Glue-sniffers’ centre cheque stolen

Press, 3 September 1986, Page 4

Glue-sniffers’ centre cheque stolen

compensation of 56U00 was ordered to be paid by a man appearing for sentence in the District Court yesterday for stealing a Health Department cheque for this amount, which was to be used for the establishment of a centre for the rehabilitation of glue sniffers in Christchurch.

James Edward King, aged 35, a labourer (Mr M. G. Knowles) was ordered by Judge Anderson to pay compensation at the rate of $4O a week.

The defendant, who was appearing as a virtual first offender, was also sentenced to periodic detention for five months.

The Judge said it was saddening to see a man who reached the rank he had in one of the services stoop so low as to have committed such a mean theft

King had earlier admitted that about March 20 having received the Health Department cheque, requiring him to account for it to the Te Rito Arahi Komiti, he fraudulently converted it to his own use, thereby committing theft.

Mr Knowles said that

bis client had undergone treatment at Queen Mary Hospital at Hanmer Springs for alcoholism and his progress there had been described as “exceptional.” King had already voluntarily paid $6OO in compensation and would continue to do so, he said. According to the police summary, King was originally the treasurer of a Maori committee set up in 1984 to prevent the involvement of youths in the city with alcohol and drugs.

He entered into correspondence with the Health Department for a monetary grant to establish a substance-abuse resource centre in Christchurch.

In March, last year, the Government approved a S6OQO loan to the committee, and as the committee did not have a legal identity the cheque was made payable to a sponsor, the defendant, King. King had earlier resigned as treasurer, but remained a member of the committee.

King deposited the cheque into his own bank account rather than the

account held by the committee. He began drawing on it. Subsequently all the money was spent on alcohol and drugs. SUPPRESSION Interim suppression of name was granted to a man, aged 31,' facing charges of threatening to kill two women and intentionally causing damage, estimated at $2OOO, to the home, and contents, of one of them. After a hearing in Chambers, where bail was opposed by the police, the accused was remanded in custody to September 9, without plea. The Judge ordered that during the remand period the accused be seen by a psychiatrist. A duty solicitor, Mr H. D. P. Van Schreven, had told the Judge there were potential psychiatric problems with the defendant. The offences, with which the accused is charged, took place on September 1, the police said. THEFT CHARGE On a charge of stealing a 12-ton furniture truck, valued at $45,000, John Allan Williams was re-

manded, on renewed bail, to September 9. Williams, aged 29, a driver (Mr A. M. Mclntosh) is charged with having committed the offence on August 23. The truck was the property of Kevin Singh Sohal. Williams did not plead. CAR THEFT A man who stole a 1938 model car had initially intended to sell it, but after doing mechanical work on tlie car decided to keep it for himself, said Detective Sergeant R. Bruce. David Glen Ackroyd, aged 21, a sickness beneficiary, admitted stealing the $2500 car on June 5. He was convicted and remanded on bail of $l6OO to September 16 for a probation report and sentence.

Sergeant Bruce said Ackroyd stole the car from a Colombo Street address and towed it back to his place. There, over the next two weeks, he carried out mechanical work on the vehicle, removed the registration, and registered it in his own name.

CHARGE DENIED Charges of injuring with intent, and intentionally damaging a telephone box, on August 12, were denied by a student, aged 17. On the application of counsel, Mr K. N. Hampton, the student was remanded, on renewed bail, to November 10 for a defended hearing. Interim suppression of the name of the student was continued. DEPOSITIONS Susan Mary Birbeck was remanded to November 3 for depositions to be taken on a charge of conspiring with others to supply opium, Birbeck, aged 24, a sickness beneficiary (Mr P. H. B. Hall) admitted four charges of receiving property, including a $3OOO car, one charge of using a cheque with intent to defraud, and assaulting a policeman.

These offences took place between August 4

and 18. Birbeck was convicted and remanded in custody to September 9 for a probation report and sentence. ASSAULT CHARGE Craig Alan Frost, aged 20, unemployed, who is

charged with assaulting Aran Brent Shivnan with intent to injure him, was remanded, without plea, to September 9. Bail was set at $lOOO. Police say the alleged offence occurred on August 29.