Robbery in city building toilet alleged

Press, 28 July 1987, Page 23

Robbery in city building toilet alleged

Two youths will face trial by jury in the District Court, one of them for allegedly robbing another teenager of his leather jacket, worth $450, in toilets in the Provincial Council Building on June 25.

His companion was said by the complainant to have warned the complainant not to say anything, and that he would not be afraid to slit his throat. The defendants were Kenneth Laurence Hammersley, aged 19, unemployed, who was charged with robbing Dean Freeman Rhodes, aged 19, of his leather jacket; and Richard John Sim, aged 19, a labourer, who was charged with assisting Hammersley to enable him to avoid arrest, after a robbery had been committed.

After hearing depositions or statements of evidence of prosecution witnesses Mrs C. M. Holmes and Mr A. L. Mclvor, Justices of the Peace, held there was sufficient evidence to commit both defendants for trial. Each was remanded in custody pending a - date for their trial.

They were represented by Mr E. Bedo, who reserved his defence.

Sergeant S. C. Cleland prosecuted. Mr Rhodes gave evidence of being in the Provincial Council Building about 10.50 a.m. and asking Hammersley if he knew where there was a telephone. Hammersley took him along a hallway, and opened the door marked "men’s toilet” and peered in, indicating a telephone was inside. Mr Rhodes looked inside, saw there was no telephone, and Hammersey then pulled him inside. He said to give him his jacket and there would be no hassles.

As he was taking off his jacket Sim approached from another cubicle.

Hammersley then gave Sim the jacket, which he put on, and Sim then put his studded leather belt round his hand and held it up to Mr Rhodes’ face.

Sim then warned him about saying anything, and said that if he did, that he knew his name and face and was not afraid to slit his throat. Mr Rhodes then left, accompanied to the door by Hammersley, who told him he "knew the rules.”

Mr Rhodes telephoned the police from the Canterbury Public Library.

He said he had not seen his jacket since it was taken from him. Police evidence was given that, when interviewed, Hammersley said he told the guy to give him his jacket and he just handed it to him. Sim came out after Hammersley had the jacket, and he gave it to Sim. He said Sim did not make any threats. Hammersley said the complainant asked where a toilet was, not a telephone, and he only showed him to a toilet.

He “put a hand” on the complainant’s shoulder and the complainant handed him the jacket. Sim allegedly said in a written statement that he was in the toilet and heard two men enter, and say something about a leather jacket. He did not recognise their voices.

He held his studded belt doubled as he left his cubicle. He did not have it wrapped round his hand. He saw that the guy he knew had taken the jacket from the other fellow. He told the other guy not to tell the police. This was so his mate would not get into trouble. He tried on the jacket because he was curious, then took it off and gave it back to his mate. Sim’s statement said he did not know this was going to happen in the toilet. He just walked in on it.