Magistrate’s Court Argument Over Cuba Situation... (Press, 3 November 1962)

An incident on October 25, 1962, involving a heated argument over the situation in Cuba escalated into a physical confrontation at the pie cart in Cathedral Square. Sergeant B. D. Read provided testimony in court, noting that the altercation required police intervention to separate the involved parties. Peter James Olin, a 19-year-old truck driver, and 37-year-old scrap dealer Ronald Russell Taylor both pleaded guilty to charges related to the fight, receiving fines of £10 and £7 10s, respectively. Defence lawyer Mr G. R. Lascelles argued that Taylor was initially a bystander who became involved after derogatory comments were made, leading to the conflict. In other court proceedings, Robert Johnston, aged 67, was convicted of assault and fined £5, after admitting to being troublesome during a minor motor accident. Meanwhile, two youths received a discharge after tipping over a car in a drunken escapade, causing damage of £9 10s. Koro Ihaia, 22, was convicted of offensive behaviour after being found with rude phrases painted on his jacket while watching television. John William Davies, a 34-year-old labourer, also pleaded guilty to theft of a wheelbarrow, for which he was fined £10. A woman, whose name was suppressed, faced a charge of theft from Woolworths, resulting in a suspended sentence pending her adherence to probation conditions. In another case, Michael Walter Mac Gibbon, aged 20, and John Ernest Flutey, aged 26, were convicted and fined for stealing a warning lamp. Charges against Kenneth Peter Mansfield concerning driving without care and attention and assault were adjourned to December. Clifford James Jordan, a 30-year-old driver, was placed on probation for a year for pigeon theft, while Maxim Joseph Francis Huston, 17, was convicted of possessing a firearm and discharged. Breaches of probation led to two 20-year-olds receiving seven days’ imprisonment each. Furthermore, Robert Ross Munro and Desmond Frederick Stokes were fined for being on licensed premises during restricted hours. Deso Calbrik, 28, was fined for public drunkenness, while others faced consequences for various theft and breach of regulations, with some remanded for further hearings later in November. One notable case involved Trevor Jack Laby, sentenced to two years imprisonment for multiple charges of false pretences and obtaining credit by fraud, stemming from incidents across several locations over a month-long period. Similarly, William Lewis Lowey received a cumulative sentence of 18 months for theft and was recommended for deportation. Fraises and theft cases continued with one young offender’s bicycle theft leading to a £20 fine and restitution. Finally, several individuals related to assault charges and theft were remanded for further inquiries or awaiting sentencing, encapsulating a range of criminal activities discussed in court.

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