Nine-month Jail Term For Assault (Press, 8 May 1984)

On 8 May 1984, a District Court judge sentenced 17-year-old Hughes Allen Moerua, known as Sabre Krystle Jones, to nine months in prison for assaulting 44-year-old John Dodge with intent to injure. The attack occurred on the night of 31 March, and it was provoked by an alleged sexual suggestion from Dodge. During the assault, Dodge received severe facial injuries after Moerua stamped on his face multiple times. Despite the peculiar nature of Moerua’s conduct and his attire, which included women’s clothing at the time, a psychiatric evaluation indicated no mental illness. Judge Frampton noted that avoidance of alcohol and bars could reduce the likelihood of reoffending and described the attack as unprovoked and severe, ultimately deeming a custodial sentence necessary. Moerua's lawyer claimed that his client had a "hazy" memory of the events due to the influence of alcohol and barbiturates. In a separate case, Priscilla Anne Bothwell, a 27-year-old solo parent, was apprehended after being convicted of seven counts of shoplifting in Riccarton Mall on 26 April. Bothwell admitted to the charges, explaining to police that her motivations were to acquire nice birthday presents for her daughter. She was remanded at large pending a probation report and sentencing scheduled for 21 May. Police observations noted that she was seen taking clothing from one store, with additional stolen items discovered in her vehicle during a subsequent search. Also reported was Warren Bruce Flutey, a 23-year-old unemployed man facing multiple charges, including eight burglaries and related thefts. Flutey opposed bail as he was remanded in custody until 7 June for deposition-taking. The authorities revealed that approximately $15,670 worth of stolen property was found at his residence. Lastly, 17-year-old Russell Wayne Wakefield was charged with wilfully setting fire to a railway waggon on 25 April. He expressed a desire for a jury trial and was remanded to 8 June for depositions, with bail conditions renewed. Additionally, Wakefield faced an assault charge stemming from an incident on 6 May and was temporarily remanded without entering a plea until 14 May.

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