High Court to sentence couple

Press, 5 April 1989, Page 28

High Court to sentence couple

A husband and wife jointly charged with setting fire to a house in Catherine Street, Woolstori, were convicted by Judge Holderness in the District Court yesterday and committed to the High Court for sentence on April 26. Craig Edward Jewell, aged 26, unemployed (Mr Rupert Glover), and Janette Dawn Jewell, aged 24, a laundry worker (Mr Brian Callaghan), committed the offence on February 20. No police summary of the facts was read. In addition to probation reports on the defendants, community service assessment of both defendants

was requested. FRAUD OFFENCES Compensation of $6824 was sought from Paul William Bellamy who obtained goods and services to this value with two stolen credit cards, said Sergeant John Dwyer. Bellamy, aged 39, unemployed (Mr Tony Garrett), told the police he bought the two credit cards for $250 each in the car-park of a New Brighton hotel. He was convicted and remanded on renewed bail to April 20 for sentence. Items obtained in the 47 offences included cash, meals, jewellery, , clothing,

rental cars, and airline tickets. Sergeant Dwyer said the offences with the two cards were committed in various parts of the North Island but principally in Wellington, in September, last year. FRAUD OFFENCES Two young Australian women who travelled around the South Island using another person’s cheque book were each ordered to pay prosecution costs of $3OO by noon today. The Judge told Kathryn Anne Shean, aged 21, and Gale Margaret Wittich, aged 22, that although they had co-operated fully

with the police when apprehended, and compensation in full of $2932 each had been paid, a great deal of time had been spent on the subsequent inquiry by the police. Counsel, Mr Michael Knowles, said the two first offenders, who came from excellent home backgrounds, had arrived in New Zealand as tourists. Their problems started when a male friend, who had arranged to take them sightseeing in the South Island, changed his plans and abandoned them. While in a hotel in Queenstown they found another person’s cheque

book, took it, and then began a series of writing cheques. After being apprehended the two defendants had been shaken by their two-week stay in prison. At first they refused to tell their parents of the offending but later were persuaded to do so. Consequently this led to compensation in full being made available. The parents of one of the girls came to Christchurch from Australia for the sentencing, said Mr Knowles. To a question from the Judge Mr Knowles said the pair were due to return to Australia today.

Judge Holderness accordingly made the $3OO prosecution costs payable before noon today. BURGLARY CHARGES Bail was not opposed for a man who voluntarily went to the Central Police Station yesterday and confessed to committing five burglaries on the business premises of the New Life Centre at the corner of Manchester and Lichfield streets. John Kevin Fenn, aged 24, an invalid beneficiary, was remanded, without plea, to April 11. He is alleged to have committed the burglaries between March 6 and April 3.