$500 fine on wool theft

Press, 31 July 1986, Page 17

$500 fine on wool theft

A man, aged 59, who stole 21 bales of wool valued at $11,902 was granted final suppression of name and convicted and fined $5OO in the District Court at Rangiora yesterday. The man had been remanded from July 16, after having pleaded guilty to a charge of breaking out of the woolstore of Pyne, Gould, Guinness Ltd, Moorhouse Avenue, Christchurch, having committed a crime therein, on June 27. Judge Hattaway said that suppression was not

usual in cases such as this. He made the order based on the defendant’s family circumstances, his place in the community, and matters in a psychiatric report. "Your community work is in tatters. I trust you will be able to rebuild, but it will not be easy for you,” said the Judge. Defence counsel, Mr Nigel Hampton, told the Court that his client felt remorseful. He was driven to the offence because of the stress he was under and the problems with his business.

The present economic climate had made the last five years a real struggle for the defendant. As a result he became depressed. He determined only on the day itself to commit the offence, said counsel, and it was inevitable he would be apprehended, because the wool was easily identifiable. The theft was an irrational and uncharacteristic act, committed by a man who had taken a full and willing part in the community.