Nine months P.D. for receiving

Press, 26 September 1989, Page 5

Nine months P.D. for receiving

A man convicted on 19 charges of receiving stolen property, to a value of $22,800, was sentenced to periodic detention for nine months when he appeared in the District court yesterday. Judge Frampton told Geoffrey Douglas John Mackley, aged 26, that as all the property had been recovered, a prison sentence could be avoided. However in view of the scale and value of the stolen property, the term of periodic detention would have to be a long one, said the Judge. Mackley committed the offences between November, 1988, and May this year. Counsel, Mr Gerald Lascelles, said it was significant that his client’s offending occurred after his employer went into liquidation and he lost his job of four years.

Mackley, he said, had no previous convictions for dishonesty. He had a stable work record and now, with a part-time job, there was the prospect of full-time employment. On charges of breaking into the Police Exhibits Store in Blenheim Road, and entering with intent to defeat the course of justice, Mackley was remanded on bail to October 18 for a defended hearing. INJURY OFFENCE Because he was on curfew and did not want the police to catch him, Cedric Mathew Paul Hapakuku drove off at speed when approached by a police patrol. In the ensuing pursuit he lost control of his vehicle, which crashed into a power pole, damaged two fences, and injured his girlfriend, the Court heard.

Hapakuku, aged 25, was convicted of causing bod-

ily injury to Moana Culpan by driving in a dangerous manner, assaulting, and resisting a constable in the execution of his duty, failing to stop, and breaching a curfew. The offending took place on the night of September 21, said Sergeant Robin Scott. Ms Culpan received head and chest injuries, and was admitted to hospital. Hapakuku was convicted and remanded in custody to October 2 for sentence.

On a charge of attempting to rob Perry Maitland on September 16, Hapakuku was remanded to November 1 for a predepositions conference. On a charge of stealing a bicycle, which he denied, the defendant was remanded to November 1 for a defended hearing. ARSON CHARGE A man facing a charge of wilfully setting fire to a house in the Hanmer Springs village in July, was remanded in custody to October 2. Earl Roberts, aged 30, unemployed, is also charged with converting an $B5OO car at Hanmer Springs. The police allege both offences took place on July 16. BURGLED BACH Four baches at Taylor’s Mistake were burgled to obtain property, said Sergeant Scott. Paul Andrew Manson, aged 22, unemployed, admitted breaking into a bach on September 24. He was convicted and remanded to October 2. The sergeant said that although there was only one charge before the Court yesterday, the police were looking for the owners of three other baches and it was likely further charges would be laid.