The Courts Four bolt from cells; three soon caught

Press, 15 February 1986, Page 7

The Courts Four bolt from cells; three soon caught

Three of four men who made a dramatic bolt for freedom from the holding cells at the District Court yesterday morning were apprehended within minutes.

The four lunged forward from the cells shouting encouragement to one another.

One was caught almost immediately while the other three raced across the back of the No. 1 Courtroom in front of a startled public gallery and out through the main door.

Completely unfazed by the commotion, Judge Sheehan told those in the public seats to sit down and keep calm. He continued with the next case. One of the offenders was caught when he ran across Armagh Street into the Old Provincial Council Buildings forgetting that a door inside worked only on a combination lock.

The third escaper was caught further along Armagh Street near Victoria Square. Shane Samuel Hall, aged 19, a labourer (Mr K. J. Grave), and Halmona Albert Katene, aged 18, a fish splitter (Mr A. M. Mclntosh), admitted the escape

charges. Sergeant W. J. McCor-. mick said the defendants were being detained in the holding cells. About 11.30 a.m., as a constable was in the process of putting another prisoner in the cells, the offenders barged past the constable and ran out of the court room. To bring home how persons should behave in court and to register the Court’s disapproval of such conduct, Judge Sheehan jailed Hall for three months. Katene, who also admitted a variety of charges including burglary, posession of instruments, theft, and unlawfully taking a vehicle, was sentenced to corrective training. Jason Edgar Stevens, aged 17, unemployed (Mr E. Bedo), was remanded in custody, without plea, to February 21 when he appeared in the dock during the afternoon, charged with escaping. Still at large is Warren Edward Drew, aged 21, a sickness beneficiary, against whom a warrant was later issued for his arrest. SUPERVISION A man earlier convicted on two charges of threat-

ening. to kill his father, stealing $lBO from him, threatening to kill a policeman, and forging a medical prescription was sentenced to supervisor! for 12 months.

Heino Jurs, aged 28, a mechanic (Mr P. J. Egden), was as a condition of supervision ordered to take inpatient treatment on the Salvation Army’s Bridge Programme. Although the offending was serious, Judge Sheehan said he had decided to leave Jure, a first offender, in the community in the hope of his rehabilitation.

Mr Egden said his client’s problems stemmed from alcohol and drug abuse. The offences occurred early last month. NO SUPPRESSION

Interim suppression of name was refused for a man facing charges arising from an incident during a three-hour siege at a house in St Albans by the armed offenders squad on Thursday evening. Robert Edward Steep, aged 34, a maintenance supervisor, was remanded on bail of $l5OO to February 28. He is charged with the

unlawful possession of a .22 calibre rifle, and with threatening to kill a man. Bail was not opposed by the police. The application by a duty solicitor for interim suppression of name was made on domestic grounds. BURGLARY There was no prospect of bail being granted to a man who committed a serious burglary the day after being sentenced on unrelated matters, said Judge Sheehan. Wayne Mareshah Meehan, aged 18, described as a male model, (Mr A. N. D. Garrett), was remanded in custody to February 21 when he will appear for sentence on a charge of burglary. Meehan admitted breaking and entering the Lichfield Street premises of Raynor Vile Jewellers, Ltd, on February 6. Sergeant W. P. Creasey said the offence occurred at 2.25 a.m.

After pulling off a wire grill, Meehan threw a brick through a window and stole rings and jewellery valued at $4992. A police patrol found the defendant nearby with the stolen property in a plastic bag.