Robber sent to High Court for sentence

Press, 10 March 1988, Page 18

Robber sent to High Court for sentence

A man who was “hanging out” and in need of drugs was convicted by Judge Guest in the District Court ; yesterday of aggravated robbery at a Warrington Street chemist’s shop last month. Shane Pita Rapana, aged 21, unemployed (Mr T. M. Abbott), pleaded guilty to charges of assaulting Suzanne Jocelyn Scoringe with intent to rob her while armed with a sawn-off .303 rifle, and unlawfully taking a $3OOO car. j! - ' j He was 'committed in custody to the High Court for sentence on March 22.

Rapana ([entered the Warrington Street premises of A. B. Munro, about 2.4.0 p.m. on February 15, said Sergeant M. R. Roswell. There was

nobody in the (shop other than two women — the complainant tpehind the counter and the other in the dispensary! [Rapana had a bag in one hand, and the cutdown rifle, covered with a white sock, in the other. He was wearing a balaclava. jHe began pushing the complainant towards the dispensary and as he did so removed | the white sock from the firearm which he pointed at her. | In the dispensary he put the bag he w;as carrying on the floor and repeatedly demanded drugs, said Sergeant [Roswell. I At this stage two men entered the shop. The defendant, still carrying the rifle, ran to the door and made off along Warring-

ton Street. He got (into a $3OOO car unlawfully taken frbm Richardson Terrace ! earlier, I and drove away. i When apprehended Rapana told the police that the offence was committed on the spur [of the moment. [He said the firearm was‘ not loaded. He said he decided to “do a robbery" |. at a cliemist’s shop as he was “hanging out” and | wanted pills. “Hanging out” i was a term used by' addicts to describe [ their desire for more drugs to satisfy their drug dependency, said Sergeantj ! Roswell.| Neither of the two women in the shop suffered ariy physical harm although j for some time afterwards they suffered shock. !

The converted car was later recovered in an undamaged condition in Stapletons Road. INDECENCY OFFENCES A man convicted of indecently assaulting a girl, then aged between 10 and 12, was remanded to March 23 for sentence.

The defendant, represented by Mr N. J. Dunlop, committed the offences, which involved fondling the girl’s vaginal area, on various dates between January, 1983, and June, 1985, said Sergeant M. R. Roswell.

On the application of the police the defendant was granted interim suppression of name. A further application seeking suppression of the defendant’s occupation was granted:by the Judge.