MAGISTRATE’S COURT Youth Admits Series Of Charges After Chase

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31109, 12 July 1966, Page 15

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Youth Admits Series Of Charges After Chase

After a high-speed chase on July 2, during which a road tunnel patrol officer’s car was rammed and an un-lawfully-taken car crashed into a power pole, Vanji Desai, aged 17, a factory hand (Mr J. w. Dalmer), appeared before Mr E, A. Lee, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday on five charges.

He pleaded guilty to charges of unlawfully taking a car valued at £3OO, unlawfully interfering with a car valued at £lOOO, failing to stop after an accident in Ferry road, failing to ascertain whether anyone was injured in that accident, and driving in a manner and at a speed in Ferry road which was or might have been dangerous.

Desai was convicted and remanded on bail to July 18 for a report and sentence. Detective Sergeant D. Porteous said that between 7.30 p.m. and 7.45 p.m. on July 2, a car valued at £3OO was taken from an address in Bamford street, the police were notified.

At 7.53 p.m. a tunnel control officer observed a car travelling at high speed on the tunnel road. He chased the car, checking it at between 65 and 70 miles an hour. The car, which was driven by Desai, was eventually stopped in Ferry road, where Desai gave false information to the officer. The tunnel control officer had just returned to his car when he received the message relating to the stolen car, and realised that this was the car he had just stopped. The officer then drove his car in front of Desai’s car. Desai drove at the officer’s car, just missing the officer who was standing beside it, but striking the rear of the car.

Desai then drove off at high speed down Ferry road. The tunnel control cfficer was unable to follow because of damage to his car. The police were notified, and later found the car in Woolston where it had hit a power pole. The pole was broken off about six feet above the ground. There was no sign of Desai, and police dogs were called in. Desai was later found at a party in Cashel street Desai admitted taking the car and driving it into the officer’s car. He said that he had taken the car when he saw that the ignition keys were in it

After escaping from the officer, he failed to take a bend in the road and struck the power pole. Detective-Sergeant Porteous said that two driver’s licences were found in Desai’s possession. The one which had been produced for the tunnel patrol officer belonged to a friend, and the other had been taken from a car valued at £lOOO which had been parked in Barton street

Desai told the police that he had been drinking that afternoon, and this accounted for his subsequent actions.

Damage to the tunnel patrol officer’s car amounted to £l5O, and a similar amount of damage was caused to the car which had been unlawfully taken. Restition of £3OO was asked for, Detective-Ser-geant Porteous said. OBSCENE LANGUAGE

As the result of an incident in Cashel street about 11.30 p.m. on July 9, two men appeared on charges of using obscene language in a public place. George Hodge, aged 25. a machine operator, pleaded guilty to the charge, and was convicted and fined £l5, in default 17 days’ imprisonment, a warrant of commitment to be issued forthwith. Detective-Sergeant Porteous said that the police had been called to the disturbance outside an address in Cashel street. A crowd of people were congregated on the footpath, and when Hodge was asked to leave he used the language complained of. Patrick Mutu, aged 18, a labourer, also pleaded guilty to a charge of obscene language, and was convicted and fined £l5.

Detective-Sergeant Porteous said that police dogs had been used to disperse the crowd. When Mutu was being arrested for using the language, he tried to escape, and was stopped by a police dog. As a result, Mutu suffered minor dog bites. Mutu told the Magistrate that he had used the language after being bitten by the dog. Charged with using obscene language in Colombo street on July 10, William Joseph Wright, aged 19. a factory workman, was convicted and fined £l5. He pleaded guilty. Detective-Sergeant Porteous said that the police had been called to a disturbance outside a Colombo street coffee bar at 12.20 a.m. on July 10. It had been alleged that there had been fighting with knives, and when the police arrived, thev found a large crowd of youths gathered outside the coffee bar. Wright, who was one of the youths, then used the language complained of. DISORDERLY BEHAVIOUR As a result of the same incident, Christopher Richard Morressey, aged 18, a mine trucker, appeared on a charge of disorderly behaviour to which he pleaded guilty. He was convicted and remanded in custody to July 18 for a report and sentence. Detective-Sergeant Porteous said that police dogs had been used to disperse the crowd. Morressey was asked to leave twice, but on both occasions

he walked a little way along the footpath and then stopped. When he was asked to move for the third time, he began shouting abuse at the police.

THEFT AS A SERVANT Maurice James Ward, aged 38, a shop salesman, was fined £25, placed on probation for 18 months and was ordered to make restitution of £2O and to take medical treatment when he appeared for sentence on a charge of theft as a servant of £2O from Eastmonds Shoe Store, Ltd., during June. Mr G. R. Lascelles, for the accused, said liquor was Ward’s problem. Until 1955 he had no convictions.

“I find It very difficult to have much sympathy for you.” the Magistrate said. “For years you have known that you have a liquor problem but you made no effort to help yourself. If you appear again for offences arising from alcohol you will get no leniency.”

NINE MONTHS’ DISQUALIFICATION Arthur John Henry, aged 42, an engineering processing worker (Mr W. F. Brown) was convicted. fined £l5 and disqualified from driving a motor vehicle for six months on a charge of failing to stop after an accident with another vehicle on Ferry road about 10 p.m. on June 18. On further charges of having no warrant of fitness and carelessly using a motor vehicle tn Ferry road, Henry was convicted and fined £1 and £lO respectively and was disqualified from driving for three months on the latter charge. He had pleaded guilty to all charges. Detective-Sergeant Porteous, said that about 10 p.m. Henry and the complainant, a police constable stationed at Blenheim, were travelling east along Ferry road, Henry had accelerated close behind the complainant’s car and had then struck the complainant’s car as he attempted to pass. After striking the car Henry had continued along Ferry road to the Woolston Working Men’s club where he had been arrested, said Detective-Sergeant Porteous. Henry’s car was not displaying a current warrant of fitness.

DROVE WHILE DISQUALIFIED Lindley Barry George MacAvoy, aged 21. an agricultural student, was fined £2O and had his driver’s licence cancelled for a further year on a charge of driving while disqualified. He was fined £8 on a charge of failing to yield right of way. He pleaded guilty to both charges and was represented by Mr N. D. Thomson. Detective-Sergeant Porteous said that at 11.45 p.m. a car driven by MacAvoy was making a right turn into Manchester street and the High street corner when he failed to yield right of way to a motor-cycle and there was a minor collision. It was found that MacAvoy had been disqualified from driving for a vear at Oamaru on October 6, 1965. Mr Thomson said MacAvoy had been frank and honest with the police and had not attempted to conceal his identity. It was raining at the time and MacAvoy had almost completed his turn when the motor-cycle struck the rear of his car. MacAvoy had to work on a farm later this year as part of his studies and the loss of his licence for a further year would be a grave hardship for him. “The defendant knew he was disqualified yet he elected to drive.” said the Magistrate. PERIODIC DETENTION Malcolm John Port, aged 18, a truck driver (Mr L. M. O’Reilly) was sentenced to periodic detention for six months on charges that between June 11 and June 20 he unlawfully took motor cycles belonging to Malcolm James Dobson, Oxford Motors, Ltd., Trevor Phillip Pearce and Bryan John Down, and that he unlawfully took a bicycle belonging to Peter Shane Gobson.

On charges that on June 18 he had obtained a motor-cycle from Cliff Jones, Ltd., by means of a false pretence, that on June 18 he stole a crash helmet belonging to Ralph Eric Warner and a joint charge with another that on June 16 he stole an oilskin jacket, a soldering iron, gauntlets, a screwdriver and a spanner from Dobson, he was placed on probation for 18 months with the special condition that he live and work where directed by the probation officer. He was also ordered to make restitution of £5 14s 9d. Allan George Mcßride, aged 17, a workman (Mr K. M. Hampton) also appeared for sentence on a offence of theft for which he had been jointly charged with Port and also charges of breaking and entering the Kalapoi Golf Club on April 5, unlawfully interfering with and unlawfully getting on to motor cycles. The Magistrate deferred the sentencing of Mcßride and remanded him on bail for sentence on July 15. CONVICTED AND REMANDED Peter John Joseph Turner, aged 23, a kitchen hand, was convicted and remanded until July 18 for a probation officer’s report and sentence after having pleaded guilty to a charge of escaping from lawful custody at Sunnyside Hospital on July 8. Detective-Sergeant Porteous, said Turner had been convicted and remanded until July 21 to the Sunnyside Hospital on a charge of burglary on June 5. Turner had been captured on July 8. STOLE RADIOS William James Mclvor, aged 17, a truck driver (Mr J, W. Russell) was sentenced to six months' periodic detention when he appeared for sentence on a charge that on April 8 he stole a transistor radio valued at £5 from an unknown person. On a second charge that on June 17 he stole a transistor radio valued at £24 17s 6d. the property of Johan Adam Albert Jongejans, he was placed on probation for 12 months with the special condition that during his probation he abstain from intoxicating liquor. TAXI FARE NOT PAID Carol May Franklin, aged 17, unemployed, was fined £3 on a charge of falling to pay a taxi fare of £1 4s on April 22. She pleaded guilty. Detective-Sergeant Porteous said at 12.10 a m. a taxi was called to Giiberthorpes road and a number of persons were taken to a hotel and the driver was instructed to wait. He waited for an hour and then he found the hotel in darkness and no trace of his passengers. Franklin was interviewed later and she admitted that she had hired the taxi and that the driver had been given the impression that she and the other passengers had gone into the hotel so that they would not have to pay the fare. Her mother had since paid the fare. ASSAULTED WIFE Charged with assaulting Kaa Biklhana on July 10, Jock Rikihana, aged 22, a workman, was convicted and remanded on bail to July 18 for a report and sentence. He pleaded guilty. Detective-Sergeant Porteous said that at 12.15 a.m. on July 10, the police were called to an address in Cashel street. They found the complainant in a nearhysterical condition. She was

badly bruised, had a bleeding nose and several cuts. She said she had been assaulted by her husband.

Rlkihana admitted “teaching his wife a lesson" for going to a party and leaving their young child at home.

OBSCENE EXPOSURE Charged with obscene exposure in the Regent Theatre, BAnglora, on July 9, John Riley, aged 41. a railway workman, was convicted and remanded in custody to July 18 for a report and sentence. He pleaded guilty. DROVE UNDER INFLUENCE Charged with driving in Shirley road on June 26 while under the influence of drink or drugs, William Albert Johnsen, aged 59, a foreman (Mr W. F. Brown), was convicted and fined £5O and was disqualified from driving for three years. He pleaded guilty. FIREARM OFFENCE Hector Lawrence Giddens, aged 24, a sheetmetal worker, was fined £3 on a charge of delivering a rifle to a person without a permit.

FINED £5 On a charge of casting offensive matter in a public place Roy Mcßobert, aged 17, a rubber worker, was fined £5. LIQUOR NEAR DANCE On charges of having liquor near a dance at Doyleston on June 18. the following persons were fined £5 each: William John Dunlea. aged 19, a panel beater; Wayne Robert Grigg, aged 18, a machine operator, and Maurice Percival Pluck, aged 19. a diesel mechanic.

LIQUOR OFFENCES On licensed premises after after hours: Edward Colbert Cook, aged 24, a labourer, £5. Minor purchased liquor from hotel: Rodney Stuart Macklan. aged 18, a workman, £5. In possession of liquor on licensed premises after hoursBrian Searle, aged 25. a gas cutter, £3. Minor drank liquor in public bar: Berkeley Michael Seward, aged 17, a clerk, £5 Attempted to procure liquor from a hotel on a day when licensed premises were required to be closed: Christopher Wttana, aged 19, a workman, £3 Sold liquor after hours: Cyril Charles Newsome, £3. (Before Mr R. D. Jamieson, S.M.) DOG TO BE DESTROYED After hearing evidence of a dog’s attack on a postwoman the Magistrate ordered that the dog should be destroyed. Alan Lesilie Giles, aged 30, a truck driver, was charged that on May 12 he was the owner of a vicious dog which had attacked Constance Meryl Oldham, a postwoman. Giles did not attend the Court hearing. The Magistrate convicted Giles of the offence, fined him £3 and ordered that the dog should be destroyed. “When an owner has been called to the Court and given every opportunity to do so, and then is not sufficiently concerned to do that, then I feel that an order for the dog to be destroyed is a proper one," he said. FINED £3O Rex Robert Stackhouse, aged 23, a shoemaker, was convicted on charges that on January 9 he failed to attend a military camp when required to do so and that on April 13 he failed to attend a military parade when called on. For falling to attend the camp he was fined £2O and for failing to attend the parade he was fined £lO. CONVICTED AND DISCHARGED Francis Archibald Hartley, aged 43, a hotel manager (Mr R. G, Blunt) pleaded not guilty to a charge that on April 1 he supplied Intoxicating liquor to a minor. He was convicted and discharged. (Before Mr E. S. J. Crutchley, S.M.) DISCHARGED Charles Alexander Johnson, aged 35, a salesman (Mr A. P. C. Tipping) pleaded not guilty to a charge that on May 12 at Walkari he stole an ash try, the property of John Herbert Keenan, of the Star and Garter Hotel. Waikarl. He was discharged under Section 42 of the Criminal Justice Act. Correction In a Magistrate’s Court report published in “The Press” on July 6 dealing with a charge against William Brian Flint, aged 19, a salesman, of assaulting Traffic Officer D. C. Hill it was incorrectly stated in one paragraph that “Hill, who had been drinking, but was not drunk . . .’’ This evidence referred to Flint The error is regretted.