‘Atrocious offending’ brings prison term

Press, 5 December 1986, Page 4

‘Atrocious offending’ brings prison term

The only kind of sentence to be imposed for such "atrocious” offending was imprisonment, Judge Hay told a man, aged 42, earlier convicted of indecently assaulting two girls, aged between 12 and 16. In the District Court yesterday the defendant was sent to prison for 12 months.

Judge Hay said that such offending was “really quite revolting,” and was a crime not only against the two girls, but against society itself. On the application of counsel Mr N. J. Dunlop, the defendant was granted final suppression of his name.

Mr Dunlop said the offending occurred 2 l / 2 years ago.

While initially in custody his client had been the subject of “particular attention” from other inmates.

Mr Dunlop said that his client was able to carry out periodic detention, community service, or pay a fine.

A custodial sentence would not be helpful to the rehabilitation of the defendant’s family, he said.

At the request of the police a summary of facts was not read in open court.

NINE MONTHS PRISON After stealing a $2BOO car from a hotel car-park which he crashed near the Heathcote Valley overpass, William Edward Ratahi later sold it for $lBO, said Sergeant K. Morrison. Ratahi, aged 25, unemployed (Mr A. N. D. Garrett), told police he committed the offence as a means of revenge against a hotel manager who, on Wednesday night, had him removed from his hotel. Sergeant Morrison said that Ratahi was removed from the hotel because of his behaviour. Mr Garrett sought that a fine should be imposed as his client who was shortly to undergo surgery, was to receive a substantial A.C.C. payment. Ratahi, he said, had a relatively clean past. BACK PACKS A man charged with stealing three nylon backpacks containing personal belongings to a total value of $4214, was remanded in custody until today. Bail was opposed for Manuel John Habib, aged 36, unemployed who is alleged to have committed the offence early yesterday. The property is said to have been stolen from a Dutch couple staying at a

motor camp who were to leave the country yesterday. Irene Hazel Trotter, aged 23, a packer, was remanded on bail to December 11 on a charge of receiving a camera and assorted items, worth $1450, from Habib. She did not plead. CHARGE DENIED Two men charged with breaking and entering Whitcoulls Ltd, New Brighton Mall, on November 27, were remanded on renewed bail, of $2OOO each, to February 17, next year for a defended hearing. They were: Raymond Michael Dalton, aged 17, and Richard Gordon Dodds, aged 19, both unemployed. EIGHT MONTHS JAIL Eight months in prison was the sentence given to Kay Elizabeth Satherley who was earlier convicted of receiving $5OO worth of jewellery. The sentence is to be concurrent with a term imposed in the High Court The jewellery, among property stolen from a house burgled in Matsons Avenue, was recovered at the defendant’s address.

Satherley, aged 28, a solo parent (Mr P. N. Dyhrberg), committed the offence between October 11 and 21.