MAGISTRATE’S COURT Call For Inquiry Into Traffic Case

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31117, 21 July 1966, Page 10

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Call For Inquiry Into Traffic Case

“There is something very peculiar about the whole affair. I will dismiss the case without prejudice and refer the whole file to the police for further inquiries,” said Mr E. A. Lee, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday after hearing prosecution and defence evidence on a charge of exceeding 30 miles an hour in Springs road on April _ 2 against Leslie Malcolm Muir, aged 34, a storeman. Mr R. G. Blunt represented Muir, who pleaded not guilty. “This is an extraordinary state of affairs,” said the Magistrate. “It is clear that it was Muir’s car which was involved, but Muir has said on oath he was not driving the car. He says it was in the garage for repairs. “An experienced traffic officer identified Muir. If he is wrong in his identification then the car was being driven by someone without Muir’s knowledge and authority,” said the Magistrate. “There is no evidence the garage, where the car was, was broken into and the car shifted. However, it is clear it was the car that was on the road.” MALICIOUS CALLS

Valerie Anne Bell Henderson, aged 22, a machinist, was convicted and remanded in custody until July 27 for sentence after she had pleaded guilty to five charges of wilfully giving false fire alarms from street call boxes to the Central fire station on July 19. Detective Sergeant D. Porteous said that between 7.51 p.m. and 8.56 p.m. on July 19 the Central fire station received five malicious fire alarms in the St. Albans-Shir-ley area. Detective Sergeant Porteous said that Henderson had said she "just felt like doing it” on her way home. She smelt of liquor when arrested in Madras street. TOOK CAR

Anthony John Keating, aged 19, a soldier, was convicted and remanded in Army custody until July 27 for sentence after he had pleaded guilty to charges of unlawfully taking a motor-car valued at £llOO, the. property of Clement Thomas, from Bedford row on July 19, stealing a set of registration plates valued at 10s, the property of the Canterbury Tractor Company at Rolleston on July 17, and driving a car on the Main South road without a driving licence on July 17. Detective Sergeant Porteous said that Keating drove Thomas’s car from Bedford row to Bumham military camp. He parked the car in a plantation, and later retrieved it, saying his father had bought it for him as a present.

On July 17 Keating drove the car to Rolleston, where he stole registration plates. After fitting the plates, Keating drove towards Christchurch, and crashed into a traffic island at Sockburn. PERIODIC DETENTION

Vanji Desai, aged 17, a factory hand (Mr J. W. Dalmer), was sentenced to periodic detention for six months when he appeared for sentence on charges that on July 2 he unlawfully took a motorcar and unlawfully interfered with a motor-car. Desai was also disqualified for driving for one year on each charge, the terms to be concurrent.

On two charges that on July 2 he failed to stop after an accident in Ferry road and that he drove at a dangerous speed Desai was placed on probation for 18 months and ordered to pay restitution of £3OO. Desai was also disquali-

fied for a year on each charge, the terms to be concurrent with each other and to be cumulative with the earlier term. On a fifth charge that on July 2 he failed to ascertain injury after an accident Desai was ordered to pay court costs only. FINED £3 Kerry Michael Harold Summerfield, aged 22, an apprentice electrician (Mr J. W. Dalmer), was convicted and fined £3 on a charge of operating a noisy vehicle in Cone place on April 17. Summerfield pleaded not guilty. CHARGE DISMISSED Christopher John O’Connell, aged 19, a tile maker (Mr L. M. O’Reilly), pleaded not guilty to a charge that on May 7 he permitted an unlicensed driver to drive a motor-scooter. The charge was dismissed. OTHER TRAFFICE CASES In other traffic prosecutions brought by the Transport Department convictions were entered and fines imposed as follows: Exceeded 30 m.p.h.: Ronald John Pearce, £B. Passed stop sign before way was dear: Noble Kenneth Boulton, £3. (Before Mr K. H. J, Headifen, S.M.) FINED £5 Richard Charles Monk, a garage proprietor (Mr G. R. Lascelles), was convicted and fined £5 on a charge that he issued a warrant of fitness to a car with insufficient brakes at his garage at Islington on February 10. He pleaded not guilty. CIVIL CASE In a claim by the Christchurch City Council (Mr S. G. Erber) for £54 17s 4d from Kevin James Sexton, a contractor (Mr D. H. Stringer), the Magistrate said there was a sharp conflict of evidence but the plaintiff’s evidence was to be preferred. He gave judgment to the plaintiff for the full amount. The claim was for payment of the cost of restoration work in Coulter street in 1963 after the defendant had completed drainlaying and sewer connexion work there.