Police told boat and trailer were stolen

Press, 19 March 1988, Page 13

Police told boat and trailer were stolen

A fine of ISIOOO was imposed on a man convicted! in the District Court !on charges of making a I false to ! the police, and attempting to defraud an insurance company of $5OOO. The,' Courts had little sympathy for someone who put the material wellbeing! of his family and employment in jeopardy by the commission of offences of this nature, said Judge' Mahon, yesterday. With “considerable reluctance,” the Judge granted the! defendant, a first ioffender, final suppression of his name. The defendant had earlier admitted making a false! statement to the policfe that |his boat, and trailer, had been stolen; and fraudulently attempting to obtain $5OOO from ah insurance company. The offence was committed in January. Ttje boat and trailer ■ were later recovered at a Christchurch address. Counsel, !| Mr G. H. Natibn,' said the offence

was out of character by a man, aged 23. who had a promising career, was married, and owned his own home. He said his client had been trying unsuccessfully to sell his boat for about nine months and had hoped to get between $3OOO and $5OOO for it. He had picked up the boat, and trailer, from a sales yard and had driven to a hotel. There he had met some people who offered to take them off his hands. The defendant sold the boat, and trailer, for a mere $7OO, said Mr Nation. In the cold, sober light of the next morning he realised what a fool he had been.! It was 1 then that he embarked! on a foolish criminal scheme to recover some of the money he had lost, said Mr Natibn. He urged the matter be dealt with by way of a fine. In seeking final sup-

pression of the name of his client, Mr Nation said the defendant’s employer, who was aware of the case, had told him that publication could 'well* result in his dismissal. FALSE ALARM Two men and two women, all under 20, were convicted for giving a false fire alarm and each was ordered to pay $226 to cover the cost of the turnout by three appliances of the Fire Service. Anna Rachel Corballis, aged 18, a student, Richard Montague Anderson, 1 aged 19, a student, Rachel Mary McLeod, aged 19, a student nurse, and James Edgar Hazlett, aged 19, a labourer, admitted the offence which took place on March 12. Each defendant was also ordered to pay $55 court costs. The Judge said the compensation to the Fire Service must be paid in a lump sum by the end of April. Sergeant K. Morrison said the offence occurred

at 11.15 p.m. in a bar at a city hotel. The four were near a fire alarm which had been activated. The hotel was cleared of patrons and staff,!!and three appliances from the Central Fire Station!! attended the call. Compensation of $907 was sought to cover, the turnout, said Sergeant Morrison. The defendants told police they wanted to see what would happen if the alarm was activated. The Judge was told by a solicitor for three of the defendants, that I her clients had consumed some alcohol. The offence arose out of a prank which got out of hand, she said, j The Judge said as all four were under 20 1 they probably should notl have been in the hotel in the first place. He said there was always an element of danger when a , false fire alarm was given from a public building.