Transvestite Admits Assault On Man (Press, 17 April 1984)

On 17 April 1984, a District Court was informed of a violent assault stemming from an alleged sexual advance made towards an admitted transvestite. The accused, 17-year-old Hughes Allen Moerua, was charged with assaulting 44-year-old John Dodge, inflicting severe facial injuries during the incident that occurred on March 31. Sergeant J. E. Dwyer reported that the two had been drinking at Tavern Rachel before travelling by taxi to a Worcester Street address, where the assault intensified. Moerua allegedly knocked Dodge to the ground and stamped on his face multiple times, leaving him badly bleeding. Dodge was subsequently hospitalised for a week and underwent surgery for his injuries. While Moerua acknowledged striking Dodge at the tavern, he claimed to have no memory of the subsequent events. He accused Dodge of making a sexual suggestion, which Dodge denied. At the time of the incident, Moerua, who is known in Christchurch as Sabre Krystle Jones, was dressed in women's clothing. Moerua was also remanded in custody for a separate charge of assaulting a police officer during an incident on April 1, to which he pleaded not guilty. His court date was set for April 30 for a probation report and sentencing. In another case, an accountant, aged 34, denied fifteen charges of social welfare fraud amounting to approximately $2,000, believed to have occurred in Auckland between December 1981 and April 1982. He was remanded on bail, with a hearing scheduled for June 5 and interim suppression of his name granted. Regarding drug offences, Larry Keith Hunter, a 31-year-old shearer, was found with 2,917 cannabis seeds and two grams of cannabis plant at his home in Kaiapoi when police executed a search warrant. He admitted possession on April 6 and was subsequently convicted. Hunter claimed the seeds were for his personal use. His defence attorney suggested a fine might suffice, given the small quantity, but Judge Palmer called for a probation report. Further legal proceedings included a 76-year-old man facing charges of indecently assaulting two 11-year-old girls, for which he did not enter a plea and was remanded to April 30 with interim name suppression. Additionally, 23-year-old Rhys Ivor Morgan, a welder, was remanded without plea to April 30 on charges related to possessing cannabis preparations and leaf intended for sale. Lastly, 21-year-old Martin Deporres Lalor, a fine arts student, confessed to stealing three bags from American tourists, an act he attributed to feeling depressed. The value of the stolen property totalled $1,720. He was remanded for a probation report, with the Judge noting that such thefts dent New Zealand's image as a tourist destination. Lalor's history of depression and serious motorcycle accident injuries were cited by his counsel during the hearing.

The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact

The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand