Magistrate's Court SEAMAN FOUND WITH MARIJUANA

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31082, 10 June 1966, Page 8

Magistrate's Court SEAMAN FOUND WITH MARIJUANA

A seaman who came ashore at Lyttelton from the interisland steamer Maori was searched and found to possess marijuana wrapped as cigarettes, Mr E. S. J. Crutchley, S.M., was told In the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. John Evans Ross Connan, aged 19 (Mr D. H. Stringer), pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing a dangerous drug on May 29. He was convicted and remanded in custody to June 17 for sentence. Sergeant J. M. Phelan said that the vice squad heard that a seaman had marijuana. Connan was searched. Four “reefers” were found on him, and more were found hidden in the ship near his cabin. He said he had bought the drug at Panama for 10 dollars while he was on an overseas ship. He made 25 cigarettes of it.

Mr Stringer asked for the case to be dealt with immediately as Connan was due to be married in Wellington on Saturday. The Magistrate said it was a serious charge and he was not prepared to sentence Connan without getting a report on him. FALSE PRETENCES

David Robinson Scott, aged 39, a butcher and chef (Mr I. C. J. Polson), was sentenced to a year’s imprisonment when he appeared for sentence on three charges of false pretences involving £23 8s 6d. He was convicted and discharged on a charge of theft of 2s 6d. Mr Polson said Scott was an alcoholic, among other things, and was drunk when he committed the offences. He was in financial difficulties because a business he started after coming out of prison failed. He was given compensation of between £3OO and £4OO by the Justice Department because of injuries he suffered while in prison, and he had hoped that this amount would be available to meet the cheques. NINE MONTHS’ GAOL Nine months Imprisonment was Imposed on Terrance John Mlnchington. aged 45, plasterer, when he appeared for sentence on a charge of unlawfully taking a bicycle worth £l5 on May 25. On a charge of stealing a copper water cylinder worth £3 10s he was sentenced to three months' imprisonment, the terms to be concurrent. £lOO RESTITUTION A fine of £lO, with an order to make restitution of £lOO 17s sd, was Imposed on William Bryce, aged 20, a plasterer (Mr D. M. Palmer), when he appeared for sentence on a charge of wilfully damaging a plateglass window, the properly of David Arthur Lewis, on March 8. ONE YEAR’S GAOL Forbes Hifllary Maindonald, aged 55, retired, was sent to prison for a year when he appeared for sentence on three charges of Indecent assault on boys, aged 12. Mr G. R. Lascelles, for the accused, said Maindonald had an excellent reputation up to the time the offences were committed. It was a most regrettable Incident but

the complainants were not unwilling parties. DROVE UNDER INFLUENCE A line of £5O with cancellation of his driver’s licence for three years was Imposed on George Reginald Hann, aged 52. a hospital employee (Mr W. F. Brown) when he appeared on a charge of driving on Lincoln road while under the influence of drink or drugs on May 28. He pleaded guilty.

BURGLARY Russell James Higgins, aged 20. a worker, was remanded In custody to June 20 for sentence on charges of breaking and entering Skillings Implements. Ltd., High street. Rangiora. and Transport North Canterbury, Ltd., and of breach of probation by failing to report at Tokoroa. He pleaded guilty to all charges. Sergeant J. M. Phelan said Higgins took gas cutting equipment from Skillings and wheeled It on a trolley into the transport company’s premises. He was disturbed before he could get the safe open. CREDIT BY FRAUD Edward Cedric Shave, aged 43, unemployed, was remanded in custody to June 20 for sentence on charges of obtaining credit by fraud for £26 16s from the Federal Hotel and for £l2 19s from Coker’s Hotel. He pleaded guilty to both charges. Sergeant Phelan said Shave booked Into the hotels and left without paying his account.

THEFT AS SERVANT Trevor William Sparks, aged 19, a plant operator, was remanded on bail to June 20 for sentence on a charge of theft as a servant of goods valued at £lO 16s, the property of Rattrays, Ltd., at Dunedin between May 1 and 26. He pleaded guilty.

SUPERMARKET ENTERED A man climbed on to the roof • of the I.G.A. Supermarket in . Opawa and down an airvent and let his companion In by the I front door, said Sergeant I Phelan when Peter John Joseph • Turner, ' aged 23. unemployed (Mr G. R. Lascelles) pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary I on June 5. Turner told the police It was ■ a fair catch then he became - abusive, said Sergeant Phelan. . He said they had Intended "doing” the safe had there been ■ one. I Robert Thomas Webster, aged , 21, unemployed, pleaded guilty 1 to a similar charge. Both ac- ■ cused were convicted and reI manded in custody to June 20 for sentence. ASSAULT 1 Peter James Olin, aged 22, a , truck driver, was remanded on . bail to June 20 for sentence on ’ a charge of assaulting Malcolm • Edward Tolhurst. Olin pleaded guilty. BET WITH BOOKMAKER (Robert Wright Quate. aged 43. a clicker, was fined £lO on a 1 charge of betting with a book- • maker on May 19. He pleaded ■ guilty. Sergeant Phelan said as a ’ result of Information obtained 1 from the examination of docu--1 ments found In the possession ' of a bookmaker Quate was quesi tloned. He had invested 2s 6d in a system known as "squares.” The numbers he took were written on a slip of paper together with his name i and the amount wagered. "There will be no dividend In ■ this for you," said the Magl- ■ strata when imposing the fine. ASSAULT Charged with assaulting Geoffrey David Bateman, on i March 26, Desmond John Millward, aged 20, a factory hand (Mr L. M. O’Reilly) was convicted and remanded on bail to > June 20 for sentence. He pleaded guilty. Sergeant Phelan said Bateman was about to make a U-turn in Beresford street when Millward, who had been-driving behind, drew alongside and cut him off. An argument ensued and Millward hit Bateman on the mouth with his closed fist. WILFUL DAMAGE Mary Elizabeth Lawry, aged 35, a plastic moulder, was fined £3 and was ordered to make restitution of 17s fid on a charge of wilful damage of a glass door panel, the property of Daisy Herron. Lawry pleaded guilty. STOLE RADIO While walking along the beach at New Brighton a youth saw a radio laying on top of some clothes so he took It, said Sergeant Phelan when the youth whose name was suppressed (Mr K. N. Hampton), pleaded guilty to a charge of theft of a radio worth £lO on March 20. He was convicted and remanded on bail to June 20 for sentence, PRINTED ILLEGAL DOCUMENTS Charged with printing documenta designed to be used for bookmaking, Arthur Oswald Eyles, aged 55. a self-employed printer, was convicted and fined £lO. He pleaded guilty. TWO CHARGES ADMITTED An iron, a projector, and a radio of a total value of £63 were taken from a house at 123 Somerfield street, by Alexander Currie Wingate, aged 22, an unemployed driver, said Sergeant Phelan. Wingate pleaded

guilty charge of burglary Oi Wing'ate admitted the burglary and also admitted driving while disqualified on May 9. said Sergeant Phelan. On both charges he was convicted and remanded In custody to June 20 for sentence . , On charges of unlawfully taking a car worth £lOOO belonging to C. L. Rhodes Rental Cars and Trucks. Ltd., on May 10. and breaking and entering a house al 19 Kilmarnock street on April 29 with tntent to commit a crime, Wingate elected trial by jury and was remanded. NAME SUPPRESSED A girl, whose name was suppressed. was remanded on bail to June 20 for sentence on a charge of stealing 11 women's magazines, valued at 17s 3d on March 28. She pleaded guilty. RECEIVING Pleading guilty to a charge of receiving stolen tobacco worth £4 16s at Invercargill between May 1 and May 21, John Nelson Wederell, aged 17, a workman (Mr R. L. Kerr) was placed on probation for 18 months, ordered to pay £5 towards the eost of the prosecution. and to live and work as directed by the probation officer. FINED £l2 A charge of driving at a speed that might have been been dangerous was reduced to one of driving carelessly. George Brian Kelsey, a driver (Mr L. M. O’Reilly) pleaded not guilty to a charge of driving at a speed that might have been dangerous, but pleaded guilty to the careless driving charge. He was convicted and fined £l2. TRAFFIC CHARGES Noel James Quirke was fined £8 on a charge of exceeding 30 miles an hour and was ordered to pay costs of £1 10s on a charge of failing to produce his driver's licence. REMANDED Harold Paul Merritt, aged 36. an accountant, was remanded under section 37 of the Mental Health Act for observation for two weeks on a charge of theft as a servant of £6350. Sergeant V. F. Townshend strongly opposed the application which was made by Mr II J. B. Quigley for a remand under the Mental Health Act. (Before Mr K. H. J. Headlfen, S.M.) CHARGE DENIED James de Courcy, aged 21. a soldier (Mr D. M. Palmer) pleaded not guilty to a charge of wilful damage on March 6 to two plate-glass windows valued at £92 9s 4d. the property of D. A. Lewis and Company. The charge was dismissed. NAME SUPPRESSED A man, whose name was suppressed, was fined £5 when be appeared for sentence on a charge of offensive behaviour. He had previously pleaded not guilty and was represented by Mr K. M. Hampton. HANDLED FOOD Murray Hurst, a butcher, was convicted and fined £5 on a charge of serving with his fingers. He was seen to catch slices of ham from a slicing machine before It was wrapped and sold to a customer. The Magistrate said that although the defendant would be fined only £5 he hoped that the publicity would deter others from similar offences. FINED £5 Doreen Margaret Sullivan was convicted and fined £5 on a charge of failing to license a television set. (Before Mr H. J. Evans. S.M.) CAR OFFENCES AND THEFT George Hamilton, aged 35, unemployed, was remanded In custody to June 16 for sentence on charges of being a rogue and a vagabond In that he frequented the Botanic Gardens when a suspected person, unlawfully Interfering with two cars and stealing a purse and contents, valued at £5 ss. the property of Jeanette Elizabeth Jameson. He pleaded guilty to all charges. Detective-Sergeant B. Murray said that Hamilton, who had 79 previous convictions. Interfered with cars parked In the Botanic Gardens and when attempts were made to apprehend him he ran off on two occasions, once wading through the Avon river. He was on ball when he committed the offences. CONVICTED Jack Neville Bateman Crawford, aged 43, a workman (Mr A. R. Cottrell) was convicted of charges of attempted theft of a handbag and contents, valued at £34. the property of Edna Isobel Cahill, theft of the parse and contents, valued at £27 6s. the property of Edna May Wilson, impersonating a police officer and car conversion in a reserved decision.

Charges of driving while disqualified at Auckland and three charges of theft were dismissed. The defence of alcoholism and automatism was put forward by Mr Cottrell. Detective-Sergeant B. Murray said Crawford had a large number of previous convictions.

SUSPENDED SENTENCE Dupree Thomas Orpwood. aged 50. a gas cutter, was ordered to come up for sentence within 12 months If called upon when he appeared for sentence on a charge of assaulting his wife on May 9. Orpwood was ordered to pay £lO towards the cost of prosecution, costs of £1 10s and medical expenses of £3 10s and to take out a prohibition order.