Manslaughter charge

Press, 6 July 1983, Page 17

Manslaughter charge

A man, aged 23, from Western Samoa was remanded in custody until July 12 when he appeared before Judge Fraser in the District Court yesterday on an indictable charge of manslaughter. The charge was laid following an incident in the city earlier yester- day. Granting the defendant interim suppression of name at the request of the duty solicitor, Miss E. B. H. Thompson, the Judge indicated that it was unlikely this would be renewed. DRUGS KISS

While kissing her boyfriend during visiting hours at Addington Prison on June 27, Sharon Marie Humpheries, a solo parent, aged 20 (Miss Thompson) passed a small amount of cannabis plant and 10 valium tablets to him. Sergeant J. E. Dwyer said Humpheries told the police that she only wanted to help her boyfriend out. She pleaded guilty to a charge of supplying the drugs to a prison inmate and was convicted and remanded until tomorrow when she will also appear for sentence on other charges. SUPPRESSED At the request of counsel, Mr S. G Erber, the Judge suppressed the name of a man, aged 36, who appeared on an indictable charge of manslaughter. Mr Erber said the charge arose out of an accident at work and the police alleged that the defendant had failed to take reasonable precautions or care when operating a machine. The defendant was remanded at large to September 2 for a depositions hearing. PROBATION

Releasing Riki Pohoera Piripi, aged 30, unemployed, on 12 months probation the Judge said it was a case where the defendant’s personal circumstances had to be taken into account, particularly the brain damage he suffered in 1978.

Piripi (Mr E. T. Higgins) appeared for sentence on a charge of stealing clothing to the value of $142 from the rugby changing rooms at Hagley Park on June 16. Mr Higgins said Piripi realised it was a stupid thing to do. FINAL WARNING

As John Terrance Mason, unemployed, aged 20, had already been given a final warning, the Judge convicted and remanded him in custody to July 12 for a probation report and sentence.

Mason (Mr A. Garrett) pleaded guilty to a charge of breaking and entering a Keystores shop at Amberley in the early hours of June 27.

Sergeant Dwyer said Mason and an associate gained entry to the premises by forcing a window, but no property was taken.

IMPRISONMENT Imposing an 18-month term of imprisonment on Darryl Robert Fraser, aged 18, an unemployed labourer, the Judge commented that the defendant had a long list of convictions involving dishonesty. Fraser appeared for sentence on charges of burglary, theft, attempted theft, intentional damage, and possession of needles for the purpose of committing an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Counsel, Miss F. B. Bolwell, said one of the reasons for Fraser’s offending was that he had too much time on his hands. The sentence of imprisonment was imposed on the charges of burglary, theft and attempted theft, and he was convicted and discharged on the other two charges. BAIL REFUSED An application for bail was refused when Gary John Scott, a rigger welder, aged 31 (Miss A. P. Eckhoff) appeared on ’a charge of breaking and entering Kerr Trading, at Burnham, on July 4. Sergeant Dwyer told the court that Scott was also known by the name of Jamieson and was wanted on a warrant for receiving. Scott entered a plea of not guilty to the burglary charge and was remanded in custody to July 12. Andrew Paul Bishop, aged 32, unemployed, (Miss Thompson) and Gary Raymond Jones, aged 28, an unemployed machinist, (Miss Eckhoff) were also charged with breaking and entering Kerr Trading. Bishop did not plead to the charge and was remanded on $lOOO bail until July 12 and when Jones pleaded not guilty he was remanded on $l5OO, with a surety for $l5OO until July 26 for a defended hearing. LINEN THEFT When she appeared for sentence on a charge of stealing linen to the value of $235, Donna Maria Dean, aged 20, a beneficiary (Mr K. J. Grave) was released on probation for 12 months. The offence was committed between May 21 and May 24.

LONG LIST

As Michael Shane Goodlet, aged 33, unemployed, had broken into a Carlyle Street house and snatched a handbag on June 10 while he was serving terms of periodic detention and probation, the Judge said it would be futile to impose a similar sentence on these charges. Goodlet appeared for sentence on the charges and his counsel, Mr W. Rosenberg, said a drug problem and very severe debts had prompted the offending. Imposing a nine month term of imprisonment, the Judge said Goodlet already had a relatively long list of previous offences.