Two women facing 27 fraud charges

Press, 1 March 1989, Page 14

Two women facing 27 fraud charges

Goods and services to a value of $5865 were allegedly fraudulently obtained by two Australian waitresses, each of whom appeared on 27 charges in the District Court yesterday. Kathryn Anne Shean, aged 21, and Gail Margaret Wittich, aged 22, were each remanded by Judge Bisphan without plea, on bail to March 6. The offending took place in various parts of the South Island during January. They are alleged to have fraudulently used a cheque book to obtain accommodation, meals, clothing, groceries, cash, and sightseeing trips. An application by counsel, Mr M. J. Knowles, for interim suppression of their names, to enable them to tell their families in Australia, was refused. Bail was not opposed, provided their passports were surrendered to the police, said Sergeant W. P. Creasey. In seeking bail, Mr Knowles said both women were first offenders. The offending occurred after a person on whom they were financially dependent abandoned them,

he said. Mr Knowles said if bail was granted the women would be able to stay at the Catholic Presbytery inLyttelton. NO SUPPRESSION Suppression of the name of a secretary who stole $2900 from her employer was refused by Judge Bisphan. Karen Felicia Sinclair, aged 30 (Mr J. S. Halls), was convicted and fined $750.

The Judge said he could deal with the matter by way of a monetary penalty after being told that compensation had since been paid in full. Sergeant W. P. Creasey said that, as part of her job, Sinclair was responsible for the firm’s banking.

While employed, she stole $5O every day, he said. Sinclair was a first offender.

She told the police she was under a lot of strain at the time because of a break-up with her boyfriend. The offending took place between October last year, and February 20.

RAZOR BLADES Razor blades were embedded in the stems of cannabis plants so that if anyone tried to pull them up they would cut their hands, Murray Alan Thomas told the police. Thomas, aged 29, a driver (Mr M. Callaghan), admitted placing devices likely to injure, with reckless disregard for the safety of others, cultivating cannabis, and supplying the drug. Sergeant Creasey said that when the police visited the Woolston address of the defendant they found 310 grams of dried cannabis material, 500 cannabis seeds, and 10 large cannabis plants, 4ft (1.2 m high and with a 3ft (92cm) diameter, growing in the garden. The stems of the plants had razor blades embedded in them; some having five blades in the stems, said Sergeant Creasey. Thomas told the police the cannabis was for his own use, although he supplied it to friends. The offences were committed between November 11, last year, and February 20. The defendant was convicted and remanded to March 21 for sentence. ARSON CHARGE A husband and wife jointly charged with setting fire to a house in Catherine Street, Woolston, were further remanded to March 21 to enable psychiatric reports to be prepared. Craig Edward Jewell, aged 26, unemployed (Mr R. Glover), was ordered to undergo such an assessment. Janette Dawn Jewell, aged 24, a laundry worker, had already arranged for such an assessment to be made next week, said counsel, Mr B. Callaghan. The police allege the offence took place on February 20.