Fines Of $l500 For Assault (Press, 4 August 1988)

On 4 August 1988, Judge Fraser imposed fines totalling $1,500 on 21-year-old Martin Peter Wilson, who faced sentencing in the District Court after being convicted of two charges of assault. Of the total fine, $1,000 was designated for the complainant, Murray Jackson, who sustained a broken cheekbone requiring surgery. The remaining $500 was to be paid to 15-year-old Ronald Bruce Gubb, who was assaulted on 24 June when Wilson, in response to perceived abusive remarks aimed at him, physically attacked Gubb, resulting in severe injuries including bruising and a bleeding kidney. The second assault occurred on 26 June, after a party, when a dispute over beer led Wilson to punch Jackson, breaking his cheekbone in three places. Wilson's lawyer, Mr N. J. Dunlop, described the behaviour as out of character and explained that Wilson had little recollection of the incidents due to intoxication. The judge ordered Wilson to make payments at a minimum of $100 per week. In another case, transvestite Shane Ian Barwell, aged 23, was denied bail on charges of offering his body for prostitution on Cashel Street and was remanded in custody until 10 August. The police opposed bail, stating Barwell was allegedly offending while on bail. His duty solicitor mentioned Barwell's mother's recent death and his desire to attend her funeral, but the judge later found out that no funeral service was held. Barwell also faced charges for possessing cannabis and breaching bail conditions but did not plead to these. Diane Irene Palermo, 25, received a 12-month deferred sentence for forging a Social Welfare Department cheque to buy baby clothes. She altered a legitimate cheque from $150 to $250 in a failed attempt to persuade a shopkeeper to accept it. Her lawyer argued that the act was motivated by her need to provide for her newborn baby and sought a deferred sentence instead of community service or detention, given her circumstances. Robin Barry Burrows, 24, was remanded to 10 August on theft charges amounting to $6,736 from his employer, Smiths City Market. The thefts involved taking a cash bag worth $5,700 on 22 July and stealing an additional $1,036 over several dates between August 1987 and July 1988. A man charged with assaulting his son received name suppression. The incident occurred on 23 July after the father discovered his son had not returned home from school. Following an argument, the father punched the boy but was discharged without conviction, ordered only to pay $150 towards prosecution costs. Lastly, Barry Norman Surton-Rangi, aged 50, faced charges of wounding two women recklessly on 18 July. A psychiatric report was requested for his case, and he was remanded on bail to 10 August for the setting of a depositions date.

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