Carpet-thief jailed for nine months

Press, 11 February 1986, Page 4

Carpet-thief jailed for nine months

A man who stole $32,257 worth of carpets and vinyl after burgling the premises of Specialty Carpets on January 16 was sent to prison for nine months by. Judge Sheehan.

In the District Court yesterday the Judge told John McKinnon Donnelly that the burgarly was “a big one.”

The incidence of this crime in Christchurch was “high” and there had to be a deterrent sentence.

It was the fifth burglary committed by Donnelly, aged 33, a self-employed painter and decorator, although the last was eight years ago. The Judge said the term of imprisonment imposed was less than he originally had in mind.

In determining this he had been influenced by the submissions of Donnelly’s counsel, Mr G. D. Home. Mr Home said it was not a preconceived burglary by his client. Donnelly, he said, had met a former prison inmate, and it was this meeting that lead to the commission of the offence.

He said Donnelly had been free of crime since his release from prison five years ago. He was in employment, coached a sports team, and was involved in welfare work with the intellectually handicapped, said Mr Home. This in itself was noteworthy for a man who in the past had escaped from custody six times.

A sentence short of imprisonment was sought by Mr Horne.

All but one carpet was recovered at the defendant’s address. An order was made for compensation of $2OO to be paid to cover damage done on breaking into the Lichfield Street premises. SUPERVISION

Supervision for nine months was the sentence given to a man earlier convicted on charges of giving suspicious fire alarms and lighting minor fires.

Raymond Norman Patrick Palermo, aged 21, unemployed (Miss E. H. B. Thompson), had admit-

ted the offences which occurred mainly in the Woolston area between November 3 and December 2, last year. No damage was caused because of the prompt arrival of the Fire Service.

Reparation of $1602, sought for the four callouts made by the fire brigade, was not ordered by the Judge in view of the defendant’s financial situation.

Miss Thompson said the offending was more of a nuisance than of a criminal nature. It was a case of the devil finding work for the idle hands of an immature, unemployed young man, said Miss Thompson. PERIODIC DETENTION The offender, said by counsel (Mr K. J. Grave), to have been least involved in the 30-minute assault on three 14-year-old schoolboys in Radley Park last month was sentenced to periodic detention.

The Judge told Ricky Peter Jarden, aged 17, that the term of seven months was meant to express the seriousness with which such offending was seen by the Courts.

Mr Grave said his client saw the offending as a wrestling match that got out of hand. It was then a matter of hit or be hit by his cooffenders, said Mr Grave. Jarden, who was appearing for sentence on two charges of injuring with intent, had no previous convictions.

The principal offender, who faced 10 charges, was sent to prison for 15 months, while the other co-offender received a 12 month prison sentence. BAIL OPPOSED Bail was opposed for two men charged with breaking and entering the Byron Street premises of Ballins Rattray, and another charged with the theft of 24 cartons of rum, valued at $7898, the property of this firm. Phillip James Swain, aged 19, a shoemaker, faces two charges of burgling the premises, Murray Alec Watkins, aged 17, a process worker, faces one charge, and Jay Clif-

ford Durham, aged 17, unemployed, faces the theft charge. After a hearing in Chambers each of the defendants was remanded, without plea, to February 17. Ball for each was set at $l5OO with a surety of the same amount According to the police the offending took place on Saturday. EXTRA JAIL Three months were added to the existing prison term being served by Whiu Arthur Carroll after he admitted escaping from Paparua Prison on January 26. Sergeant G. Jones said that at 1.30 p.m., that day, Carroll, aged 26, had arranged to meet a woman on a road near the prison. His absence from a work party was reported. At 3.05 p.m. he was seen travelling in a vehicle in the Yaldhurst area and was arrested.

. Counsel, Mr A. W. Lee, said his client had been employed as a shepherd at the prison and this job took him to the extremities of the prison grounds.

Carroll had meet the woman, jumped into the car on impulse, and was driven home.

There, on reflection, he realised it had been a > stupid thing to do and decided to return. > It was as Carroll was ; attempting to return to S the prison grounds that he ( was arrested, said Mr Lee. j

Carroll, who is serving a nine-month sentence, only had seven weeks to go before becoming eligible for remission, said Mr Lee.

The Judge said he took these matters into account but the Court was required to impose a deterrent sentence. DRUG CHARGES

Lesley Ann Bent, aged 28, a solo mother (Mr G. R. Lascelles), was remanded on bail to February 17 on charges of possessing cannabis for sale or supply, and possessing cannabis seeds, and leaf. No pleas were entered. The police say that threee offences took place on February 6.