MAGISTRATES COURT Prisoner Escaped Then Gave Himself Up

Press, Issue 31095, 25 June 1966, Page 7

MAGISTRATES COURT Prisoner Escaped Then Gave Himself Up

A prisoner who let himself out of the police van when it stopped at traffic lights later telephoned the police and gave himself up, Mr E. A. Lee, S.M., was told in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Alexander Currie Wingate, aged 21, unemployed (Mr R. G. Blunt), pleaded guilty to a charge of escaping from custody on June 23. He was convicted and sentenced to one month's imprisonment, to be cumulative with an 18months’ sentence he is serving at present. Senior-Sergeant G. M. Cleary said Wingate was being taken from the police station to Addington Prison. When the van stopped at traffic lights he opened the door and made off. About 2 a.m. he telephoned the police and said he wanted to give himself up. Wingate called at a clergyman’s house and was told to telephone his solicitor, which he did at 1.50 a.m., said Mr Blunt.

The Magistrate: He was lucky to find him at home.

Mr Blunt said he advised Wingate to telephone the police and give himself up and that would probably mean he would get a lighter sentence.

Escapers had to be discouraged, but he would take into account the fact that Wingate gave himself up, said the Magistrate. RODE WHILE DISQUALIFIED Charged with riding a motor-cycle in Worcester street on April 17 while disqualified, Kevin Douglas Herdman, aged 22, a rubber worker (Mr G. R. Lascelles), was convicted and remanded on bail to June 30 for a report and sentence. He pleaded guilty.

Senior-Sergeant Cleary said that at 2 a.m. on April 17, the accused was seen riding his motor-cycle east on Worcester street. At the intersection with the Latimer square he collided with a car that was travelling south. He was admitted to hospital with head injuries, and was later found to be a disqualified driver. CHARGES ADMITTED

David Graham Brophy, aged 19, a factory hand, was convicted and remanded in custody to June 30 for sentence on three charges. He pleaded guilty to theft of £1 8s 6d in money at Waimate on June 21, a charge of unlawfully taking a car at Timaru on the same date, and another charge of unlawfully taking a van at Pleasant Point on June 20. CHARGE DISMISSED

Mark Christopher Clements, aged 18, a bank clerk (Mr P. G. S. Penlington), pleaded not guilty to a charge that on April 10, at the intersection of Ham and Clyde roads, he failed to give way to the right. After hearing evidence both for the prosecution and the defence, the Magistrate said he was in doubt and dismissed the charge. OTHER TRAFFIC CASES In other traffic cases brought by the police, convictions were entered and fines imposed as [follows, with costs £1 ids in each case:—

Failed to give way: Allan Stanishaw Dobbs, £5; Robert Henry Gibbons, £8; Muriel Adell Rose Hornsby, £8; Clarence Raymond Carr, £8; Keith Edward Caesar, £8 (no warrant of fitness, £1); David Raymond Thomling, £lO (no driver’s licence, £4); Michael Thomas Bartlett, £8; Han Wayne Chin, £8; Gerard Joseph de Vries, £7; William Bert Flanagon, £10; Michael John Hart. £lO and disqualified for three months as from July 1 (failed to produce Mcenee, £2); Robert Lindsay Sutherland, £8; Ernest Reid Cook. £B.

Careless use: Raymond John Messervy, £l2 and ordered to attend course of traffic lectures; Graham Rakuraku Turuwhenua, £lO and disqualified for one year (faHtag to stop after accident, £lO. failing to ascertain Injury, costs only): Garry John Waterreus., £10; Geoffrey Arthur Morgan, costs only; Ernest Arthur Newman, £6: Peter Wyndham Dickens Lewis, £6; Alan Percy Korrell, £6. Proceeded from stop sign when way not clear: Rodney John Skinner. £lO, licence cancelled for three months; Robert Alfred Kissack, £7.

Failed to stop for pedestrian on crossing: Clarence Desmond Sunbeam, £lO and disqualified for two months, permitted to drive during his occupation. No warrant of fitness: George Radcliffe Parker, 10s; Michael John Sturt, £2. Carried pKMon passenger while restricted: Bruce Raymond Craig. £3. (Before Mr K. H. J. Headlfen, S.M.) CHARGE DISMISSED Heather Ann Preston, aged 18, a shorthand typist (Mr A. D. Holland) pleaded not guilty to driving a motor-vehic’.e carelessly, thereby causing the death of Wendy May Harlau Nicholls at the intersection of the Mata South road and Foremans road about 9.50 p.m. on March 27. The charge was dismissed.

Athol Gordon Johnson, a panel beater, said he was travelling along the Main South road towards Christchurch between 45 and 50 miles an hour, just past the Islington Hotel, when Preston's car passed his and remained at a constant distance ahead.

As the car reached the intersection of Foremans road and the Mata South road Preston seemed hesitant as to whether she should continue straight ahead into Foremans road or turn right and continue along the Main South road, said Johnson.

Preston’s car braked and the driver appeared to want to continue along the Main South road. Her car began to snake, the rear swung round over the centre line and the car crashed Into a telegraph pole, on the left of the road, said Johnson. FINED £8 George Mlddlewood, aged 52, a farmer (Mr R. S. Boland) was convicted and fined £8 on a charge of failing to give way to his right at the uncontrolled intersection of Barbadoes and Worcester streets about 4.20 p.m. on February 22. He pleaded not guilty. CHARGE DISMISSED Acheson Alva Trotter, aged 83, a dispatch clerk (Mr B. S. McLaughlan) pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing to give way to the right at the uncontrolled Intersection of Shirley and Hills roads on April 8. The charge was dismissed.

■ (Before Mr H. J. Evans, S.M.JI FINED £5 J Charged with proceeding from* a stop sign at the Intersection) of Roydvale avenue and Memor-. ial avenue on April 12 when the' way was not clear, WUliam John! Abbott, aged 19, a student (Mr N. D. Thomson), was convicted, and fined £5. He pleaded not, guilty. . CHARGE DISMISSED ! A charge against Stanley! Bruce Stockdill, aged 35, a; poultry farmer (Mr I. C. J.j Polson), of attempting to pass* on the left on the Main South; road on February 2, was dismissed. Stockdill pleaded not. guilty. On a further charge of not having a current warrant of fitness on the same date, to which he pleaded guilty, he was: convicted and ordered to pay: Court costs. i (Before Mr E. S. J. Crutchley,, s.m.) ; PERIODIC DETENTION I Kenneth Paul Antony (Mr J.: H. M. Dawson) was sentenced: to six months periodic detention: when he appeared for sentence! on a charge of being a rogue 1 and vagabond at Otira whenl

Ihe was in possession of housebreaking Implements, on a charge of burglary at Nelson, and two charges of unlawfully ‘interfering with motor cars at [Nelson and two other charges of 'unlawfully interfering with [motor cars at Kumara. . The Magistrate ordered that Antony be placed on probation ‘for 12 months after periodic detention with the special condi,tlon that he live and work where directed by the probation officer. In respect of the charges of unlawfully Interfering with motor 'cars Antony was disqualified [from driving for two j-ears. [(Before Mr J. D. Kinder, S.M.) ’ DAMAGES AWARDED i The Railways Department was i awarded £207 9s 2d general damages against Bowmans, Ltd., in a reserved decision. The Railways Department (Mr 'N. W. Williamson) had sought damages amounting to £217 0s 2d as the cost of repairing a , rail-car which collided with a I mobile crane at the Rlccarton i road level crossing on August 125, 1964. The crane belonged to Bowmans, Ltd., for whom Mr R. L. Kerr appeared.