Masked men used cut-down shotgun to rob 24-hour dairy

Press, 20 November 1987, Page 4

Masked men used cut-down shotgun to rob 24-hour dairy

Two masked men who, armed with a cut-down shotgun, robbed two women at a Purchas Street dairy of $1647 told the police they need money to support their alcohol and drug habit, said Sergeant M. J. South in the District Court yesterday.

Dean Warren Hollander, aged 19 (Mr G. M. Brodie), and Philip James Bartram, aged 22 (Mr G. J. Venning), were convicted by Judge Noble.

He remanded them in custody to the High Court for sentence on December

Sergeant South said the offence took place at 3.50 a.m. on October 28. The two men entered the 24-hour dairy and while Hollander kept the shotgun pointed at the two women, Bartram told them to get some money from the till and the safe. After they had been

handed $1647, the two men left the dairy, but not before they had warned the women they would be shot if they moved, said Sergeant South. When arrested, the two told the police it was a spur of the moment offence committed to obtain money to support their alcohol and drug habits. Compensation of $1647 was sought in respect of the unrecovered stolen money. OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOUR Why would a gang member who was fined $175 for urinating against the Post Office in Cathedral Square, ask to pay it off in instalments when he had savings of $2500, asked Judge Noble. A duty solicitor (Miss K. M. O’Connor) explained that the money was invested in the name of the grandmother of Te Whare Rani Jack Mihinui.

She said, after consulting the defendant, that it was on a three-month investment until December 15.

The Judge then ordered that the fine, and $55 court costs, be paid in one lump sum by December 18.

Mihinui, aged 21, unemployed, had admitted behaving in an offensive manner in the Square at 11.40 p.m. on November 17.

STOLE UNDERWEAR A youth, aged 17, who admitted stealing items of women’s underwear off washing lines told the police he found them a sexual stimulant said Sergeant South. The defendant, who was granted continued interim suppression of his name, had admitted stealing a brassiere, and a pair of women’s black panties, on November 2.

When arrested by a

police patrol the defendant, who was wearing the bra. attempted to stuff the panties into a hedge. The youth, represented by Mr A. G. Costelloe, was convicted and remanded to December 3 for sentence. He was ordered to live at home and observe a 10.30 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew. A psychiatric report on the youth is also to be prepared. INDECENCY OFFENCES On charges of committing indecencies on a boy, aged nine, and a girl, aged 12, at his home, a separated man was convicted and sent to the High Court for sentence on December 8.

The offending was discovered after the girl informed a social welfare official who reported it to the police, said Sergeant South.

The accused said he

had sought professional help for some time, without success, for his sexual problems. Mr A. N. D. Garrett submitted that the nature of the indecencies, which occurred in the beds of the complainants, were not gross. He sought bail saying that the earlier imposed stringent conditions had been complied with by his client. Bail was continued. BAIL OPPOSED Bail was “strongly” opposed for a man facing a charge of burglary and two charges of assault on a man and a woman. Hare John Rini, aged 25, a sickness beneficiary, was remanded in custody to November 26. He is charged with breaking and entering a house in Cutts Road and with assaulting the female occupant, aged 65, and a man.