Beneficiary admits to using stolen cards

Press, 6 December 1989, Page 35

Beneficiary admits to using stolen cards

A sickness beneficiary obtained $5053 of goods and services by fraudulently using two stolen Visa credit cards. Rowan Helen Rutherford, aged 31 (Mrs Deidre Orchard), admitted the offending, in October, when she appeared in the District Court yesterday. She was convicted by Judge Costigan and remanded, on bail, to December 19 for sentence.

The goods and services obtained by the defendant were for her own use, and for her friends, said Detective Sergeant Rick McCaskill. Compensation was sought from Rutherford, he said. SUPERVISION A woman convicted of stealing $3285 from a Nelson organisation while employed, on contract, as its treasurer, was sentenced to supervision for 12 months. Although the woman had made reparation in full to the organisation Judge Costigan initially refused an application by counsel, Mr Nigel Hampton Q.C., for final supression of his client’s name. Interim supression was then granted after Mr Hampton said he had been instructed to pursue the application in the High Court if it was refused in the District Court. It was clear that the defendant was a person of ability, skills and intelligence who, said Judge Costigan, must have known that taking money in the way she did was wrong.

She accepted that the defendant had already suffered a substantial penalty.

Mr Hampton said as a result of the offending, committed earlier this year, his client lost her job and a job prospect in Christchurch.

She repaid the organisation in full, and as a final irony received no reimbursement from this body for her work on its behalf.

Mr Hampton said his client had without authority used the organisation’s bank account as an extension of her own account. It was never her intention of stealing the money. She had intended to repay the sum from the $4OOO she expected in payment for her work for the organisation, he said.

PERIODIC DETENTION Periodic detention for four months was the sentence given to Paul David Shaw, who committed a $6OOO house burglary on October 17. The judge had been told that Shaw was unable to pay reparation of $2323 sought by the police. When apprehended Shaw, aged 17, had told the police that getting caught would not stop him doing a burglary again as he enjoyed it. CHARGES DENIED Charges of indecently assaulting a girl, aged 14, and breaking and entering a house in Guernsey Street were denied by Petelo Tolei. He was remanded to January 18, next year, for a defended hearing. Tolei, aged 27, unemployed (Mr Gerald Nation), is alleged to have committed the offences on October 14.