Surprise at cost of damage

Press, 15 September 1988, Page 26

Surprise at cost of damage

A man who having an argument in a chemist’s shop and knocked over a display stand was surprised to learn that compensation sought, in respect of the damage, was $4OOO, said counsel, Mr J. S. Halls, in the District Court yesterday. Matthew Matetake, aged 26, unemployed, admitted charges of intentionally damaging a display stand, and contents, at the South Brighton Pharmacy on September 5. He was convicted by Judge Hattaway and remanded to September 30 for sentence and a reparation report. Sergeant B. M. Roswell said the offending occurred while the defendant, and his de facto wife, were in the chemist’s shop awaiting a prescription. An argument developed between them and Matetake pushed over a display stand. As he was leaving he

kicked the front window. Compensation of $5OO was sought in respect of this damage, said Sergeant Roswell. SIX MONTHS JAIL Henry John Luafutu, aged 29, a sickness beneficiary, was sent to prison for six months after conviction on charges of attempting to sell prescription drugs, burglary, theft, and loitering by night. The defendant had been before the courts many times for a variety of offences and he seemed to have had just about every sanction the courts could impose, said the Judge. For the current offending prison was the only appropriate penalty, he said. Counsel, Mr P. B. McMenamin, had sought a sentence of periodic detention. Luafutu had been seen attempting to sell a prescription medicine in the precincts of the No. 1 courtroom and later he

had been observed exchanging doloxene tablets for money on the riverbank nearby. PERIODIC DETENTION A man who sold cannabis to an undercover police officer on four occasion for $B7O was sentenced to periodic detention for eight months. William Warren Cane, aged 22, unemployed (Mr D. J. Taffs), was also disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence, for 12 months. He had earlier admitted driving while disqualified on May 26. The Judge noted that while it was Cane’s first drug offence it was the fifth occasion on which he had driven while disqualified. CHARGES DENIED Charges of conspiring with another person to commit an aggravated robbery on the Papanui branch of the United Building Society, receiv-

ing a $l5O shotgun, and having the firearm with the intent to commit aggravated robbery were denied by Jason Rex Stephens. Stephens, aged 18, unemployed, was remanded in custody to November 21 for the taking of depositions. He is alleged to have committed the offences on September 5. DEPOSITIONS Daniel Kotua Wehi, aged 38, a freezing worker, was remanded to December 13 for the taking of depositions on a charge of aggravated robbery. Wehi (Mr A. N. D. Garrett), is one of three men jointly charged that being armed with a firearm he robbed tellers at Trust Bank Ham of $14,412 in cash. On a charge of possessing a class B controlled drug, Wehi was remanded to September 21, without plea.