Man enters no plea to variety of charges

Press, 28 December 1989, Page 4

Man enters no plea to variety of charges

A glazier facing a variety of charges, including sexual violation, did not plead when he appeared in the District 'Court yesterday. Gary John Gray, aged 32, of Motueka, was remanded in custody until January 3. Defence counsel, Mr Tony Garrett, said on that date he would be asking for the charges to be transferred to the District Court at Nelson.

Gray would be pleading guilty to many of the minor charges including assault, cultivating cannabis and receiving, Mr Garrett said.

A depositions date would be arranged in Nelson for the charge of sexual violation, he said.

Judge Frampton noted that the remand in custody was by consent. Sergeant Patrick Creacey appeared for the prosecution. FIREARMS CHARGE

Name suppression was refused for a Lyttelton

man accused of recklessly discharging a shotgun on Christmas Day.

Timothy John Roberts, aged 22, a solo parent, said he wanted name suppression because he was worried there would be retaliation over the incident.

Roberts did not plead to the charge or a second charge of wilful damage. Sergeant Patrick Creacey asked that Roberts be ordered to stay away from the complainant and an address in Diamond Harbour.

Judge Frampton made the order and remanded Roberts on bail until January 3. He said there were no grounds for name suppression. ASSAULT OF POLICE A man who threw beer at a Constable was convicted of assaulting him. William Houkamau, aged 24, unemployed, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified, driving while drunk, and assaulting Constable Peter

Summerfield on December 18. Houkamau denied a fourth charge of assault-, ing a female in September. On this'charge he was remanded to a hearing on February 19. The police prosecutor, Sergeant Patrick Creacey, said Houkamau was also accused of two driving charges from Dunedin.

Houkamau said he had not been in Dunedin for two years. Judge Frampton remanded Houkamau in custody until January 10 so the Dunedin charges could be investigated and for sentence. DRUG CHARGE

A woman found in possession of two capsules of cannabis oil told the police she smoked cannabis like some people drink beer.

Ruth Naomi Hawtin, aged 22, a typographer, pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing the Class “B” controlled drug. Sergeant Patrick

Creacey. said the oil capsules were found in Hawtin’s car on December 24.

Duty solicitor, Mr Alistair James, said Hawtin had recently left her job and intended to travel overseas. Judge Frampton fined the defendant $2OO and ordered her to pay $65 court costs. $4OO fine A student who admitted cultivating 10 cannabis plants in a glasshouse was fined $4OO by Judge Frampton. Chad William Johnstone, aged 18, told the police he grew the Class “C” controlled drug because he could not afford to buy it.

Judge Frampton said because Johnstone had no prior drug convictions a fine would be a suitable penalty. He fined the defendant $4OO and ordered him to pay $65 court costs.