Five in court after raids in suburbs

Press, 19 June 1986, Page 6

Five in court after raids in suburbs

Three men and two women appeared in the District Court before Judge Fraser yesterday afternoon, mainly on charges of unlawfully possessing firearms. The five accused appeared in court as a result of a police raid on a dozen Halswell houses soon after 8 a.m. yesterday. More than 30 police were involved in the operation. Alecia Francis Sampson, aged 35, a housewife (Mr D. C. Fitzgibbon) was charged with the unlawful possession of a cut down .22 calibre rifle, and with the possession of a .303 calibre rifle except for proper, lawful and sufficient purpose. She was remanded at large, without plea, to June 25. lan Walter Porrett, aged 19, a bricklayer, faces charges of unlawfully possessing a cut

down .22 calibre rifle, and obstructing a constable in the execution of his duty. • He was remanded to June 25. Bail of $lOOO was allowed. Porrett did not plead. Hylton David Heffernan, aged 19, was remanded, without plea, to June 25. He faces the same two charges as Sampson. Bail was set at $2OOO. Grant Alexander Hunt, aged 19, unemployed, was convicted and fined $75 after admitting possession of pipes for smoking cannabis. A duty solicitor, Mr K. J. Grave, said Hunt, a first offender, only claimed ownership of one pipe. He used it to smoke cannabis. Karinya Harris, aged 23, a solo mother (Mr T. M. Fournier) who is charged with the unlawful possession of a sawn-off shotgun was remanded, at large, to July 3. She did not plead.