The Courts Spitting At Driver Was Assault, Court... (Press, 25 October 1978)

On 25 October 1978, the Magistrate’s Court addressed several incidents, including a case of assault involving a 22-year-old man, Carl Arthur Sparrow. He had verbally abused and spat in the face of 55-year-old Frederick Pick during a road altercation on 8 April. Pick reported that he attempted to overtake Sparrow's slow-moving vehicle, but Sparrow accelerated each time, eventually forcing Pick to stop suddenly behind him. After getting out of his car to confront Sparrow, Pick was met with the aggressive response of being told he was "scum," followed by the assault of being spat upon. Sparrow, who denied any dangerous driving and claimed he was simply trying to communicate, was ultimately convicted of assault, sentenced to 12 months probation, assigned 100 hours of community work, and disqualified from driving for a year. In another case, 17-year-old Kay Ann Mitchell was fined $30 for stealing a policewoman's hat during a pub disturbance on 5 October. After witnessing an arrest outside the Tavern Rachel, Mitchell picked up the hat that had been knocked off a police officer's head and was arrested shortly after when the constable noticed the theft. This incident highlighted a dispute over the actual events surrounding the hat, but the magistrate found Mitchell's account unconvincing. The court also withdrew charges against the Dorian Society in Christchurch for breaching the Sale of Liquor Act due to unavailability of important evidence six months after the alleged incidents. In a separate case, Helen Diane Eden pleaded guilty to stealing a car worth $2,300 on 16 October. After borrowing the vehicle from its owner, she sold it and used the money to clear debts left by her de facto partner, who had abandoned her. Eden was convicted and remanded on bail for a probation report. Rodney Alistair Tinker, aged 22, was convicted for receiving stolen stereo equipment valued at $496, which had been taken during a burglary of the Wholesale Stereo store. He was remanded in custody for a probation report. Brynly Trevor Greer, also 22, faced sentencing after pleading guilty to multiple theft charges related to stealing Social Welfare payment orders from letterboxes in Kaiapoi and Shirley on 6 and 12 October. He was apprehended by the police after discarding the stolen orders during a pursuit. Lastly, Robert Charles Purdy, a 43-year-old barman, admitted to acting as a bookmaker and received significant sums from bets placed during September. His activities were uncovered when police executed a search warrant at his workplace, leading to convictions and a remand for sentencing.

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