Bedo sought a sentence of supervision to enable Doull to seek expert assistance in overcoming his addiction with gambling. Mr Bedo said Doull was quite articulate and referred to passages from a letter Doull had written explaining why his life had run this path of self-destruc-tion. Doull’s letter said he was not a con-man, but that his compulsive gambling of th

emost pernicious kind was an affliction every bit as hopeless as drug and alcohol abuse. It had cost him career opportunities and friendships. He expressed remorse for his offending, and said any thoughts of his past misdeeds flew out the window when “a few beers” caused him to lapse again into his gambling habit. Mr Bedo said Doull had had time to reflect in prison on his problem and had nearly completed an autobiography on the life of a person with this compulsion. His objective was to try to find out what led him to this path of self-destruc-tion.

Unfortunately he had not come up with any answers, and sought a sentence which would enable him to seek expert assistance in curing his affliction. FOUR MONTHS JAIL

Sentences of four months imprisonment, to be served concurrently, were imposed on Brian Lindsay Gough, aged 20, a forestry worker (Ms D. M. Shirtcliff) for two vehicle offences for which he appeared for sentence.

The offences were of unlawfully taking a car, and

driving while disqualified, both on January 1. His disqualification from driving was extended by a year to July 18, 1987.

INDECENCY CHARGES An unemployed man, aged 19, appeared on five charges of indecency involving young girls. The defendant, who was granted interim suppression of his name, was remanded on bail, without plea, to January 23. The charges were of doing an indecent act with intent to insult or offend girls aged seven and five years between January 1, and December 22 last year, permitting each girl to do an indecent act on him, and doing an indecent act on each girl. A duty solicitor, Mr M. J. Glue, sought the week’s remand and interim suppression of name. He said a psychiatric background was involved. The defendant had no previous convictions. BANKCARD FRAUDS

An Auckland man, listed in the police charge sheet as a male model, admitted 24 charges of using a bankcard to obtain pecuninary advantage.

Twenty-three of the offences committed by Wayne Mareshah Meehan, aged 18, involved his presentation of the bankcard to make purchases from shops and businesses in Wellington. The other offence, after which he was apprehended in Christchurch, was committed when he used the bankcard to pay for accommodation at a hotel. Meehan was convicted on the charges, and remanded in custody to January 24 for a probation report and sentence.

Sergeant M. P. Caldwell said the defendant obtained cash, food, clothing, accommodation and other items totalling $1568.64 by use of the bankcard, which he told the police after his apprehension he had found in a street in Auckland.