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LATEST COURT NEWS:
Cell door more daunting than usual
Christchurch District Court’s Saturday session ran late today when the men’s cell door refused to unlock.
Two face pharmacy robbery charges
Two men charged with the armed hold-up of three Christchurch pharmacies appeared in the Christchurch District Court this morning.
Child pornography charges admitted
A 34-year-old who mislaid his plug-in USB drive at work is now facing sentence for 10 charges of possessing child pornography.
Sex attack victim believed she would be murdered
A 20-year-old woman believed she would be murdered during a three-hour sex attack by Christchurch man Gareth William Davis.
Recordings show prison drug dealing by lifer
Crystal clear cellphone recordings of drug dealing by an inmate from inside Christchurch Men’s Prison where he is already serving a life sentence, were played to a Christchurch District Court hearing.
'Mask of respectability' hid indecencies - Judge
Judge Jane Farish has lifted what she called “the mask of respectability” from businessman, restaurateur, and grandfather Graham Dixon Catley, jailing him from two years two months for indecent assaults on three boys decades ago.
Trial hears fate of 'toy' pistol involved in fatal fight
The fate of the imitation pistol that Timothy John Constable was holding when he was killed has now been revealed at the trial of three men charged with his murder.
Court stumbles over laughing gas issue
For Sale: soon, probably, 8466 canisters of laughing gas. Only reputable retailers or wholesalers need apply.
Violent relationship described at murder trial
Timothy John Constable talked a lot about guns and had access to other firearms, his girlfriend Gisinda Coombs told the High Court at Christchurch where three men are charged with his murder in a fight where he was holding an imitation pistol.
Bail granted on grooming-for-sex charges
Electronically monitored bail has been granted to a man facing a long list of under-age sex charges, after a month in custody on remand.
Indication shooting accused may defend charges
Five more charges have been laid against Christopher Graeme Smith – accused of shooting two policemen and killing a police dog – and the 34-year-old has indicated he may defend all charges.
Youth admits driving caused fatal crash
An 18-year-old youth has admitted killing four-year-old Nayan Woods when his out-of-control car skidded onto the footpath and crushed the boy as he was walking along Linwood Avenue.
Fatal fracas described at murder trial
The fatal fracas in which Timothy John Constable was beaten, stabbed, and killed has been described by Mr Constable’s teenage girlfriend, who was in the midst of it, at a High Court murder trial in Christchurch.
Self defence claims at murder trial
Men charged with the murder of Timothy John Constable have said they acted in self-defence against a man armed with a pistol in the melee in which the 24-year-old was beaten and stabbed to death.
Stabbing followed text threats, murder trial told
After a night of threats and abuse by text message, it was six frenetic minutes from Timothy John Constable’s arrival at a Christchurch house to when he lay dead in the gutter.
Teenager admits tavern robbery charges
A 19-year-old youth has admitted a firearms incident as part of a robbery attempt at the Glenbyre Tavern, but police have withdrawn a charge of attempted murder at the Christchurch District Court today.
Community detention sentence for brain injury
A 19-year-old man who punched his victim in an “unprovoked, premeditated attack” causing serious brain injury, was sentenced to community detention in the Christchurch District Court today.
West Coast man jailed for strangling woman
Former Hokitika man Michael Kane Skelton has gone to jail for two years three months for a series of violent offences including strangling his partner into unconsciousness.
New firearms charges laid after police shooting
Six new charges have been laid against 31-year-old Steven Paul Smith, the brother of the man who allegedly shot two police officers in Christchurch last week.
Bizarre behaviour described at sex attack sentencing
Daniel Kinloch Hutt’s efforts to have sex after a bar hook-up at Rangiora have led to a two-year eight-month jail term.
Nurse Maude worker bitten by guard dog, court told
A judge has quickly quashed a Northcote man’s contention that his dog had the right to bite anyone who came into his house.
Child sex offender begins 12-year jail term
Downcast and weeping in the dock, Andrew Shane Walker has begun a 12-year jail term for the sexual abuse of two small girls.
Judge refuses jail time for threats to PM, officials
Mark Stafford Feary, who changed his name and demanded a prison sentence for threats to the Prime Minister and government officials, has been fined $20,000.
Assault on child for honking car horn admitted
A 50-year-old Christchurch man has admitted assaulting his seven-year-old son when he made a fuss while waiting in a car parked outside a bottlestore.
Guilty pleas halt West Coast child sex abuse trial
A West Coast sex offender has suddenly admitted 31 offences while the second of his five child sex victims was giving evidence against him in a Christchurch District Court jury trial.
Teen jailed for street robbery with racial slurs
A street robbery in which racial slurs were used against the two Korean victims has led to a two-year three-month jail term for an 18-year-old offender.
Reparation share for 80 computer theft victims
Eighty victims of the Operation Wizard computer theft conspiracy will share $13,300 in reparation payments that the two main offenders were ordered to pay today as they began prison terms.
Girl confronted abuser with slug gun, crown alleges
The crown will allege a young girl used a slug gun to confront the man who was sexually abusing her, to try to stop his abuse of her younger sister.
Taggers face clean-up, and big bills
Positive feedback on social networking website Bebo encouraged a 19-year-old to continue his tagging until his damage bill totalled more than $11,000.
No more 'Granite' drug lab arrests expected
No more arrests are now expected from the police’s Operation Granite P-lab raids on June 9, and two more of the accused were released on bail after hearings in the Christchurch District Court today.
'Model judge' bids farewell
Christchurch has farewelled a man described as “a model judge” at his last sitting day in the Christchurch District Court, after 33 years on the bench.
Cannabis raid accused sent for trial
Ten Christchurch people charged over the police’s Operation Lime cannabis raids have been committed for trial, and sent to a pre-trial conference on September 24.
No convictions for doctor on assault charges
A highly regarded doctor who ended up in psychiatric care has been discharged without conviction after admitting assaults on five nurses.
Jail term follows disastrous seduction
A Chinese student’s disastrous seduction attempt has brought him a two-year one-month jail term.
Man extradited from Australia on fraud charges
A 53-year-old man, Peter Edward Hynes, has been extradited from Australia to face 41 fraud charges totalling $1.5 million.
Friday at Court
A 75-year-old man who has admitted 11 charges of indecently assaulting three boys in the 1960s and 1970s is to be sentenced at 9.15am. He has interim name suppression at present. (Jailed for two years two months. Suppression lifted. A report now appears on this page.)
A day-long hearing is scheduled over disputed facts concerning a drug ring that was run from inside Christchurch Men's Prison by a former gang member, Dean Waka Nathan, serving a life sentence for murder. Nathan has admitted the drug dealing charges, but disputes the scale of the operation. He may be sentenced at the end of the hearing. (Hearing is scheduled to go on all day. A report now appears on this page.)
The District Court has its monthly call-over of upcoming trials from 2.15pm before Judge Farish. The session settles dates for cases to be heard.
The trial of three men accused of murdering Timothy John Constable, and two women accused of assaulting him, is not sitting today. The hearing before Justice Chisholm and a jury will resume in the No 1 High Court on Monday.
Police Watch
Police closed in within minutes to arrest two men for a series of pharmacy robberies, after drugs were taken at knifepoint from the pharmacy on the corner of Colombo Street and Bealey Avenue on Friday night.
Details of police alerts are on the Police Watch page. Click the link at left.
Quote of the Week
"Can you describe her, kindly?"
Christchurch District Court Judge Emma Smith, obviously wary of what the reply might be in the crowded No 1 Court, asks a defendant to describe the woman duty solicitor he has just spoken to, when he cannot recall her name.
Observations Page
Click the link at left for the Observations page.
Wargaming Group
Commanders wanted:
Rapid promotion guaranteed
The RSA wargame group has its regular meetings from 7pm on the first and third Thursdays of the month, in the billard section downstairs at its central city premises which run between Armagh and Gloucester Streets. More tables can be set up as required. The next wargaming night will be on Thursday August 5, from 7pm.
We expect to be playing a probably two World War 2 wargames on the night. Players interested in the period are welcome to come along and join in. All models will be supplied and no experience is necessary. A large colonial refight is being planned for another session shortly and additional commanders are needed.
If you'd like to see what the wargame group has been doing lately, please go to:
http://christchurch-rsa-wargaming-group.webs.com/
Visitors are always welcome. If anyone would like to take part they should contact David at anneanddavid@xtra.co.nz or phone 352-1448 (evenings).
The group wants to expand and needs wargamers, modellers, and researchers willing to help develop and test the rules and to research the scenarios necessary for gamers to refight historical battles.
The wargamers are a social and co-operative group and assistance will be given with any research ventures that would help with development.
Please bring this information to the attention of any wargamers you know.
