MAGISTRATE’S COURT Young man faces charges of theft and burglary

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32819, 20 January 1972, Page 13

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Young man faces charges of theft and burglary

Pleading guilty to six charges of theft, unlawful taking, and burglary, David John Niblett, aged 20, was convicted and remanded in custody to January 26 for sentence when he appeared before Mr K. H. J. Headifen, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Niblett was seen by the police on January 14 and admitted entering a flat at 452 Barbadoes Street on November 26. He used the key which he found under, the mat to unlock the front! door, said Detective Sergeant! J. G. Howell. He also admitted breaking. into the premises of Vogue Furnishings, Ltd, Colombo Street, with another youth. Entry was gained by breaking a rear window. Just before Christmas, Niblett entered a room at the United States Navy depot at Harewood and stole a television set, jackets, radios, cameras, a wrist watch, and money, worth a total of $607. On December 19, Niblett

took a Toyota car worth $5OOO from the premises of Leslie Motors, Ltd, Dunedin. The next night, he took a Vauxhall car worth $250 from the car park of the Papanui Tavern, and on December 21 took a Bedford truck which was recovered in Dunedin.

The Magistrate noted that the offences had been committed while Niblett was on probation and serving a sentence of periodic detention.

indecent act When a young woman went into the staff kitchen of a Hereford Street boutique, she was accosted by a naked young man, the Court was told.

The offender, whose name was suppressed, pleaded guilty to doing an indecent act with Intent to offend. He was remanded on bail to January 26. The young woman went into the kitchen with a tray of dishes, said Detective Sergeant Howell. The defendant, who was naked, tried to grab hold of her. She dropped the dishes, and the young man ran off. An hour later, he went to the police station and admitted the offence.

The defendant told the police he had gone to the Hereford Street premises to look for a photographer’s premises. He saw the young woman with the

dishes and on an impulse took off his clothes, stepped behind the kitchen door, and grabbed her. • The defendant said he then took fright and jumped out a first-storey window. Mr L. M. O’Reilly, for the defendant, said there was a psychiatric background to the young man’s offending. He asked for suppression of name because of the effect publicity might have on his psychiatric treatment. The Magistrate said he would require considerable persuasion to suppress the defendant’s name finally. “Maybe the best method of stopping this offending would be the full publicity of his name, if it means so much to him,” the Magistrate said. FALSE PRETENCES Barbara Olive Knight, aged 31, a married woman (Mr L. M. O’Reilly), was remanded on bail to tomorrow on charges of theft of a cheque form and false pretences. She pleaded guilty to both charges. Detective Sergeant Howell said that a Mr C. V. Wood told the police that a cheque form had been stolen from his cheque book in his car while it had been left at a service station. The defendant, when interviewed, admitted taking the form while working as a servicestation attendant. She saw the cheque book on the front seat of the car when she went to move ft. She was in need of money at the time, and so wrote out a cheque.

With the cheque, she obtained from Riccarton Travel Goods, Ltd, a. billfold, drinking cups, and $3O in money.

THEFT OF GOODS John Kevin Paul Simpson, aged 18. a spot-welder, was convicted and fined $5O when he pleaded guilty to stealing goods to the value of $4l. Detective Sergeant Howell said Simpson took a toaster, heater, towels, and a pillow sheet from a flat when he left it to go to a new one. He told the Kilice he needed the items for s new flat. (Before Mr M. C. Astley, S.M.) CHARGE OF ASSAULT

"Whether the intention was hostile or not, when a person does an action which can have serious, dangerous, or hurtful results he can be found guilty of an offence,” . the Magistrate told Grant Paul Holmes, aged 18, unemployed (Mr J. E. Ryan). Holmes appeared on a charge of assaulting Peter Robert James Price, aged 17, in Aidwins Road on October 26.

“Making allowances that the two boys were acquaintances from school, no conviction will be entered, and the defendant will be discharged under Section 42 of the Criminal Justice Act on the condition that he pay Court costs and witnesses expenses of $9.75,” said the Magistrate.

Senior-Sergeant F. G. Mulcare said that Price had left Linwood High School and was cycling home when the defendant, who was a pillion passenger on a motor-cycle, had touched Price on the shoulder as he was passing him with sufficient force to knock Price off his bicycle. “There is a strong suspicion that the two boys on the motorcycle were just having the schoolboys on as they cycled home from school, which is a common practice amongst those with a perverted sense of humour and who have left school,” said the Magistrate. (Before Mr E. S. J. Crutchley, S.M.) TRAFFIC CHARGES

In traffic prosecutions brought by the Ministry of Transport, convictions were entered and fines imposed as follows, with Court costs $5 on each charge: Excessive alcohol: Ernest James Plato (202 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood), fined $2OO, disqualified for 18 months; Raymond Noel Andrews (163 milligrams). $l5O. disqualified for 12 months; Lawrence Wilfred Ockwell (149 milligrams), $lOO, disqualified for nine months; Alexander Sloane Deed (395 millisrams),5 rams), remanded on bail to anuary 26 for medical report tor periodic detention, disqualified for three years; Roland Henry Denton (242 milligrams), $2OO, disqualified for three years; Kevin lan Haslet (299 milligrams), remanded on bail to January 36 for a medical report for periodic detention, disqualified for three years; John William McKay (111 milligrams), $6O, disqualified for six months, ordered to attend defensive driving course; Abraham Bergshorff (184 milligrams), $BO, disqualified for 12 months; Maurice Andrew Blazey (237 milfigrams), $2OO, disqualified for 18 months from February 2: William Alexander Hampton (218 milligrams), $2OO, disqualified for 18 months from February 2; James Weke-Tuhi-mata (201 milligrams), $2OO, disqualified for 18 months, with partial exemption; Murray Mell Parker (173 milligrams), $lOO. disqualified for 18 months, ordered to attend defensive driving course; Henry Gray (246 milliframe), remanded on bail to anuary 26 for medical examination for periodic detention, disqualified for two years. Dangerous speed: Eric Kaa, $lOO, disqualified for 12 months from February 2. Drove under the influence of, drink or drug: Leonard Keith Garrett (185 milligrams), $l5O, disqualified for 18 months. (Before Messrs R. Jones and R. H. Harris, Justices of the Peace) COMMITTED FOR TRIAL Terrence Blrtles, aged 21, a workman (Mr E. T. Higgins), was committed to the Supreme Court for trial after the' taking of depositions on a charge of unlawfully getting into a car, and of disqualified driving. Blrtles pleaded not guilty to both charges, after the Justices found a prima facie case established. Sergeant V. F. Townshend appeared for the police. Appearing before Mr E. S. J. Crutchley, S.M., on three further charges of unlawfully getting Into cars, Blrtles was remanded, without plea, to January 26.