Swapped fuel for helicopter flight

Press, 7 April 1987, Page 6

Swapped fuel for helicopter flight

An employee of an oil company oversupplied a Christchurch helicopter pilot with 1000 litres of fuel in return for a free helicopter flight for two, said Sergeant Myron Caldwell in the District Court yesterday. David Charles Martin, aged 31 (Mr K. J. Boyle) admitted stealing the fuel, valued at $531, the property of his employer, Shell Oil (N.Z.), Ltd, on November 11, last year. He was convicted by Judge Erber and fined $5OO. Martin was also ordered to pay compensation of $531. An application by Mr Boyle for suppression of his client’s name was refused by the Judge. While accepting that the defendant alone was “footing the bill,” Judge Erber condemned the corrupt practice of both Martin and the helicopter firm.

Mr Boyle said his client was by no means the initiator of the oversupply practice, but he was the only one charged as a result of a police inquiry instigated by the oil company. Martin, a first offender, had been fired after five

years employment with the oil company.

Although he had managed to obtain another job, his income had dropped by about $20,000 a year, he said. FACE AGAINST DRUGS The courts had set their collective face against drug pushing, and if this caused distress to the families of those accused, “then that’s too bad,” said Judge Erber.

He made this comment when he sent Gregory Arthur Toon to prison for 12 months. Toon was earlier convicted of possessing cannabis for sale or supply. At 11.20 p.m. on March 9 one kilogram of dried cannabis with a street value of $4OOO, was found when police stopped the defendant’s car.

Toon told the police he was a heavy user of the drug.

The cannabis found was, in effect, a five-foot plant which had been cultivated by a friend, said counsel, Miss Patricia Costigan. According to the police summary, the defendant’s car had earlier been seen at the address of a wellknown drug dealer.

Miss Costigan said there was nothing sinister in that; the purpose of the visit was “purely social.” PERIODIC DETENTION

Compensation of $2OOO was ordered to be paid by Warfen Hohapata who, after unlawfully taking his employer’s $BO,OOO truck and trailer, when he had been drinking, jack-knifed the truck and trailer causing $2500 damage. Hohapata, aged 41, a driver (Mr Mark Callaghan) earlier admitted converting the vehicle, and driving with an excess blood-alcohol level, on February 13. The Judge said the defendant had been out of trouble for 10 years, and that he regarded the matter as an isolated occurrence. In addition, Hohapata was sentenced to periodic detention for three months and disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for nine months. SUPERVISION Supervision for 12 months, during which time he is to undergo treatment for his drug problem, was the sentence given to Michael Joseph Kopa Sheehan.

Sheehan, aged 21 (Mr P. G. Costelloe) appeared for sentence for his part in breaking and entering Hunter Lounge Suites, on March 14.

The Judge said as the defendant’s vehicle was used he would be disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for nine months. An order was made for the confiscation of the defendant’s vehicle to the Crown. Mr Costelloe said his client’s addiction to drugs was the reason for his offending. $ll,OOO BAIL

Bail was set at $ll,OOO for one of three men facing charges of intimidation, making threats while in possession of an air rifle, and being members of an unlawful assembly.

Rex Wayne Ash, aged 34 (Miss Karen Feltham) was allowed bail of $5OOO with two approved sureties of $3OOO. Ash also faces an additional charge of being unlawfully in possession of a softball bat in circumstances which showed an intention to use it to commit bodily injury.

Miss Feltham said her

client would plead not guilty to all four charges.

Ash was remanded to June 18 for depositions to be taken.

David Andrew Fraser, aged 31, and Robert Leslie Griffiths, aged 28 (Mr S. C. Barker) were each remanded in custody to April 13.

Bail was refused in the High Court. The two also will deny the three charges of unlawful assembly, intimidation, and making threats while armed with an air pistol. RECEIVED WHISKY Bail was set at $4OOO for an unemployed man convicted of receiving eight bottles of stolen whisky, valued at $207. Shane Brian Barweli, aged 19, who admitted receiving the whisky from Gerry Tungahene Pira, was remanded to April 27 for sentence. It was stolen in a “smash and grab” burglary of the Shirley Lodge bottle store on April 6. Brendon Douglas Wanhalla, aged 18, and Gerry Tungahene Pira, also 18, both unemployed, were each remanded, without plea, to April 13, on a charge of breaking and

entering the bottle store, and unlawfully taking a $3OOO car.

Bail for each was set at $3OOO. SHOTGUN CHARGE

A student charged with wilfully presenting a 12gauge shotgun at two men, and a woman, unlawful possession of knives in circumstances which showed an intention to commit an offence involving bodily injury, and two charges of assault, was remanded on bail of $4OOO to April 13.

Brendon Michael Waters, aged 20, is alleged to have committed the offences on April 4. He did not plead. Sergeant Caldwell said the accused would be returned to Sunnyside Hospital where he was being examined.

BUS CHARGE A man, aged 20, accused of unlawfully taking a bus, valued at $130,000, the property of the . Christchurch Transport Board, was remanded in custody to April 13. Darren John Kemp, aged 20, is also charged with driving while disqualified. He did not plead to the charges.