Ohakune District Court

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 13, 26 August 1986, Page 14

Ohakune District Court

The following cases were heard by District Judge E. W. Unwin in the Ohakune District Court last Thesday. Police sergeant Neil Coker of Ohakune appeared for the prosecution and Traffic Officer Dave Dowsett of Turangi appeared for the Ministry of Transport. ★ ★ ★ Kevin Michael Bowring, 23, unemployed formerly of Raetihi and Ohura but present address unknown, was to have appeared on a defended charge of theft of a motor vehicle to which he had pleaded not guilty in June. Following his non-appear-ance in court a warrant for arrest was issued. His counsel, Mr Paul Brown of Taihape, sought leave to withdraw from the case and Judge Unwin apologised to the four civilian prosecution witnesses who had attended court in the expectation that they would be giving evidence. ★ ★ * Malcolm Bowring, 20, possum trapper of Raetihi, appeared on one charge of dangerous driving, one charge of driving while not being the holder of a licence and one charge of depositing litter in a public place. Court heard how defendant had driven in Seddon Street, Raetihi, on 5 August doing 360 degree turns at intersections, at one of which a beer bottle was thrown from the vehicle. On the dangerous driving charge he was convicted and fined $150, court costs $35 and disqualified for nine months. On the charge of driving without a licence he was convicted and fined $ 1 5, court costs $35. On the charge of depositing litter in a public place he was convicted and fined $100, court costs $35. ★ ★ ★ Judith May Habgood, 1 7, unemployed of Rangataua, pleaded guilty to a charge of breaking and entering a building in Arawa Street, Ohakune, on 1 June with intent to commit a crime therein. She was convicted and remanded on bail of $500 with one surety of a like amount to appear in the Ohakune District Court for a probation officer's report and sentence on 26 September. Counsel: P. Brown. ★ ★ ★ George Lee Hemara, 18, unemployed labourer of

Ohakune, pleaded guilty to the theft of a video cassette recordervalued at $1200 following a break-in at the Ohakune Fire Station on 5 July. After ascertaining there was no foreseeable way of defendant making financial reparation for the stolen property he was remanded in custody to appear in the Wanganui District Court on 2 September. ★ ★ ★ Trevor Murdoch Henare, 20, unemployed of Ohakune pleaded guilty to a charge of breaking and entering the premises of Waimarino Wines in Ohakune on 8 August. Court how defendant had hurled a car battery through the $800 plate glass window in the early hours of the morning in order to obtain wine and tobacco, valued at $753, to replenish stocks at a party he had been attending in Miro Street. Damage amounted to $891 and the value of the stolen goods was $753. Defendant was remanded on bail of $500 with two sureties of a like amount to appear in the Ohakune District Court on 26 September for a probation officers report and sentence. Counsel: P. Brown. ★ ★ ★ Emmanuel Howe, 22, messhand of Ohakune, pleaded guilty to assaulting Paul Hassell Dale on 31 July, He was convicted and fined $300, court costs $35. Half of the fine was to be paid to the complainant. Counsel: D.G. Harvey. ★ ★ ★ Mary Caroline Kaukau, 21, unemployed of Ohakune, pleaded guilty to the theft of a lady's handbag and contents, valued at $181, in the Ohakune Hotel on 11 August. She was convictd and ordered to make reparation of $ 1 8 1 at the rate of $40 per week or face a six-week term of imprisonment in default. Counsel: P. Brown. ★ ★ ★ Bruce Alistair McDonald, 27, service station manager of Ohakune, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving with excess breath alcohol in Ohakune on 30 March. He was convicted and fined $325, court costs $35 and disqualified for six months. ★ ★ ★ Veranique Mudgway, 17, unemployed of Ohakune, pleaded guilty to a charge of breaking and entering a

building in Arawa Street, Ohakune, on 1 June with intent to commit a crime therein. She was convicted and remanded on bail of $500 with one surety of a like amount to appear in the Ohakune District Court for a probation officer's report and sentence on 26 September. Counsel: P. Brown. ★ ★ ★ David Kevin Joseph Northover, 1 8, labourer of Raetihi pleaded guilty to driving with excess breath alcohol at Taihape on 29 March. He was convicted and fined $340, court costs $35 and disqualified for six months. ★ ★ ★ George Pekamu, 18, unemployed of Ohakune, appeared for sentence on two charges of receiving, one charge of unlawfully getting into a motor vehicle and one charge of disorderly behaviour. Sentence had earlier been deferred in order to allow defendant an opportunity to repay the $222 reparation sought and to see if he "could stay out of trouble" for two months. Court heard how defendant had already paid back $100 in reparation and had apparently managed to stay out of trouble. Defendant received a suspended sentence of 12 months and told this was "a final warning." He was disqualified from driving for six months and ordered to continue making reparation at the rate of $10 per week until balance was paid off. Counsel: D.G. Harvey. ★ ★ ★ Adam Dennis Perkins, 1 8, market gardener of Raetihi, appeared for sentence on a charge of burglary to which he had earlier pleaded guilty. He received a 12-month suspended sentence and ordered to pay $200 towards the cost of prosecution. He was ordered to make reparation of $176.29. Counsel: D.G. Harvey. ★ ★ ★ Carl Francis Perkins, 27, self-employed musician, formerly of Raetihi and now of Hamilton, appeared for sentence on a charge of burglary. He had been found guilty at last months court sitting following a defended hearing. He was given a six-month suspended sentence and ordered to make reparation of $3250 in full within 12 months at the rate of $50 per

week or face a riine-month term of imprisonment in default of payment. He was ordered to pay $320 witness expenses. Counsel: P. Brown. ★ ★ ★ Roy Pui, 24, shearer, formerly of Marton now of Ohakune, pleaded guilty to one charge of stealing a rotor arm valued at at $4 on 7 August and to one charge of breaking and entering the premises of Waimarno Wines in Ohakune on 8 August. Court heard how defendant had stolen a rotor arm from another vehicle in order to start his own car from which the rotor arm had been confiscated by a traffic officer. On the second charge Court heard how a plate glass window valued at $800 had been broken in order to gain access to wine and tobacco products, valued at $753, which were then removed from the premises and taken to a party in Miro Street. Defendant was remanded on bail of $500 with one surety of $1000 to appear in the Ohakune District court on 26 September for a probation officer's report and sentence. Counsel: D.G. Harvey. ★ ★ ★ Barry Richards, 1 9, unemployed of Raetihi, appeared for sentence on a charge of unlawfully entering a building to which he had earlier pleaded guilty. He received a 12-month suspended sentence and ordered to pay $200 towards the costs of prosecution. He was ordered to make reparation of $176.29 within 30 days or face a 30-day term of imprisonment. Counsel: P. Brown. ★ ★ ★ Alan Ross Ritchffeld, 35, farmer of Raetihi, pleaded guilty to a charge of having under his control a firearm which, left in such a way in a room in Ballance Street, Raetihi, was a danger to the life of Michael Darryl Walls Mott. The original charge of having a loaded firearm was amended to take into account the fact that the .222 calibre Remington rifle had not been left with a bullet in the breech but that there were cartridges in the magazine and the safety catch had been applied when the gun was placed behind the door in defendant's study. Court heard, through defence counsel, of defend-

ant's most profound regret about what had happened and of his public expression of gratitude and appreciation to the local police in the way they handled the enquiry. In sentencing defendant, Judge Unwin said that the tragic consequences of defendant's oversight in not removing the cartridges from the magazine would be the greatest deterrent. He appreciated that defendant had changed his original plea of not guilty to guilty in order to spare witnesses the trauma of^ having to testify in a defended case. He also said that the police decision not to ask for forfeiture of the firearm indicated that defendant was a mature and responsible person who had an unblemished record to date. Defendant was convicted and fined $700, court costs $35. Counsel: D.G .Harvey. ★ ★ ★ Keith Wayne Rogers, 28, shearer, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving with excess breath alcohol in Hastings on 26 October 1984. He was convicted and fined $340, court costs $35 and disqualified for six months. ★ ★ ★ Glenn Leslie Russell, 23, bar manager of Ohakune, pleaded guilty to assaulting Christopher Arrell on 28 July. He was remanded to appear for a defended hearing in the Ohakune District Court on 23 October. Counsel: D.G. Harvey. ★ ★ ★ Dennis Wayne Smith, 26, unemployed of Ohakune, was to have appeared on a burglary charge following a break-in into a caravan in the Ohakune Borough Council Motorcamp between 4 and 26 June. Following his non-appear-ance to answer the charge a warrant for arrest was issued. ★ ★ ★ George Maxwell Moses Tamatea, 22, part-time labourer of Ohakune, pleaded guilty to a charge of intentionally damaging a car door on 31 July. He was convicted and fined $100, court costs $35, and ordered to make immediate reparation of $100 to cover the cost of damage or face a 21-day term of imprisonment. Counsel: D.G. Harvey. ★ ★ ★ Alison Lynne Thompson, ski instructor of Ohakune, entered a plea of guilty to careless use of a motor vehicle on 27 April at Atiamuri,

Court heard how defendant's car had skidded in wet , conditions and hit a barrier. It was a non-injury accident. She was convicted and fined $140, court costs $35. CounselL P. Brown. ★ ★ ★ Tamahana George Wikohika, 31, unemployed sideshow operator of Raetihi, appeared handcuffed, on two charges of burglary and one charge of receiving. Court heard how defendant had broken into the premises of Peach Cornwall and Partners on 3 June and taken two cheques, one of which, for $875, he cashed at the Bank of New Zealand in Raetihi. The second cheque, for $8,675, he placed in a Post Office Savings Bank account from which all fund have since been with(Jrawn. On the other burglary charge Court heard how defendant had entered a dwelling in King Street, Raetihi on 29 July, and stole a portable stereo, a video tape, a set of headphones, several magazines and an ice-cream container full of confectionery. On the receiving charge court heard how property - a Philips portable stereo system valued at $800 - which had been taken from a house in Palmerston North on 4 November 1985 had been found at defendants' address. Asked why defendant was handcuffed to a constable, sergeant Neil Coker explained that, as the Ohakune District Court had no secure holding facilities and because the defendant had previously "taken off', it was deemed a wise precaution to ensure defendant appeared in court to answer the charges. Despite bail being opposed by police, defendant was remanded on bail of $500 with two sureties of $ 1 000 to appear in the Ohakune District Court on 26 September for a probation officer's report and sentence. Counsel: P. Brown. ★ ★ ★ Marie Anne Winiata, 28, part-time market gardener of Raetihi, pleaded guilty to three charges involving false pretences, fraud and obtaining credit by fraud. The offences occurred in Palmerston North on 1 1 , 1 2 and 17 August 1983. She received a 12-month suspended sentence and was ordered to pay court costs of $35 on each charge. She was also ordered to make reparation of $27. Counsel: P. Brown. ★ ★ ★