OHAKUNE DISTRICT COURT

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 5, Issue 1, 3 June 1987, Page 12

OHAKUNE DISTRICT COURT

The following undefended cases were heard by Judge P.J. Toomey of Palmerston North in the Ohakune District Court last Thursday. Police sergeant Neil Coker of Ohakune appeared for the prosecution and Traffic Officer Bruce Carr of Turangi appeared for the Ministry of Transport. Sandra May Bergesen, 23, farmhand of Ohakune, pleaded not guilty to one charge of ' causing death by carelessly using a motor vehicle on SH49 on 20 February and to one charge of driving on a public road without a current licence on the same date.

She was remanded at| large to appear for a defended hearing on both charges in the Ohakune District Court on 27 August. Prudence Rosemary Casey, 26, school teacher of Wanaka (formerly of Ohakune), pleaded guilty by letter to a charge of failing to comply with the directions of a traffic officer in Moore Street, Ohakune, on 4 Deccmber 1986. In her letter of explanation defendant told of driving a Ford Transit van with college students aboard and towing a trailer of kayaks out of Moore Street when she realised she had entered a recently

designated one-way system at the Junction with Tainui Street (sic) Clyde Street, Ohakune. Her error was pointed out by her students so she stopped and attempted to reverse. However, according to defendant, a traffic officer appeared at that stage and directed her to continue through the one-way system. He then booked her for this offence, claimed defendant. Defendant explained in her letter to Court that she would have pleaded not guilty to the charge had she stayed in Ohakune but as the cost of travelling from Wanaka to Ohakune to defend the case was "prohibitive", she decided ito plead guilty. She was convicted and jfined $50, court costs $55. George Lee Hemara, 18, unemployed garden worker of Ohakune, appeared for sentence on a charge of burglary from the Ohakune/Karioi Sports Club on 28 April to which he had pleaded guilty at the

Ohakune District Court hearing on 7 May. In convicting and sentencing defendant to corrective training and ordering him to make reparation of $129.22 before December 1987, Judge Toomey reminded defendant that this was his third similar offence over a 12-month period. Judge Toomey said that this type of offence - breaking and entering to obtain more liquor when party supplies ran out - was becoming too prevalent and would attract even stiffer penalties in future. Counsel: P. Brown. Gerard Michael Hipango, 30, unemployed of Ohakune, appeared for sentence on three charges of false pretences and two charges of obtaining documents for pecuniary advantage to which he had pleaded guilty at the Ohakune District Court hearing on 7 May. Judge, Toomey agreed with defendant's explanation that the offences related to a particular individual with whom defendant had a personality difference, was out of character and was unlikely to occur again. He was convicted on each charge and ordered to come up for sentence within 12 months if called upon. He was ordered to make reparation of $1060 by 1 January 1988. Emmanuel Howe, 22, forestry labourer of Ohakune, appeared for sentence on a charge of burglary to which he had pleaded guilty at the 5 May hearing of the Ohakune District Court. Judge Toomey reminded defendant that while he had previous convictions, the last involving a similar offence was 6 years ago. However, because the practice of breaking and entering licensed premises

to obtain more liquor when supplies at a party ran out had become too prevalent, penalties will become more harsh in future. He was convicted and sentenced to 6 months periodic detention and ordered to make reparation of $129.22 by 14 July. Counsel: P. Brown. Donald Daniel Kiu, 24, labourer of Ohakune, appeared for sentence on a charge of assault to which he had pleaded guilty in the Marton District Court on 8 March. He was convicted and, sentenced to five months periodic detention. Cliff James Leed, 31, car worker of Raetihi, pleaded not guilty to a charge of stealing a Miller arc-welding unit valued at $6,500 between 28 June and 28 December 1986. He was remanded on bail of $1000 to appear in the Ohakune District Court on 27 August for a defended hearing. Vernon Leslie McLeod, 18, student carver of Karioi, appeared for sentence on a charge of burglary of liquor from the Ohakune/Karioi Sports Club on 28 April to which he had pleaded guilty at the Ohakune District Court hearing on 7 May. After hearing a plea from counsel as to defendant's family background he was remanded to appear in the Ohakune District Court on 25 June wkh a view to imposing a sentence of community care. Counsel: D.G Harvey. George Ashwood Pekamu, 20, unemployed landscape gardener of Ohakune, appeared for sentence on a charge of burglary from the Ohakune/Karioi Sports Club on 28 April to which he had pleaded guilty in the Ohakune District Court on 7 May.

Defendant was reminded that over the past four and a half years a range of penalties had been imposed for a series of offences and, since none of them had apparently been successful to date, the range of options other than imprisonment were running out. In convicting and sentencing defendant to a 4month term of periodic detention and ordering him to pay $129.22 reparation in $10 weekly payments, Judge Toomey gave defendant a final warning or face a term of imprisonment. Judge Toomey said that the penalties for this type of behaviour - breaking and entering to obtain more grog when party supplies have run out - could be expected to attract harsher penalties in the future. Counsel: D.G. Harvey. Neil Noel Malcolm Randall, 19, fitter's assistant of Ohakune, was to have appeared on a charge of failing to stop on SH49 at the signal of a police constable in uniform on 15 April. On production of a medical certificate explaining his absence defendant was remanded to appear in the Ohakune District Court on 25 June. Esmeralda Esmay Takerei, 17, unemployed of Ohakune, pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawfully getting into a stolen motor vehicle in Wanganui on 14 February. She was sentenced to three month's periodic detention. Grant Lionel Taylor, 26, of Raetihi, was to have appeared on a charge of driving while forbidden but, following a telephone call to counsel from Wellington advising that he could not attend on the day, he was remanded at large to appear in the Ohakune District Court on 25 June. Michael John Whale, 17, farmer of Kakatahi, pleaded guilty to a charge of careless use of a motor vehicle on SH49 on 22 February. Court heard how defendant had fallen asleep at the wheel in the early hours of the morning and how the vehicle had run off the road. There was no suggestion that alcohol was involved. Defendant was convicted and fined $150, court costs $55. Counsel: D.G. Harvey.