The courts

Press, 5 February 1987, Page 4

The courts

A woman who, over two years, defrauded the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of almost $25,000 was sent to prison for nine months by Judge Frampton in the District Court yesterday.

Colleen Patricia Bates, aged 40, a sickness beneficiary, (Mr M. J. Glue) earlier pleaded guilty to a charge that while employed by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Christchurch she stole sums of money totalling $24,958.

The offences occurred between July, 1984, and July, last year. The Judge said that after an earlier offence of theft as a servant Bates could have been under no illusions as to the likely outcome of her most recent offending. It was perhaps unfortunate that she held a job in which she again had to handle money, said the Judge. “It would seem temptation was placed before you right from the start,” he said.

In imposing sentence, the Judge said he had taken into account that

the payment of compensation was out of the question.

Mr Glue said he sought leniency for his client “a woman of intelligence and ability who is quite dedicated to her work with animals.” The number of favourable testimonials, and his file was "bulging,” was quite “amazing,” said Mr Glue.

Bates, he said, suffered from physical and psychological problems. An attempt to mortgage her home in order to make a lump sum payment to the S.P.C.A. unfortunately failed, said Mr •Glue.

The offending came to light last July after a member of the public questioned a receipt issued to her by the society’s general office.

No record of the receipt could be found and an audit was made of the animal home accounts. It was established that during the two-year period Bates took a total of $24,958 from the society and had attempted to conceal the thefts by destroying some 900 receipts.

Bates told the police the money had been spent on household expenses, petrol, and general day-to-day items and accounts.

She said she had also been under considerable stress after the break-up of her marriage.

The defendant had initially done community service work at the animal home as part of her sentence for defrauding a previous employer of more than $20,000. After part-time work, Bates was later employed full-time and her duties covered the day-to-day running of the animal home office. IMPORTED HEROIN A housewife, aged 32, who admitted two charges of importing heroin was convicted and committed to the High Court for sentence on February 19. Patricia Anne Davey (Mr P. H. B. Hall) committed the offences on August 17 and 18, last year. She was to have appeared for depositions to be taken. She also admitted and was convicted on a charge

of causing bodily injury to Stewart Russell by carelessly using a motor vehicle on Lincoln Road on May 14, last year. Russell, a motor-cyclist, suffered a compound fracture of the right leg which required surgery. On this charge, Davey was fined $2OO and disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for six months. FALSE CLAIM Because he had been unable to get a satisfactory price for his car, Steven Herbert McNicholl took it to the Waimakariri riverbed, set it on fire, reported the loss to the police, and then attempted to obtain $5OOO from an insurance company, said Sergeant J. E. Dwyer. McNicholl, aged 22, a wood machinist, was convicted. He was remanded, at large, to February 25 for sentence. The offences took place in September, last year. Sergeant Dwyer said associates helped the defendant get the car to the riverbed where, after the wheels were removed, the vehicle was set on fire.

McNicholl made a complaint to the police of his vehicle having been unlawfully taken and then

put in a claim to the insurance company. Because of irregularities in the claim, the insurance company employed a private detective. As a result of his investigations, the • company refused to pay out and reported the matter to the police, said Sergeant Dwyer. CASH IN GARDEN A woman who received half of the proceeds of the aggravated robbery of the Dallington Post Office buried the money in her garden, said Sergeant Dwyer. Nicola Marie Emery, 26, a. solo parent (Ms D. Shirtcliff) told police she considered the $2900 as payment for allowing the man, charged with the robbery, to board at her address over the New Year holiday. Sergeant Dwyer said $2200 of the buried money had been recovered.

Compensation of $7OO was sought from Emery.