Prison for man who took launch

Press, 26 August 1986, Page 4

Prison for man who took launch

A man who unlawfully took a $40,000, 30ft launch at Mangonui in February, intending to sail it to Australia, was sent to prison for six months by Judge Palmer in the District Court yesterday. Although compensation of $lB,OOO was sought from Michael Charles Sant, aged 21 (Mr A. M. Mclntosh) the Judge made no order because, he said, it was inappropriate.

The launch was later abandoned on Ninety Mile Beach, and when found, two days later, it was damaged to such an extent that repairs would cost the owwner $15,000.

The launch was not insured. Sant was also convicted earlier of unlawfully taking a mini-van at Thames, a dinghy at Mangonui, and six charges of fraudulently using stolen cheques.

The defendant had told police he had planned to sail the launch to Australia in order to get away from Tauranga because of threats made against his life.

Mr Mclntosh said his client’s motivation for the departure from Tauranga was genuine.

He said as Sant beached the launch on a sandy part of Ninety Mile Beach he was surprised to learn of the extent of the reported damage.

Although his client wanted to make reparation, this was unrealistic.

Mr Mclntosh sought a community-based sentence.

The Judge said in view of the seriousness of the offending such a sentence was “inadequate and inappropriate.”

Heather Joan Christieson, aged 20, unemployed, who had admitted her part in the three unlawful takings, was sentenced to supervision for 12 months.

The Judge said Christieson, now heavily pregnant to Sant, had only played a passive and subordinate role on the “ill-fated and stupid” journey. The Judge was told that the defendant’s relationship with Sant had been terminated, and that she was returning witii her parents, who were in court, to Tauranga. ATTEMPTED ROBBERY A carving knife was brandished at two deaf youths, one of whom was also intellectually handicapped, by Michael Jason Derry who demanded money so that he could buy some beer, said Sergeant Caldwell. Derry, aged 18, unemployed (Mr R. S. Peters) was convicted and remanded in custody to September 1 for a probation report and sentence. Sergeant Caldwell said

Derry, followed the two complainants along Gloucester Street After pulling the knife out of his trousers, and demanding money from them, he ran off after realising they were deaf. He was apprehended soon after the incident MURDER CHARGE Kelly Mason, aged. 26, one of two men charged with the murder of Robert William McTague, last month, was further remanded in custody to September 15. In seeking the remand to this date, counsel, Mr G. R. Lascelles, said it did not mean that he necessarily consented to this date for a depositions hearing for his client . The co-defender, Ernest James Brown, aged 46, has already been remanded in custody to September 15 for taking depositions. The charge relates to the finding of Mr McTague’s badly beaten body in the rear of the

premises of Mr Tack Upholstery in High Street ROBBERY CHARGE - On a charge of robbing a person of $1.70c, Craig McAllister was remanded to September 1, without plea. McAllister, aged 18, unemployed, was granted bail of $2OOO, with a surety of the same amount Police say the alleged offence took place on August 23. 'MAGIC MUSHROOMS’ A man found guilty of possessing a class A controlled drug, commonly referred to as “magic mushrooms” was convicted and fined $lOO. William John' Mosen, aged 25, a labourer (Mr R. S. Peters) committed the offence on April 20. Sergeant M. P. Caldwell said at 1.15 p.m. that day the defendant, and an associate, were observed by police, using highpowered binoculars,

wandering around a golf course, near Balclutha, picking objects off the ground and putting them in a paper bag. Mosen was also observed eating some of the contents from the paper bag. When police checked the defendant’s vehicle they found, inside the paper bag, an hallucinogenic drug commonly referred to as “magic mushrooms,” said Sergeant Caldwell. Mr Peters said his client told him that the mushrooms grew wild in that particular area. They were for his own use. STOLE PROPERTY A mother, her sister, and a daughter, drove daily to various Christchurch stores between May and July from which they stole property to a total value of $7839, said Sergeant Caldwell.

Judith Ann Den Ouden, aged 40, faced 33 charges,

Tracey Irene Louise McLachlan, aged 18, a solo parent, 32 charges; and Yvonne Cecilia Wylie, aged 53. a housewife, 14 charges. Each of the defendants was represented by Mr E. Bedo.

The trio was convicted and remanded, on renewed bail, to September 5 for probation reports and sentence.

The bulk of the stolen property was recovered, said Sergeant Caldwell.

BURGLARY CHARGE Bail was opposed for John Ivan McDougall, who is charged with breaking and entering the St Asaph Street hall of the New Zealand Democratic Party at the week-end. McDougall, aged 23, a painter, was remanded in custody to September 1. Sergeant M. P. Caldwell said, in opposing bail, that the alleged offence took place at a time when McDougall was already on bail for a similar alleged offence.