Ohakune District Court

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 235, 15 March 1988, Page 13

Ohakune District Court

The following cases were heard by Judge E.W. Unwin in the Ohakune District Court on Thursday March 3. Sergeant N e i 1 Coker appeared for the police and traffic officer Ian Harrison for the MoT. Key dispute Martinus Dekker, 30, of Raetihi, pleaded not guilty to the theft of keys valued at $7.50 on November 25 last year. Court heard how defendant had a physical fight with complainant, his employer at the time, over payment for work done. Defendant then left the scene outside complainant's property and later returned on his motorbike. On hearing the motorbike, complainant went outside and found the keys to his 4-wheeler missing. The keys had been in the vehicle during the altercation, complainant claimed. Defendant said he had been provoked into fighting and took the keys out of the vehicle and threw them into scrub on the c o m - plainant's property in anger. However he had later offered to help complainant find the keys, an offer that was refused. Judge Unwin asked that defendant and a policeman go to complainant's property in an effort to recover the keys. The case was adjoumed until May. Counsel: D.G. Harvey. Knife assault A 27-year-old solo parent of Raetihi, who was granted continued interim suppression of name, pleaded guilty to assault with a knife. Court heard how defendant lashed out at her boyfriend with his own pocketknife after a domestic argument in the public bar of the Ruapehu Hotel, Seddon Street, Raetihi on October 10. He was taken to hospital for treatment to a wound on his left breast. Defendant was convicted and remanded until April 14 for a probation officer's report and sentence. Counsel: D.G. Harvey. Excess alcohol Brett Ronald Wilson, 22, welder of Ohakune, pleaded guilty to driving with excess breath alcohol, no warrant of fitness and not displaying the car's registration in the prescribed manner. Court heard how defendant was stopped in Miro Street, Ohakune on December 3 and an inspection of the vehicle showed no warrant or licence. He had re-

cently bought the car in Napier. Liquor was smelt on defendant's breath and an evidential breath test taken returned a level of 650:1. Judge Unwin convicted and fined him $500 and disqualified him from driving for 12 months for the breath/alcohol charge. He was convicted and ordered to pay $ 5 5 costs on the two other charges. Insecure load Ernest James O'Hanlon, 38, driver, faced a charge of operating a vehicle with an insecure load on State Highway 49 on October 22 last year. O'Hanlon, who did not appear for the defended hearing, was stopped after several "whole, large potatoes" fell off the deck of his truck causing an elderly woman motorist following him to brake and swerve. He had not checked the deck after unloading a bin of potatoes. Defendant was convicted and fined $100. Counsel: D.G. Harvey. Window damage Stephen Patrick Munro, 17, unemployed of Raetihi, pleaded guilty to intentionally damaging a window in Raetihi on January 8. Defendant, who became jealous of his girlfriend talking to another man during a drinking session with friends, walked off and slammed a window with

the palm of his hand. He was taken to Wanganui Base Hospital with serious hand lacerations. In explanation, defendant said he was angry and had had too much to drink. Judge Unwin order him to make reparation of $143. Counsel: P. Brown. Theft and breakage George Ashford Pekamu, 20, unemployed of Ohakune, faced charges of theft and wilful damage arising from an incident at the Ohakune Hotel on February 16 last year. Defendant stole a plastic beer jug valued at $7.50 from the hotel and later broke a glass in Clyde Street, Ohakune. He pleaded guilty to both charges, and was convicted and fined $50 for theft and $175 for wilful damage. Burglary and theft Dennis Mason Peihopa Bishop, 19, unemployed of Ohakune, pleaded guilty to two charges of burglary and one of theft. Court heard how defendant broke into the premises of Jazzergetics at Goldfinch Street, Ohakune, on January 29 and took a cassette player and leather jacket. On the same day, he stole a cassette player and portable television from Far End Trading in Ayr Street.

On February 22, he stole a 10-speed bicycle valued at $300 from the Ruapehu College gymnasium. Judge Unwin convicted and remanded defendant until April 14 for a probation officer's report and sentence. Counsel: P. Brown. Intentional damage Isobel Jane Haitana, 42, bar person, faced a charge of intentional damage to which she pleaded guilty. Court heard how defendant tapped the plate glass window of the Bank of New Zealand in Seddon Street, Raetihi with a half-full rum bottle, on December 23 last year.

The impact cracked the window. Earlier she had been seen by police walking in an intoxicated state. She was convicted and sentenced to make reparation of $225. Counsel: P. Brown. cigarettes George Maxwell Moses Tamatea, 23, driver of Auckland pleaded guilty to receiving three packets of stolen cigarettes valued at $8.64. The cigarettes were taken in the burglary of an Ohakune premises on February 5. Goods valued at $4690 were stolen in the burglary. Defendant was convicted and fined $125 and sentenced to make

reparation of $8.64. Counsel: P. Brown. Insecure load Christopher John Lilburn, 25, driver, pleaded guilty to driving with an insecure load in Clyde Street, Ohakune on December 6 last year. Court heard that nine bales of hay on defendant's truck were insuf-

ficiently covered. Judge Unwin convicted and fined him $145. Counsel: D.G. Harvey. No licence Christine Anne Hagley, 20, gardenhand, pleaded guilty to driving while never having held a drivers licence. Defendant was stopped on Old Station Road,