Man convicted of kidnapping

Press, 18 December 1986, Page 6

Man convicted of kidnapping

PA Auckland The convicted kidnapper of a boy, aged four, from Auckland has been sentenced to nine months’ periodic detention.

Daron John Hall, aged 22, a labourer of Sandringham, denied kidnapping Michael Ourednik in Victoria Street. Mr Lodislav Ourednik told a High Court jury trial in Auckland that he had parked his car outside his restaurant on January 9.

He left his son in the front seat and the keys in the ignition while he went into the restaurant to deliver flowers. When he returned 15 minutes later his son and the car had vanished. Defence counsel Mr Richard Wood, yesterday said: “It was a kidnapping

by chance which took place as a result of Hall intending to convert the car.”

He dropped the boy at the first point out of the city, at a building site in Grafton, and continued home with the car.

Imposing sentence in the High Court yesterday, Mr Justice Prichard said he was sure Hall did not intend to kidnap the boy but to help himself to the car.

He told Hall: "You had no regard for the distress you caused to the boy’s parents or to the boy. You could well have stopped before you cleared off and I . have no doubt alcohol played a part.”

Hall needed to learn a sharp lesson his Honour said and sentenced him to nine months’ periodic detention.