Jail For Assault On Man In His House (Press, 19 December 1984)

Three men have been sentenced to three months' imprisonment after an assault on a man they believed had committed a homosexual rape against one of their family members. Andrew David Thomas, 20, Michael James Williams, 24, and David Allan Williams, 22, were found guilty of attacking the complainant at his Hereford Street home in Christchurch during the early hours of 4 November 1984. They were also charged with intentionally damaging the man's property. The assault involved the use of a softball bat, resulting in the victim suffering severe bruising and requiring hospital treatment, as well as damage estimated at around $400 to his home. The judge, while acknowledging the motivations behind the attack, noted the defendants’ previous convictions, which influenced the sentencing. Each was ordered to pay reparations of $133 for the damages incurred. In a separate case, a 20-year-old man, whose identity was suppressed, faced indecent exposure charges for exposing himself to girls aged 13 and 14. Convicted of four counts of indecent exposure occurring between 4 May and 15 August 1984, the man’s defence emphasised his financial stress and social challenges, arguing that he did not intend to harm the girls. The judge considered his willingness to address his personal issues upon sentencing him to 12 months of probation. In another incident, Edward Stanley Grantham, 50, was remanded in custody after being found in a former girlfriend's home shortly after his release from prison for threatening her. Grantham had entered the property without a valid reason and was found drinking a beer on her bed. His lawyer claimed Grantham had intended to clarify issues and had no harmful intentions, but this breach led to further legal repercussions. Additionally, Steven John Lewis, 23, received a $300 fine for assaulting a deaf and dumb youth in a Christchurch hamburger bar. Lewis struck the complainant multiple times without provocation. Although he pleaded guilty, Lewis claimed he could not recall the incident due to intoxication. The judge warned him that any future assaults would attract harsher penalties. Finally, Toni Ariel Rogers, 21, a transvestite, was sentenced to six months imprisonment for the fraudulent use of a stolen Diner’s Club card, through which he obtained goods worth around $10,000, though the value at sentencing had been reduced to $1,362. Rogers requested leniency, citing difficulties related to his circumstances in prison, but the judge took note of Rogers’ previous serious charges when determining the sentence, stating that the challenges presented would not be insurmountable for prison staff.

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