Cheque conspiracy role admitted

Press, 4 February 1986, Page 4

Cheque conspiracy role admitted

A solo mother who admitted her part in what police described as a 5640,000 forged cheque conspiracy said the reason for her involvement was her infatuation with a co-offender. Sergeant W. J. McCormick said in the District Court yesterday. Kay Linda Kennedy, aged 32 (Miss P. D. Costigan), admitted six charges of using a document to obtain a financial advantage. The offending took place in Dunedin and Timaru in December. The defendant was convicted by Judge Fraser. She was remanded on renewed bail of $5OOO to February 17 for a probation report and sentence. Sergeant McCormick said Kennedy, and two men, used false National Bank cheques, personalised to the Trustee Execu-, tors and Agency Company, Ltd. Kennedy said in midSeptember, last year, that a large number of par-tially-completed cheques arrived at the Dunedin address that she and her de facto husband shared. At the time, her partner’s financial state was in a “turmoil.” He seemed to get a lot of enthusiasm "playing

about” with the cheques; formulating plans of what he was going to do with them, and Sergeant McCormick said, Kennedy merely humoured him. Later she obtained a rubber stamp set, and used a typewriter to fill in the cheques, and make them appear original. What began as a game became a reality. Kennedy said she thought, when the first of the cheques was presented, that it would be rejected and that would be the end of the matter.

When this did not happen other cheques were presented. The matter came to the attention of the police in ■ December when an attempt was made to obtain gold, using one of the cheques.

Kennedy denied two charges of forging cheques. On these she was remanded to the date of sentencing. A Queenstown builder was fined $4OOO in the Invercargill District Court for his part in the $640,000 forged cheque conspiracy. He was also sentenced to periodic detention for six months and ordered to make $852 reparation.

Another man, Trevor Allan Lee, also facing joint charges alleging the use of forged cheques to obtain a financial advantage, was remanded to May 5 for the taking of ‘depositions. ■ Lee, aged 36, an Invercargill contractor (Mr K. N. Hampton), had his bail of $30,000 renewed. He was ordered to report twice weekly to the police. RAPE CHARGE Bail of $2OOO was granted to a man who, together with others, is charged with the rape of a teenage girl on January 31. Sergeant McCormick said that although the charge was serious, bail was not being opposed for Howard Charles Jones. He said this was because the defendant, aged 29, a solo parent, did not take any active part in the alleged offence. He asked that a surety be sought Counsel, Mr E. Bedo, said a surety was not available. Judge Fraser allowed Jones self bail of $2OOO, and ordered him to report daily to the police.

The defendant was remanded to April 30 for the taking of depositions.