OHAKUNE DISTRICT COURT

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 410, 29 October 1991, Page 4

OHAKUNE DISTRICT COURT

The following cases were heard by Judge R L Watson in the Ohakune District Court last Thursday. Detective Sergeant Bruce Henry of Taihape appeared for the police prosecution. Traffic Officer Ian Harrison of Ohakune appeared for the Ministry of Transport. Remanded for report Stanley Tukatahi Cribb, 19, unemployed of Raetihi, was remanded for a probation officers report and sentence when he appeared on two charges of breaking and entering premises in Station Road, Raetihi, on or

about 26 September. Court heard how defendant and a cooffender had decided to break into the Manawatu Regional Covmcil Shed to obtain some beer after wandering around Raetihi together. However, when no beer was found in the Council shed, the two offenders broke into the nearby premises of Barrett and Taura Limited from which they took a quantity of beer as well as computer equipment. The computer equipment was later found nearby. Defendant was remanded on bail to appear in the Ohakune District Court on 14

November for a probation officers report and sentence. Counsel: Paul Brown Remanded to Taihape Mark Tairoa Haddon, unemployed of Ohakune, pleaded not guilty to a charge of stealing a Robin engine valued at $500, the property of the Ruapehu District Council. He was remanded to appear for a defended hearing in the Taihape District Court on 21 November. Counsel: Brian Mason One guilty, two not guilty pleas Dallas Clayton Elers, 23, shop assistant of

Raetihi, pleaded guilty to one charge of careless use of a motor vehicle and to one charge of driving without a licence. To a further charge of refusing to supply a specimen of blood when requested to do so, he pleaded not guilty. He was remanded to appear in the Taihape District Court on 21 November for a defended hearing on the not guilty plea and for sentence on the two charges to which he had pleaded guilty. Counsel: Brian Mason Community sentence George Lee Hemara, 21, unemployed of Rangataua, was convicted and sentenced to 100 hours community service on three charges related to the Misuse of Drugs Act. The charges were that on 15 October, following a search of his home he; was in possession of cannabis plant was cultivating cannabis plant; and permitted premises to be used in the commission of an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act. In passing the concurrent 100 hour sentence on all these charges Judge Watson said that he never ceased to be amazed at the in-

genuity of cannabis growers ... "apparently this growing of 13 cannabis plants above an electric light bulb to hasten their growth is a new development in horticulture!" Amended charge A 1 an Way ne Mareikura, 17, unemployed of Ohakune, was remanded to appear in the Ohakune District Court on 14 November for a probation officer's report and sentence when he pleaded guilty to one charge of breaking and entering and to one charge of being unlawfully on premises. Last month he had pleaded guilty to a charge of breaking and entering the Kings Theatre in Ohakune, but had been remanded without plea on a charge of breaking and entering the Cedar Service Station in Ohakune on 11 September. This second charge was subsequently amended to being unlawfully on the Cedar Service Station premises. Court heard how defendant, who had been drinking, had gained entry by breaking a small louvre window valued at $30 behind the Cedar service Station in Turnpage 6

OHAKUNE DISTRICT OOURT

From page 4 order to find somewhere to sleep. On the charge of breaking and entering the Kings Theatre, Court heard how defendant had taken confectionery after breaking in. The value of these goods together with the damage done in gaining entry was assessed to be $912. In addition to the probation officers report he was also remanded for a reparation report. Counsel: Brian Mason "Bad luck story" Kim Panther, 31, clothing manufacturer of Birkenhead, Auckland, was convicted and fined $300 and ordered to pay $85 in court costs when he pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of cannabis leaf. In what his counsel described as the "bad luck story of the day" court heard how defendant had left Rangataua to go skiing on 2 August. Unfortunately for him he had left his bumbag (a waist-fitted waterproof pouch used by skiers) on the roof of his vehicle when he drove off and this subsequently fell off onto the road somewhere between Rangataua and Ohakune. Fortunately for him the bum-bag was found and handed in to the Ohakune Police Station. Unfortunately however

the bag was found to contain a quantity of cannabis leaf. Counsel: Brian MasOn Burglary charge Robert Francis Paul, 40, unemployed of Ohakune, was remanded without plea on a charge of breaking and entering the Rendezvous Dairy in Goldfinch Street, Ohakune, on 22 October with intent to commit a crime therein. Police asked for the case to be adjourned for one month until 14 November so that further enquiries can be made which are likely to involve other co-of-fenders. Outstanding payments Darryl Wayne Pickery, 21, Access scheme worker, appeared to answer charges that he had failed to continue the payment of fines and reparations totalling $1,558. Court heard how defendant had family obligations and other financial commitments including the hire purchase of a motor vehicle. - In ordering defendant to make repayments of $10 per week towards reparation Judge Watson said that defendant had got his priorities wrong. "Victims of your criminal activities will feel that you should not be paying off a car while

they are owed reparation," he said. Disqualification and fine Timothy James Forrester Young, 20, ski instructor of Raetihi, pleaded guilty to a charge of careless use of a motor vehicle causing bodily injury to Rachel Katie Shaw on 6 September. Court heard how defendant had collided with a parked car in Miro Street, Ohakune, at 2.15 in the morning. His front seat passenger sustained lacerations to her face. He was convicted and fined $400, court costs $85 and disqualified for 6 months. Remanded to Wanganui Clayton Graeme Zohs, 19, unemployed of Raetihi, was remanded to appear in the Wanganui District Court on 29 October on a charge of stealing one keg of beer valued at $30 from the Ruapehu Hotel on 19 September Attempted fraud A 20-year old female student from Auckland was remanded until 14 November to check if a sentence of Diversion has been completed after she appeared on two charges of fraud relating to day-lift and mid-week season ski passes on the Turoa Skifield.

One charge stated that defendant had, with intent to defraud, attempted to use a Turoa Ski Resort midweek season pass in order to obtain a pecuniary advantage to herself on 29 September. The other charge stated defendant had falsely claimed she had already obtained a Turoa Ski Resort daylift pass valued at $40 on 7 September and 29 September. Providing the defendant completes her sentence of Diversion satisfactorily by 14 November, no conviction will be entered. Counsel: Brian Mason Diversion A 24-year old female bar staff assistant, who appeared on a charge of intentionally attempting to defraud the Turoa Ski Resort of a ski season pass in order to obtain a pecuniary advantage to herself on 4 October, was remanded to appear again on 14 November to check that a sentence of Diversion has been satisfactorily completed in which case no conviction will be entered against defendant's name. Further remand A 31-year old male was further remanded without plea to appear again on 14 November on one charge of possessing cannabis seed and one charge of possessing cannabis plant on 4 September