Man wins case as own counsel

Press, 12 June 1987, Page 7

Man wins case as own counsel

A manager successfully defended in the District Court yesterday a charge of unlawfully receiving a leather jacket valued at $285. The defendant, Peter Lloyd Machirus, aged 41,. represented himself in the' trial, before Judge Pain and a jury. The jury returned with a verdit of not guilty after a retirement of just under half an hour.

The defendant was then discharged. He was charged with receiving the jacket, belonging to Aki Souvenurs, between March 1 and 4. Mr P. J. Shamy appeared for the Crown. After evidence of prosecution witnesses had been heard, Machirus did not give evidence, but said in his address to jurors that it was not proved that the jacket had been stolen. He said the shop proprietor had suffered a burglary and agreed goods also were lost to shoplifters. The proprietor had only added the jacket to a list of clothing taken in the burglary after he had been shown this by the police. Evidence of another occupant of his house was that she had purchased and worn it Machirus said it had not I been proved the.. jacket was stolen or was in his posession. ft .■. •'W- ....