Chance to solve drink problem

Press, 1 February 1986, Page 4

Chance to solve drink problem

Tauranga PA ATe Puke man who rented a bogus holiday home to four different families over Christmas has been given a chance to solve a drinking problem. At the District Court in Tauranga, Judge Wilson remanded Raymond Frederick Southwell to April 29 for treatment for alcoholism. Southwell, aged 30, unemployed, was appearing for sentence on four charges of obtaining money by falsely representing that a Mount Maunganui house was his to rent, and one other of obtaining $5O credit by presenting a fraudulent cheque.

Southwell had taken $l3OO in deposits from families who had arranged to rent the house. He admitted spending the money during a pub crawl to the South Island. Southwell’s counsel, Mr Ray Dillon, said his client had sought and received help for his alcoholism before the offending in December. But then his de facto wife left him and he embarked on the offending and subsequent drinking spree, spending the “rent” he had received. Judge Wilson told Southwell if treatment was satisfactory he would consider simply making a reparation order.