Credit cards used illegally

Press, 31 March 1989, Page 19

Credit cards used illegally

A man who used three stolen credit cards on 487 occasions to obtain goods — mainly liquor — valued at $35,119, has been sent to prison by Judge Erber for 12 months.

Douglas Grant, aged 25, unemployed, was appearing for sentence in the District Court yesterday for the offending, which occurred over three months.

For offending on such a scale, the Court had only one option, said the Judge.

It was to the defendant’s credit that he had given up his drug habit, the Judge said. Counsel, Mr Gil Hay, in seeking as short a term of imprisonment as was commensurate with justice, said his client by admitting the offences, and co-operating fully with the police, had saved what could have been an enormous administrative and investigative task.

Until his involvement with drugs last year,

Grant had been in steady employment since leaving school.

Grant told the police he attempted to obtain as much alcohol as possible, which he then sold at cut prices to obtain money with which to pay debts to his drug suppliers. (Before Judge Hattaway) ASON CHARGES A man, aged 59, facing charges of setting fire to two houses in January was remanded to May 9 for a pre-depositions conference. As a condition of bail, Ronald Gorden Kay, an invalid beneficiary, was ordered to reside at the Salvation Army hostel in Poulson Street and to observe a 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily curfew. Kay (Mr Stan Barker), is charged with wilfully setting fire to a house in Harvey Terrace on January 13, and another house in London Street on January 28. ROBBERY CHARGE Three,, women ■■ jointly charged with robbing a

young woman of clothing, jewellery, cash, and cigarettes in a Christchurch hotel on Tuesday were remanded to May 9 for a pre-depositions conference.

They are Denise Ann Makatea, aged 27, Tracey Jean Hamahona, aged 25, both unemployed, and Rozeen Brenda Wallace, aged 18, solo mother. Bail was opposed by Sergeant Brian Roswell for Makatea.

He said four persons allegedly assaulted and robbed a young woman in the toilets of the New City Hotel. She was left there in a semi-conscious state. THEFT CHARGES

Three of four persons charged with stealing property from an elderly couple who helped them have been remanded to’ dates in May for defended hearings. They are Joseph Ngaika, aged 36, Frederick Joseph Neahooro, v aged 34, both unemployed,' and Raelene

Frances Lucas, aged 45, self-employed. Roger Melvyn Pope, aged 30, a solo father, was remanded to April 6. As a condition of bail, a residential curfew was imposed. They are jointly charged with stealing an electric jug, a BNZ cheque book, seven theatre tickets, and $132 in cash, to a total value of $247. There is also an alternative charge of receiving. the property. Prevsiusly, the men charged were remanded in custody. Now on bail, they were ordered by the Jugde to have no contact whatsoever with the corhplainants. The allged offending took place at night after a woman knocked at the couple’s door asking if she could use the toilet and get some petrol. After letting her into the Chattentous Road house,. three men also entered the premises.