Child beaten for homework mistakes

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 429, 24 March 1992, Page 9

Child beaten for homework mistakes

Ari Ohakune man who assaulted a child because she made mistakes doing her homework, told the judge he wanted to go to prison and would not cooperate with any other sentence. Charles John Gupwell, 32, was convicted of assaulting a child when he appeared before Judge Ryan in the Ohakune District Court last Thursday. The court was told by Detective Sergeant Bruce Henry that the junior primary school-aged complainant had stayed with Gupwell between 10 and 20 February, during which time he had supervised her homework. He had hit her with a serving spoon or a bamboo rod, around her buttocks, hands and wrists, when she made mistakes

in her work. The child was found to have a fractured left arm, after the school noticed severe bruising and asked for Social Welfare and police help. The child was also found to have severe bruising of the arms and of the entire buttocks area. Gupwell told the police he believed the school system was not positive enough. He wanted the child to leam more. In answer to Gupwell's request to go to prison, without the obtaining of a probation report, Judge Ryan said such an attitude confirmed the need for such a report. He said the offender may indeed go to jail but the court needed to know more about him first. Judge Ryan said he needed help to determine

a prison term, if that was to be his punishment. It was important to look to the future and try to ensure that he treated no other child in the way he had done, said the judge. Gupwell was remanded to next month's court date, on bail, for a probation report and sentencing. Counsel: Brian Mason. Whiskey walk Gerry Henare, 23 and unemployed, stole several bottles of whiskey from Waimarino Wines in Goldfinch Street Ohakune recently. He had told police he was walking home at night when he felt like a drink. He jumped through the front door of

the wine shop, smashing the glass panel. He took the bottles to a party where they were consumed. He was convicted and remanded to the 9 April sitting of the court for a probation report, reparation report and sentencing. Prevented from driving, assault A disqualified driver, 27 year old mill hand Clyde Jacobs, was prevented from driving while in Wanganui by his cousin, so he assaulted her. He was ordered to come to the court for sentencing, if called within the next six months. Counsel: Brian Mason.

Jail for train thefts Jail for 17 months for theft, assault and receiving faced George Lee Hemara, 22, unemployed, when he was sentenced last Thursday. He pleaded guilty to theft from railway wagons. The assault charge related to his attack on Traffic Officer Ian Harrison, who was transporting him to Wanganui. Hemara ripped the radio cord out of the car's dash board and attacked Mr Harrison with it. The two charges of receiving related to a burglary of the Turners & Growers depot, a house at Karioi and from other railway wagon thefts. The wagon thefts were in relation to incidents at Ohakune and at Tangiwai. He also faced a charge of endangering transport. A wagon door was left open, which hit and broke concrete posts, bringing down power lines and delaying trains for three hours, south of Waiouru. Judge Ryan said it was not possible to sentence Hemara with anything other than a jail sentence for the series of offences. He said a sen- I tence approaching the maximum of three years would be appropriate except for Hemara' s sad personal circumstances. Hemara was convicted and discharged for being found in circumstances which disclosed an intention to commit a crime. The arrest was at Tangawai. Counsel Paul Brown said it was clear that other people were involved but no others had been charged with anything. Judge Ryan said there had been a number of thefts from trains in the

area but that Hemara should not be sentenced for the crimes of others. He said he may have been able to assist the police but had declined to do so. "Stupid" burglary Adam Dominic Haitana, 25, unemployed, was sentenced to one year's supervision for the burglary of Kay Cee Stores on 3 January. He must also attend alcohol and drug counselling as directed. The crime had been a stupid, unplanned, drunken incident carried

out noisily in the main street, said his counsel Brian Mason. The judge said he was reluctant to impose such a sentence but accepted that Haitana was now older, more mature and sincerely wished to change his lifestyle. Cannabis Maria-Lee Burland, 21, beneficiary, was sentenced to 12 months' supervision for growing cannabis, and the same for possession of a pipe for the commission of a drug offence. She was told she must undertake counselling as directed.