Ski lift 'conversion' charge deferred

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 572, 7 February 1995, Page 10

Ski lift 'conversion' charge deferred

The following cases were heard at the Ohakune District Court on Friday 27 January. Chairlift charges Two defendants, Aaron Hoani Gardiner, 20, student of W anganui, and George Junior Jackson, 1 9, unemployed of Wanganui, were to have appeared on a charge of "unlawfully and without colour of right got on a Doppelmayr chairlift on the Turoa Skifield on Tuesday 27 December". The charge was brought under the general legal heading of 'conversion ' but Judge Watson questioned whether this was an appropriate charge given the fact that the Criminal Justice Act does not refer to chairlifts in relation to the charge of conversion. Prosecuting police sergeant Luke Crawford said he would refer the matter back to his (district) controlling officer in Taumarunui for a decision. Snowboarder costs Alan Spencer Joslin, 21, unemployed of Queenstown (formerly of Ohakune), was excused attending personally when sentence was passed last Friday after being found guilty last month of obtaining credit by fraud by riding the Jumbo T-bar without any intention to pay for the $46 daypass, on Monday 3 October. Last month' s sentence had been deferred in order to establish if Joslin' s future as a professional snow-boarder would be jeopardised by a conviction being entered had he applied for a visa to the United States. His counsel, Gary Johnson, told the Court that he had contacted the United States Embassy in Wellington and was told there would not be a problem in so far as the United States immigration was concerned but Joslin' s sponsorship could be affected. After reading the letters presented by two (possible) sponsors Judge Watson commented: "They are hardly in the category of Nike or Reebok". He discharged defendant under Section 1 9 of the Criminal Justice Act after ordering him to make a payment of $50 to the Turoa Skifield and $150 towards the cost of prosecution. Counsel: Gary Johnson. Grass cutting needed

Steven Sattler, 19, unemployed of Raetihi, pleaded guilty to one charge of theft of two sheep valued at $70 and one charge of driving while disqualified. Court heard how defendant, with a young associate, had slaughtered two sheep behind the grandstand of Raetihi 's A & P Showgrounds on 19 December and were in the process of skinning and carving them up when they were disturbed by showground committee members. When reported to police, Sattler admitted that he, as a disqualified driver, had dri ven a vehicle to the showgrounds. When, in Court last Thursday, the probation officer expressed doubts about finding community service work for Sattler with the Raetihi showground committee Judge Watson commented: "There' s always a bit of painting to be done and, of course, since they no longer have the sheep, they'll need some grass cutting!" Sattler was convicted and sentenced to 40-hours community service at the Raetihi A & P showgrounds after Court heard that he had already made a reparation payment of $35 towards his share of the slaughtered animals. On the driving while disqualified charge he was disqualified for six-months. Counsel: Paul Brown. Early call Christopher John Rangi, 34, logging operator of Eltham, Taranaki, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while disqualified on the Ohakune-Raetihi road on 26 November when he appeared in the Ohakune District Court last Friday. Through his counsel, Mr Paul Brown, defendant explained that he was stopped by police near Raetihi early on Saturday morning as he was travelling towards T aihape to testify as a prosecution witness in a defended hearing after failing, by other means, to keep his appointment with the Court on the following Monday. When Judge Watson questioned that explanation and expressed some scepticism, Mr Paul Brown assured his honour that defendant's version of the circumstances of

his arrest was true "because he phoned me at 4am that morning!" Ackno wledging that Rangi ' s story was "one of the more interesting which comes before the Court from time to time" Judge Watson imposed a $400 fine and disqualified him for a further six months with effect from the expiry of his current disqualification on 30 April. Remand for depositions Phillip Jerry Hiroti, 34, unemployed of Raetihi, was remanded on bail to appear in the Taihape District Court on 9 March for the taking of depositions in relation to charges iiivolving the possession, culfivation and manufacture of cannabis plant and oil in October last year following pleas of not. Counsel: Paul Brown. First offender Hinemoa Valda Renata, 19, shearer-hand of Raetihi, was convicted and sentenced to 45-hours community service after pleading guilty to a charge of driving with excess breath alcohol (497/1) in New Plymouth at 2.35am on 13 November. A mandatory six month disqualification was also imposed. Defendant confused? Dexter Waikari, 19, unemployed of Ohakune, was remanded to appear next month on a charge of stealing a potbelly stove valued at $350 to which he pleaded not guilty as well as two charges of breaching periodic detention to which he pleaded guilty. The periodic detention sentence was imposed in Taumarunui last August when Waikari was convicted on burglary charges. Court heard that Waikari might have been confused by apparently conflicting instructions given by the probation officers in Taumarunui and Taihape and Judge Watson said he would like to hear from the two probation officers under the two jurisdictions before coming to a conclusion about any possible confusion that might have arisen. Christmas Day assault Gregory JamesTuruhiaEdmonds, 28, shearingcontractor of Raetihi, was remanded without plea to appear in the Ohakune District Court on 23 December on a charge of Turn to Page 11