Timaru man jailed for 18 months

Press, 7 April 1979, Page 4

Timaru man jailed for 18 months

A Timaru man with an appalling list of convictions including 22 for burglary was jailed for 18 months on a series of charges by Mr Justice Roper in the Supreme Court yesterday. He is Kevin Joseph Wood, aged 30, who had pleaded guilty after the taking of depositions in the Magistrate’s Court at Timaru to a charge of attempted burglary of the Timaru Town and Country Club in Douglas Street. He was also sentenced on charges of false pretences involving a valueless cheque for $5B and illegal possession of gelignite and detonators.

had thrown a concrete block through the club window because he was “dry,” Mr List said. His Honour: It is obvious from his record that he is not the most proficient of burglars. I Mr List said that Kevin Wood had not forged the I cheque for $5B but he admitted cashing it. He brought the gelignite and detonators back from Big Bay, South Westland, for a friend, said Mr List. His Honour said that Kevin Wood had been caught at the scene of an attempted burglary. He was a very different proposition from his co-offender, his brother. Since 1962 Kevin Wood had 22 convictions for burglary and in 1977 he was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for that type of offence. He had also been before the Court for false pretences.

His brother, Warren Reginald Wood, aged 34, was fined $750 and ordered to make restitution of $B2 on a charge of attempted burglary of the club at Timaru.

Mr R. J. C. List, of Timaru, making submissions for Kevin Wood said that the prisoner was in danger of becoming institutionalised because of the amount of time he had spent in penal institutions.

“I treated your brother with considerable leniency but I cannot extend, the same treatment to you,” his Honour said.

At the time of the attempted burglary offence Kevin Wood was grossly intoxicated and was making his way home from a party with his brother, they took a short cut past the Town and Country Club. His recollection of ’what happened was rather vague but he told the policeman who arrested him that he

tempted burglary offence Making submissions for Kevin Wood was grossly in- Warren Wood, Mr List said toxicated and was making that his record was very dif his way home from a party ferent from that of his with his brother, they took brothers and he had not a short cut past the Town been associated with crimes and Country Club. of burglary. Warren Wood His recollection of what got into trouble when he happened was rather vague associated with his brother but he told the policeman who was the one who broke who arrested him’ that he the window.

I Warren Wood had a job to go to in Big Bay crayfishing where the only access was by light plane. His employer thought highly of him and Wood would be in a position to pay a substantial fine from his earnings.

In reply to a question from his Honour Wood said that he owed debts of up to $3OOO for arrears of maintenance and tax. His Honour said that Warren Wood had previous convictions but only one for an offence involving dishonesty and that was of a minor nature. He only got into trouble when he associated with his brother. He was going to give him a chance, by imposing a fine.