Pilot for trial on forgery charges

Press, 22 July 1986, Page 6

Pilot for trial on forgery charges

A Hokitika manager and bolder of a commercial pilot’s licence for helicopters was alleged by the police in the District Court yesterday to have been an “imposter” by sitting examination papers for four other pilots, in their names, between November, 1981, and November, 1984. The defendant, Stephen James Keenan, aged 27, will face trial in the District Court on 19 charges of forgery relating to the examination papers. After an all-day hearing of depositions or statements of evidence from 15 prosecution witnesses, Mr R. C. Holland and Mrs O. M. Franks, Justices of the Peace, held there was sufficient evidence to commit Keenan for trial on all charges. He was remanded on bail pending a date for his trial.

His counsel, Mr K. C. Marks, of Dunedin,, reserved his defence. Mr D. J. L. Saunders appeared for the police. The charges were that Keenan forged examination papers for various subjects for the commercial pilot’s licence in helicopters, for the four pilots, at Timaru, Invercargill, and Queenstown, between November, 1981, and November, 1984. The examination papers included meteorlogy, flight navigation, aviation law and principles, general aircraft technical knowledge (helicopters),

and principles of flight and aircraft performance (helicopters). At the request of defence counsel, interim suppression of the names of the four pilots for whom Keenan was alleged to have sat examination papers, was ordered.

One previously has been. dealt with -by the court, and the other three have charges pending. The four candidates, for whom Keenan was alleged to have sat the papers, were from four different districts in the South Island. Mr Saunders said the charges against Keenan arose from Investigations made by the Civil Aviation Division and the police into alleged irregularities in the sitting of commercial pilot examination papers.

Mr Saunders said the police alleged that Keenan was an imposter by sitting examination papers for four other pilots, in their names, between November, 1981, and November, 1984.

Evidence would show that handwriting and fingerprints found on examination papers in the names of the four pilots matched those of Keenan.

In the case of one pilot, in whose name an examination paper was sat in Invercargill in November, 1984, evidence would show that he was on helicopter flights for venison recovery in the northern area of the South Island at the time, said Mr Saunders. Two other witnesses gave evidence of having sat examination papers one of them in Invercargill in February, 1982, and the other in Queenstown in November, 1981. They knew the pilot in whose name each paper was sat, but did not see that person at the examination centre. In cross-examination, each agreed that a long time had elapsed since the examinations. Each had been approached and asked to recall details of the examination day only within recent months. A commercial pilot said

that in November, 1984, he piloted a helicopter for venison recovery. A shooter accompanied him on these flights (one of the pilots for whom Keenan was alleged to have sat examinations). The witness said that on November 14 they flew from Kaikoura to Murchison. His log book entry was blank that day so his shooter must have been (named). On November 16, two days later, he and the shooter (named) chased deer in the Murchison area.

The witness was asked if his shooter could have travelled to Invercargill, sat a commercial pilot’s examination and returned to Murchison or Karamea during that period, without the witness’s knowing about it

He said he could not recall the day. It was a long time ago. It would have been an unusual thing to do, but he could not recall anything about that day.

Cross-examined, the witness said the log books were meant to be kept up to date. He agreed that rule was not always strictly adhered to.

He said he did not recall his shooter flying on the day concerned. Asked if his comment, from reference to the log book, pointed to his assuming rather than recollecting the shooter who accompanied him, the witness said he did not personally remember the exact day. “It is an assumption, I suppose.” A police document examiner and handwriting analyst, Alan John Herkt, gave evidence of comparing the 19 examination papers with specimen handwriting of the four candidates in whose name the papers were sat, and of the defendant

He said an analysis of the signatures and writing on the papers indicated that they most probably had been completed by the same person.

He said he had no doubt that all the writings on the questioned exhibits had been completed by Keenan.

A police senior finger-

print technician, John Keedwell Clark, gave evidence of examining the commercial pilot examination papers in the names of the four candidates, and letters — signed “Keenan,” and a flight log book.

Mr Clark said he obtained fingerprint from a letter signed by Keenan, and written to the regional director of the Civil Aviation Division on July 10, 1980. He compared this with fingerprints taken from an examination paper of one of the candidates, and found these to be identical with Keenan’s.

He found no fingerprints matching that of the candidate' concerned, on the examination papers in the candidate’s name.

Cross-examined, Mr Clark said it was a possibility that the examination papers were handled by the candidate, but that he left no identifiable fingerprints. He agreed that, in relation also to other documents, the possibility that persons handled these, and left no fingerprints could not be eliminated.

Detective Sergeant David Porteous said he interviewed Keenan last November 28 about alleged irregularities in commercial pilot licence examinations.

He questioned him in relation to two candidates for examinations held at Timaru and Invercargill in 1983 and 1984.

Keenan denied having sat examinations for them. He declined to supply his fingerprints and sample of handwriting, and photograph.

Keenan’s house was searched and a pilot’s log book and other items were seized.

Keenan subsequently was arrested on 13 charges of a forgery relating to the two candidates. A further six charges in relation to two other candidates were laid later.