Diversion scheme considered for cathedral entry
Police will consider diversion for a Hawkes Bay man who was allegedly found stealing jewellery from inside the quake-damaged Christchurch Cathedral.
Twenty-one-year-old Thomas Michael Duncan Holden’s case was listed for the Christchurch District Court today, but the man, who lives at Ongaonga in Central Hawkes Bay, had already arranged with the police to have it transferred to the Napier District Court.
He was remanded by a court registrar to appear in Napier on October 7.
Holden and his alleged co-offender were caught on security camera and then bailed up by a police dog after going into the fragile and dangerous cathedral site about 2.15am on Sunday.
Holden has been charged with stealing jewellery valued at $300, which was the property of an unknown person, and being found without reasonable excuse in the building.
The other person, a Christchurch man aged in his 20s, was referred to a community justice panel.
The police say they will consider their diversion scheme for Holden. The scheme applies to people who have no previous convictions and face less serious charges. It usually requires them to write a letter of apology, do some community service, or make a payment for damage, or a charitable donation, in exchange for having the prosecution dropped and no conviction placed on their record.
Category: News
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