Young mothers sold cannabis at court

Press, 19 February 1987, Page 4

Young mothers sold cannabis at court

Two young mothers caught trying to sell 209 grams of cannabis in the precincts of the District Court last week were each convicted and remanded for sentence on March 5. Susan Helen Newman, aged 22, and Ann Elizabeth Williams, aged 20 (Mr Emo Bedo), appeared before Judge Erber in the District Court yesterday. Sergeant Kevin Morrison said that on the morning of February 12 Williams had telephoned Newman asking her to bring a quantify of cannabis to sell in Christchurch. Their first call was at the District Court where Williams was to go bail for a friend.

While in the court precincts she spoke to three males about buying some cannabis for $45 a bag. Sergeant Morrison said as police interrupted the proceedings, money spilled on to the floor.

Found in the women’s possession were nine plastic “deal” bags of cannabis weighing 209 grams.

The cannabis was grown on the Johns Road

property where Newman lived with her de facto partner. Judge Erber said while, at the request of counsel, he would ask for a community service report, prison, for such offending, was a more likely prospect. Initially bail for each defendant was set at $4OOO, but later in the morning Mr Bedo asked for a variation to the bail term as neither woman could obtain the $2OOO surety. The Judge then allowed self bail of $2OOO, but ordered that they report to the police twice weekly. INCEST CHARGE Interim suppression of name was granted for a man, aged 24, accused of committing incest with his half sister. The man is charged with having committed the offence between February 11 and 17. He did not plead. After a hearing in Chambers, with an interpreter present, Judge Erber remanded the accused in custody until tomorrow.

This was being done, he said, to determine whether the accused, and the - woman concerned, could live in separate accommodation.

The Judge told the accused that Mr J. J. Brandts-Giesen, would be assigned to represent him.

PERIODIC DETENTION A man who, with an associate, stole property worth $32,435, taken from three burglaries, was sentenced to periodic detention for six months. In addition, Paul John Ellis, aged 18, unemployed (Mr E. J. Tait), was ordered to pay $1542 in compensation. Because his vehicle was used in the commission of one burglary, the Judge disqualified Ellis from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for 18 months. But for the belief that the • defendant’s co-of-fender exerted an undue influence over him, and that Ellis had only a minor criminal list, he would have gone to prison, said the Judge.