Bail given to man facing firearms charges

Press, 13 May 1987, Page 4

Bail given to man facing firearms charges

Bail was opposed for a man facing nine charges of unlawfully possessing a variety of firearms when he appeared before Judge Frampton in the District Court yesterday.

Francis Donald Ramsay, aged 32, a self-em-ployed mechanic, was remanded on bail of $3OOO to May 26. Ramsay is charged with having eight revolvers, and a starting pistol, while not licensed to have them. He also faces three charges of receiving property to a value of $4594, and possessing cannabis for sale or supply. The alleged firearms offences occurred on May 1; the receiving charges between June, last year, and May, this year. The Judge allowed bail of $lOOO, with two sureties each of $lOOO. Ramsay was also ordered to report to the police three times a week.

DRUG CHARGE Interim suppression of name was refused for a Ministry of Works scientist accused of possessing cannabis for sale or supply. Leslie Robert Basher, aged 34, was remanded at large, without plea, to May 26. Police say the offence took place on May 11. FRAUD OFFENCES A student in financial difficulties used a stolen cheque book, and false

identification, to pay for a day’s ski-ing at Mount Hutt and a stereo worth $2lOO, said Sergeant Philip Parsons. John David Williamson, aged 18 (Mr Gerald Lascelles), admitted the offences. He was convicted and remanded on bail to May 26 for sentence and a reparation report. Sergeant Parsons said that on November 5, last year, the defendant went with friends to the Mount Hutt skifield.

He paid for a day’s skiing, and the hire of equipment, amounting to $lO6, with one of the cheques.

On November 10 Williamson went to a city store and bought a $2lOO stereo with another cheque.

“Do I take it that this transaction took place without the firm first checking out the purchaser?” asked the Judge.

“It is not uncommon for some retailers to be that stupid,” replied Sergeant Parsons.

He said the defendant, a first offender, later sold the stereo to a secondhand dealer for $lOOO which was subsequently spent. The ski-ing equipment was found at the defendant’s flat.

An application for interim suppression of the defendant’s name was refused by the Judge.

DEFERRED SENTENCE The fact that a young girl was a willing party to sexual intercourse was immaterial, said the Judge.

The law was there to protect the young from themselves, he said when taking the unusual step, for such a serious offence, of sentencing a man, aged 18, to a 12 months deferred sentence for having sex with a schoolgirl, aged 14.

Because of the circumstances suppression of the accused’s name was granted by the Judge. Sergeant Parsons said the defendant and the girl met in early March and formed a close relationship during which they had sexual relations a number of times. When the complainant’s mother became aware of what was going on a complaint was made to the police. Counsel, Mr Mervyn Glue, said his client, a first offender, was a rather naive young man. It seemed there was a strong bond between the pair. He submitted a letter from the girl to the Judge. PERIODIC DETENTION Periodic detention for seven months was imposed on Mervyn Raymond Luskie, earlier convicted of selling cannabis to obtain "pocket money” for himself.

The Judge said it was a tragedy that the defendant, aged 28, a sickness beneficiary, suffered a serious back injury two years ago which resulted in' his losing his job. Had employment continued then, said the Judge, Luskie would not be facing the charges for which he was now appearing for sentence. Although involved in serious offending between 1972 and 1983 the Judge ijoted there had been no offending by the defendant for five years. Counsel (Mr Michael Knowles) said that after losing his job, due to a back injury, and not being able to obtain another job, coupled with the need to provide for his family, Luskie foolishly took the step of selling cannabis to obtain an income. The defendant, aged 28, used some of the cannabis to help relieve the constant pain from which he suffers, said Mr Knowles. Luskie was appearing for sentence for possessing cannabis for sale. According to the police summary when police visited his address on April 1 they found 225 grams of cannabis, some of which was bagged. Luskie told the police he had been selling the deal bags for $3O each, and cannabis “bullets” to people he knew over the last five or six months.