Bankcard fraud of $14,000 alleged

Press, 28 January 1988, Page 14

Bankcard fraud of $14,000 alleged

Three of five persons charged with conspiring with one another to defraud Bankcard, New Zealand, Ltd, of $14,269 pleaded guilty in the District Court yesterday. Wayne Baden Johansen, aged 23, Sharon Gaye Ranger, aged 17, both unemployed and Christopher Joseph Taylor, aged 18, a sickness beneficiary, were convicted by Judge Hattaway. They were remanded to February 10 for probation and reparation reports, and sentence. Leah Marie Ranger, aged 20, unemployed, was to have admitted the offending but was unable to appear in the dock because of what a member of the police escort described as stomach cramps. She sat on the front steps of the courtroom. Soon after the police officer told the Judge the women, who was to have given birth to a baby on Tuesday, had begun her labour. She was remanded, without entering a plea, to February 10. Geoffrey Francis Taylor, aged 23, a smallgoods man, denied the charge. He was remanded to March 15 for a defended hearing. Detective-Sergeant P. Parsons said a summary of the 203 offences, which took place between October 1 last year, and January 5, would be read at the time of sentencing. The five defendants are represented by Mr J. S. Halls. PERIODIC DETENTION Periodic detention for four months, coupled with a $l5O fine, were imposed on a man, aged 23, who threatened a woman he would rape her, and who also assaulted a man.

Warren Morton Pope, a kitchen hand (Mr G. P. Barkle), committed the offences on January 19. After being threatened by Pope in Colombo Street the terrified woman ran for help to a nearby car sales yard, said Sergeant Parsons. The defendant ran after the woman, calling out that he was going to rape her, and removing some of his clothing at the same time. He was overpowered by two staff members of the sales yard but not before he had struck one of them. Mr Barkle said his client had been drinking before the incident and had little memory of what had occurred. Pope did not know the female complainant, he said. WITHDRAWN A charge of assaulting a woman laid against a psychotherapist was withdrawn by Sergeant Parsons. It had been alleged that the offence took place on December 23, last year, and arose out of a domestic incident. On the application of counsel, Mr M. J. Callaghan, final suppression of name was granted to his client. BAIL REFUSED Bail was refused for a man who is charged with having burgled the Kaiapoi Borough Council shop while out on bail granted by the High Court while awaiting sentence on driving offences. Nicholas Robert Clarke, aged 17, unemployed (Mr Halls), was remanded in custody to appear for a defended hearing on this charge at the Rangiora District Court on March 9. Bail was opposed by Sergeant W. P. Creasey.

The alleged burglary was serious, he said. Clarke had been remanded in custody while awaiting sentence on several driving offences but had obtained bail in the High Court. It was after being granted his freedom that the burglary was allegedly committed. On charges of driving in a dangerous manner, driving without being the holder of a driver’s licence, and driving with unauthorised registration plates on his vehicle, Clarke was sentenced to periodic detention for five months. PERIODIC DETENTION A sickness beneficiary who had already been held in custody for seven weeks after his arrest for breaking into a chemist’s shop was sentenced to periodic detention for six months. He was also placed on supervision for 12 months. Using a metal cover from a nearby electricity service hole, Nicholas John Shirley, aged 29, an invalid beneficiary, smashed the window of a chemist’s shop in Sydenham on December 12 and stole 1000 codeine-based painkilling tablets from the shelves. ARREST WARRANT A man who had elected trial by jury on a charge of assaulting a woman in her home on the evening of November 5 failed to appear for a preliminary hearing yesterday. On the application of Sergeant W. P. Creasey, who prosecuted, Mrs C. M. Holmes and Dr K. M. Goh, Justices of the Peace, issued a warrant for the arrest of the defendant, Ryan Paul Stott, aged 20, a sickness beneficiary. Stott was represented by Mr E. Bedo.