Jail for court house protester

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 655, 24 September 1996, Page 6

Jail for court house protester

The following cases were heard by Judge Barry Lovegrove in the Ohakune District Court last Thursday. Police senior-sergeant Ross Bielby appeared for the prosecution. Protester in Court Martinus Julian Dekker, 38, unemployed of Raetihi, was not expected to appear in the Ohakune District Court last Thursday on a charge of assaulting a female as he had been remanded for a depositions hearing in the Taihape District Court later this week (on 27 September). However, he did appear, first outside the court with a large protest board featuring a number of claims, and later in the court after Judge Lovegrove adjourned proceedings because of the loud verbal protests outside by Dekker who was accusing police of being liars, thieves, breaking the law and of persecuting males, husbands and partners. When Dekker was brought before the court and asked to desist from dis-

turbing the tranquility of proceedings he declined to give such an assurance and was remanded in custody in the police cells in Ohakune while the remainder of the proceedings continued throughout the day. He was escorted out "under protest". At the end of the day Dekker was again brought before the court and continued to protest that it was his legal right to have his objections and claims heard citing as his authority the Magna Carta (a charter recognising the rights of barons and freemen signed by England's King John at Runnymede in 1215AD). Despite being told repeatedly by Judge Lovegrove that he would be held in contempt of court if he continued to read passages from the Magna Carta and not agreeing to desist from disturbing the court, and claiming to be a political pris-

oner, Dekker held to his beliefs and accused the court of not upholding the law. He was again remanded in custody. Suspended prison sentence Newton Lawson, 22, ACC beneficiary of Raetihi, appeared for sentence on two charges of receiving and one charge of possession of cannabis. In a plea of mitigation counsel Paul Brown said his client had changed considerably for the better since he first represented him several years ago. In his summing up Judge Lovegrove reminded Lawson that these current charges were part of a long history of dishonesty offences (15 since 1991) which had left a number of victims in his wake. "Receiving is a serious offence because it encourages theft", Judge Lovegrove told Lawson, "and I intend to impose a prison sentence". "However, I note from your pre-sentence report that there has been a considerable improvement since your release from prison and your moving to live in this area. I note also that you have strong family support." Lawson was sentenced to eight months imprisonment suspended for 12 months on the two receiving charges. On all charges he was convicted and sentenced to 160 hours community service. Provocation claim Robert Lewis Tumanako Paul, 18, unemployed of Raetihi, was to have appeared for a defended hearing on several charges involving wilful damage and

resisting police to which he had earlier pleaded not guilty. However, when he appeared last Thursday, he changed his pleas to guilty. He was also appearing for sentence on a charge of burglary on which he had been found guilty after a defended hearing on 27 June. Court heard how a passing police patrol had observed what appeared to be an assault on a female at 1 1.50pm on SH49 near the Ohakune Carrot on 2 February. Defence counsel, Paul Brown, told the Court that an argument had developed between his client and Paul' s former girlfriend but this had involved only verbal and not physical abuse. The court heard how Paul thought he had been provoked by police action and the dent in the police vehicle roof was caused by his head being forced onto the roof while being handcuffed rather than by striking the roof with his handcuffed hand as claimed by police. He was convicted and sentenced to nine months supervi sion for the burglary and ordered to make $200 reparation to the victim. On the charge of resisting police, causing damage to a police vehicle and a police shirt, he was ordered to make reparation of $140 to the New Zealand Police. Expensive packett of cigarettes Iqbal Singh, 27, unemployed market gardener of Ohakune, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving with excess blood alcohol (165/ 100) on Clevedon Road, Papakura, on 29 July. Defence counsel, Eric Forster, explained that his client had travelled only 600 metres from his host' s house

to buy a packet of cigarettes when he was stopped by police. "That was an expensive packet of cigarettes" Judge Lovegrove told defendant as he convicted and fined Singh $660, court costs $95 and disqualified him for seVen months. Singh was ordered to pay medical expenses of $80 and analyst' s fees of $69. Not guilty plea Paoro Victor Toho, 20, from the Tieke Marae, pleaded not guilty to a charge of possession of a .22 calibre rifle in a public place without lawful purpose on 27 July. He was remanded for a defended hearing on 19 December. First offender Lillian Shanks, 39, Yestaurateur of Ohakune, pleaded guilty to three driving charges in Hawera on 20 August. These involved careless use of a motor vehicle, failing to ascertain if injury had occurredand excess breath alcohol (795/1). Court heard how Shanks had collided with a parked car and driven away without checking to see if anyone had been injured. She had then returned later and driven past the accident site where a police patrol vehicle was in attendance. The police officer noted the defendant' s registration number (supplied by a witness) so he followed the car which then failed to stop at a 'Stop' sign. Shanks was convicte'd and fined $750, court costs $95 and disqualified for eight months on the excess breath alcohol charge. The fine and disqualification period also incorporated the other two charges. - Continued next week