OHAKUNE DISTRICT COURT

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 529, 29 March 1994, Page 16

OHAKUNE DISTRICT COURT

The following cases were heard by Judge Patrick Toomey in the Ohakune District Court last Thursday. Police sergeant Bob Evans of Ohakune appeared for the prosecution. Prison term Richard Craig Taura, 20, of Raetihi, received a 17month prison sentence when he appeared on several charges relating to car conversions and disqualified driving. He was charged with theft of a motor vehicle valued at $2500, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle and driving while disqualified. These latest offences were committed while Taura was under a six month suspended prison sentence for committing similar offences last year. These had occurred in the Bay of Plenty and Tokoroa while defendant was on bail. Court heard Taura' s explanation that he had stolen the car in order to get back to Raetihi to start a job. His counsel, Mr Gary Johnson, asked for a noncustodial sentence as his client was now living at home with his mother and holdingdownajob. Ho we ver, Judge T oomey said he was left with no option but to impose a prison sentence when fujther offences are committed while under a suspended sentence of imprisonment which was imposed 'last November. Taura was told that he must now serve the six month sentence imposed earlier as well as a cumulative sentence of eight months on the theft and unlawfully taking charges. He was also sentenced to a three month j ail term to be served concurrently and disqualified from driving for a further 1 2-months from the date of expiry of his current disqualification in January 1995. He was also ordered to make reparation of $766 for damage sustained to the stolen motor vehicle with the first payment becoming due on his release from prison. Possession of cannabis oil William Te Hore (also known as Robertson), 40, unemployed, of Pipiriki, pleaded guilty to possession of nine capsules containing cannabis oil in Raetihi on 27 January. The capsules had been located by a police dog specially trained in the detection of cannabis. When Judge Toomey heard that defendant had paid $30 for each capsule - a total of $270 - he told Te Hore that he could afford to pay a fine. Te Hore was convicted and fined $400, court costs $95 and ordered either to pay in full within one month or make arrangements with Court staff to pay by instalments. Three charges Max Cody, 27, saw miller of Wanganui, was remanded on.bail to appear

on 21 April to answer to three charges including: causing wilful damage to three farm gates; theft of one steel-framed farm gate valued at $250 the property of James pnd Kathleen Creedmore; and possession of an offensive weapon - a wooden Monadnock batten with the prima facie intent to commit an offence involving bodily injury to James Creedmore. The three charges arose out of an incident which occurred on 10 March. Two charges James Creedmore, 53, farmer of Raetihi, pleaded not guilty to two charges alleging assault and possession of an offensive weapon. He was charged that he was in possession of a piece of manuka wood with the prima facie intent to use it in the commission of an offence involving bodily injury and that he assaulted Max Cody.He was remanded on bail to 19 May for a defended hearing. Counsel: Gary Johnson. Remand with conditions Gene Henare, 19, fruitpicker of Mount Maunganui, was charged with attempting to take a 1982 Holden Kingswood ute, the property of Miss Gladys Gdldfinch, on 16 December last year. As defendant said that he wanted to be represented by Mr Paul Brown (who was not available in Ohakune last Thursday due to other Court commitments) Henare was remanded without plea to next month' s sitting on 21 April subject to certain conditions. These were that: he resides at his stated address in Mount Maunganui until his next appearance; he does not drive a motor vehicle in the meantime and that; he reports to the Mount Maunganui police every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Community service Phyllis Puhi, 26, of Raetihi, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving with excess breath alcohol (800/1) on 18 December last year. She was convicted and sentenced to 60-hours community service on this charge and to 40-hours community service (cumulative) in remission of outstanding fines. Counsel: Gary Johnson. Level could rnean indefinite disqualification Barry John Seator, 40, ski hirer of National Park, pleaded guilty to one charge of driving with excess breath alcohol of 1450/1 on State Highway 49 (the Tohunga Road) on 28 October last year and to one charge of careless use of a motor vehicle on the same date. Court heard how a police patrol had found defendant asleep in a car which had crashed through a fence bordering a farm property

near Ohakune. Seator who represented himself, told the Court that, following this incident he had booked himself into an alcohol abuse treatment programme in Auckland. Judge Toomey said this was a wise thing to do in view of the level of breath alcohol (the legal limit is 400/1) as defendant could expect to be disqualified from driving indefinitely if he were to appear again on a similar charge. Defendant was convicted and fined $ 1 250, court costs $95 and disqualified for 1 2months. He was also ordered to pay $168 reparation for the damaged farm fence. Two years delay Mark Anthony Evans, 32, labourer of Raetihi,

pleaded guilty to a charge of driving with excess blood alcohol of 108/100 on 4 December 1 992 - two years ago. It was explained that the delay had been caused pending the outcome of a case before the High Court and Court of Appeal on a similar but unrelated matter. Counsel for Evans, Mr Gary Johnson, explained that his client had not been drinking on the Sunday morning he crashed his vehicle on State Highway 49 (the Tohunga Road) three kms from Ohakune, but had consumed alcohol the night before. Evans had fallen asleep at the wheel while driving to work at National Park and was severely injured in the crash fracturing ribs and a cheekbone. Court was told that the value of the vehicle

which was written off was $15,000. A blood test taken at Wanganui Hospital revealed a blood level of 108/ 100. Evans was convicted and fined $600, court costs $95 and disqualified for six months. Not guilty plea Pierre Ian Todd, 19, unemployed of Raetihi, entered a plea of not guilty when he appeared on a charge of stealing a Raleigh mountain bike the property of Charles Mareikura on 21 January. The bike had been on loan to Siegfreid Bauer when it was stolen from Raetihi. At last month' s Court hearing Todd had been remanded without plea but following his not guilty plea last Thursday he was re-

manded until 21 April for a defended hearing date to be set. Counsel: Gary Johnson. Further remand Tania Elizabeth Taku, 33, solo parent of Raetihi, was further remanded to appear again on 21 April. She had been remanded

to last Thursday for a probation officers report and sentence following a plea of guilty to a charge of receiving a 1981 Holden Commodore valued at $5000 in January but the further remand was requested as two new charges are pending.