Fraud compensation sought

Press, 8 October 1988, Page 12

Fraud compensation sought

Compensation of $10,362 was sought from a housewife, aged 25, convicted by Judge Noble’ in the District Court yesterday of obtaining goods and services to this value by the fraudulent use of two Visa cards. Brenda Lorraine Williams (Mr A. N. D. Garrett) admitted 182 offences, committed in Christchurch, during June, July and August.

She was remanded on renewed bail, to October 28 for sentence.

Sergeant W. 0. Creasey said that in late June the Visa centre received advice from the legitimate card holder that his card had been lost when moving house.

It was then discovered that 78 fraudulent transactions, involving $5090, had been made with the lost card. As a result of the loss of the card, a replacement

was sent to the complainant. but this was intercepted and used in the Christchurch area on 104 occasions to obtain goods and services worth $7333, said Sergeant Creasey. On September 6, Williams was seen by police and admitted making all the purchases. She said she had given or sold a lot of the property to friends.

Sergeant Creasey said a small quantity of property was recovered. Mr Garrett said his client was an undischarged bankrupt and that reparation was pointless.

On the request of Mr Garrett, a psychiatric report is to be obtained on Williams.

BURGLARY CHARGES Seven charges of break-

ing and entering commercial properties in Christchurch were sent to the District Court at Upper Hutt where the accused, held in custody, is to appear on Monday on a charge of robbery. Frederick Henare. aged 22, unemployed, is alleged to have committed the Christchurch offences on September 29.

INDECENCY CHARGE

Desmond Ralph Pycroft, aged 34, unemployed, was remanded to October 14 on a charge of doing an indecent act on a boy, then aged eight. Police allege the offence took place on various dates last December.

Bail was not opposed by Sergeant Creasey, who said the boy was now in the care of the Social Welfare Department.

PERIODIC DETENTION A man described by the

Judge as "nothing more than a tiresome nuisance" was sentenced to periodic detention for four months.

Matthew Mark Matetara. aged 26, unemployed, was appearing for sentence on two charges of intentional damage involving knocking over a display stand in a New Brighton chemist’s shop, causing $6550 damage, and with smashing a window in an adjoining shop, causing $6OO damage.

The judge said that, at the age of 26, it was about time the defendant grew up.

Ordering reparation, which could not be met. was pointless, he said.

However, the Judge did order the defendant to make token reparation of $B5O in respect of the display stand, and its contents, and $l5O for the w-indow.