Charges of dishonesty involve $14,500

Press, 25 June 1983, Page 5

Charges of dishonesty involve $14,500

An unemployed man facing 17 charges, involving property worth $14,500, was remanded on bail without plea to July 8 when he appeared before Judge Frampton in the District Court yesterday. He is Ward lan Magon, aged 18, who is charged with committing the offences between August, 1982, and March, this year. Magon faces seven charges of receiving property, to a total value of $13,209, four charges of burglary, three charges of theft involving property worth $1313, one charge of possessing cannabis, and a charge of possessing the drug for sale or supply. ARSON CHARGES Three men facing charges relating to the burning of a 1970 car on McLeans Island on Thursday night were each remanded at large to July 1. No pleas were entered by Michael Paul Mclntyre, aged 25, a watersider, Brian David Carey, aged 36, unemployed, and Keaven Wayne Barker, aged 29, a hunter. Mclntyre is charged with conspiring with Barker to commit the offence of false pretence. Barker is charged with Mclntyre on the conspiracy charge, and with wilfully setting fire to Mclntyre’s 1970 model car. Carey is also charged with wilfully setting fire to the car. SHOPLIFTING A student who admitted six charges of theft, involving property worth $678, later told the police that he committed the offences because he had “a few birthdays to cater for,” said Sergeant G. G. Cleland. The student, who at the request of counsel (Mr C. B. Atkinson, Q.C.), was granted continued interim suppression of his name, was convicted and remanded at large to July 8 for a probation report and sentence. All the offences, committed on May 27, were admitted. Sergeant Cleland said at 12.30 p.m. that day the defendant had been seen acting suspiciously in a city store. After being spoken to by an assistant the defendant sprinted off down the street, pursued by the assistant. The student was caught getting into his car in Oxford Terrace. A search of the vehicle, by police, revealed bookends, a sleeping bag, a rug, jerseys, and two pepper mills, all stolen by the defendant from six city stores that morning. Mr Atkinson sought continued interim suppression of his client’s name. He said that medical and psychiatric evidence would be made available. To a comment by the Judge as to what had happened to the suppression order sought in the High Court after it had been refused in the District Court, Mr Atkinson replied that the application had been filed promptly but the District Court judge wanted to submit in writing his reasons for refusing the application when it was made before him. Mr Atkinson said that his client would be undergoing psychiatric counselling on his return to university. In granting interim suppression the Judge said the final outcome would depend on the decision of the application before the High Court. INCEST CHARGES A man, aged 37, and a girl, aged 17, were each remanded on bail of $5OO to July 1 on charges of incest.

Both defendants, who are each charged with the same alleged offence, were remanded for a week without plea at the request of Sergeant Cleland so that further inquiries could be completed. The charges relate to June 21 and 22. PERIODIC DETENTION A man, convicted on four charges of burglary from which he obtained property, to a total value of $2776, was sentenced to periodic detention for eight months. Kim Tama Scadden, aged 31 (Miss E. H. B. Thompson), had told the police that he committed the offences because he was short of cash. Scadden was described by the Judge as a “regular and habitual” offender who had a long list of criminal activity going back to 1968. Past prison sentences seemed to have been no deterrent, but the Judge said he accepted that there had been a change of heart on the part of Scadden. Miss Thompson said that the offences were committed over Easter week-end to sustain the defendant’s drug and alcohol habit. Her client had made a voluntary statement about the offending which had assisted the police, she said. Scadden was not in a position to make compensation, and none was ordered. FRAUD OFFENCES A man convicted of nine charges of fraud, involving more than $6OOO worth of property, was remanded in custody to July 1 for a probation report and sentence. William James -Daw, aged 24, unemployed (Mr D. J. Taffs) admitted committing the offences between June 8 and 17. Senior Sergeant T. J. W. Williams said that the defendant had taken credit cards, and two bank books, belonging to the complainant, who had been taken to hospital for treatment. Using one of the cheque books and an identity card bearing his own photograph in the name of the complainant, Daw had made several cash withdrawals from a city bank, including one for $5OOO. Compensation of $5984 was sought. The Judge expressed surprise that any bank would cash a cheque for $5OOO without closely questioning the identity of the presenter. 16 CHARGES A man facing 16 charges was remanded on bail without plea to July 1. Warwick James Booth, aged 21, an unemployed serviceman (Mr D. C. Fitzgibbon) faces eight charges of theft, three of burglary, one of receiving, and four of selling cannabis. The defendant is charged with committing the offences between June, 1982, and March, 1983. BAIL REMAND A man who fraudulently used a bank credit card to obtain goods, to a total value of $1466, was convicted and remanded on bail to July 8 for a probation report and sentence. Steven Russell Thompson, aged 21, unemployed (Mr E. Bedo), committed the offences between May 27 and June 3. In explanation Thompson told police that he was “pretty broke” at the time and had sold the goods to obtain money. Sergeant G. G. Cleland said that Thompson had found the credit card and had used it on 32 occasions. None of the property had been recovered and compensation of $1466 was sought, he said.