Dunedin District Court

A 10TH conviction for driving while disqualified or while his licence was suspended brought jail and further disqualification for a 28yearold man who appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday.

Ethyn Mogford, scaffolder, of Dunedin, admitted driving while disqualified, in Bond St, about 7.50pm on March 30.

Mogford waived his right to a presentence report, counsel Deborah Henderson said when he entered his plea.

Convicting Mogford, Judge Michael Turner noted he had nine previous convictions for disqualified or suspended driving.

Mogford was sentenced to 10 months’ jail (with six months’ release conditions) and was disqualified from driving for one year and one month (from January 24 next year when his current ban ends).

Stole groceries

Two Geraldine women charged jointly with stealing $532.20 groceries from Countdown Andersons Bay on Thursday, admitted the offence.

Before the court were Danielle Renee Foster (24), and Anika Jane Northover (29).

Northover further admitted driving while disqualified, in Timaru St on Thursday.

Prosecutor Sergeant Chris George said Foster and Northover went into the store, put $532.20 of groceries into plastic bags and left the store, making no attempt to pay. The groceries were found in the vehicle in which the pair were stopped. Goods worth $149.40 were deemed perishable and unable to be resold.

Foster accepted an informal sentencing indication and waived her right to a presentence report.

Currently on release conditions, Foster had an appalling history for someone aged 24, Judge Turner said. Her history, predominantly for dishonesty, included 15 shoplifting offences last year and six such matters in 2016.

Foster was sentenced to five months’ jail (with six months release conditions) and is to pay $75 reparation.

Northover was remanded in

custody for sentence on July 20.

Jail sentence

Pierre John Tauwhare (63), of Dunedin, was sentenced to four months’ jail.

He had accepted a sentencing indication and admitted speaking threateningly, on February 21; and disorderly behaviour likely to cause violence, resisting a constable and assaulting another constable, on March 14.

Reviewing the facts, Judge Turner said Tauwhare was trespassed from PARS’ Stafford St premises in early February, after damaging property there.

About noon on February 21, Tauwhare went to the PARS office.

Asked to leave, Tauwhare became angry with the 48yearold male employee who escorted him towards the door. Tauwhare swore at and verbally abused the man. Then, while ‘‘in his face’’, he threatened to stab him.

The employee was physically unharmed but was left feeling extremely distressed.

The March 14 charges were from Tauwhare’s behaviour at The Social Club bar in the Octa gon, about 4pm.

When police arrived and tried to move him towards the patrol car, Tauwhare began to struggle and resist and had to be handcuffed.

He spat at a constable who removed a cigarette from his mouth. Some of the saliva landed on the constable’s hand.

Tauwhare was sentenced to four months’ jail for assaulting the constable and given threemonth sentences on the other charges — all terms concurrent.

Imposing imprisonment, the judge said a communitybased sentence was inappropriate. To say Tauwhare had an appalling criminal history was ‘‘an understatement’’.

Sentence increased

A woman on home detention for blackmail had two weeks added to her sentence for a dishonesty offence committed before she was put on home detention.

A jury trial in January this year resulted in Olivia Louise Fusco (21) of Dunedin, being found guilty of blackmailing a fellow boardinghouse resident on April 28 last year.

Sentenced in April this year, Fusco was given four months and two weeks’ home detention (with six months’ postdetention conditions).

On Tuesday this week, Fusco admitted dishonestly using a credit card on December 24 and was sentenced to two weeks’ home detention (from August 18 when her current term ends) and ordered to pay $23.50 reparation.

The credit card charge was from her using the card, knowing it be have been stolen, to pay two taxi fares — one for $11.40, the other for $12.10.

Counsel Steve Turner said Fusco had with her $23.50 to make immediate reparation.

A 29yearold man charged jointly with Fusco in regard to the blackmail pleaded guilty in November and was sentenced to 11 months’ jail.

The $400 obtained in the blackmail was to be returned to the victim, the judge said.

Other convictions

JeanPierre Patrick Harold Bouyer (28), shearer, disqualified driving, Buckleys Rd, Christ church, 8.12am, September 22, 60 hours’ community work, disqualified six months; failing to attend court, Christchurch, November 8, 50 hours’ community work (concurrent). Judge noted Bouyer had one previous conviction for each of the offences.

Chantelle Maria Antoinette VanderpennenGillespie (36), of Dunedin, dangerous driving, Panmure Ave, about 12.40pm, September 25, disqualified eight months, witnesses’ expenses $100. VanderpennenGillespie pleaded not guilty but Judge Turner found the charge proved; said VanderpennenGillespie had just been involved in an argument with a man, road narrow because of parked vehicles, VanderpennenGillespie’s normal speed for the particular piece of road 25kmh, the man in the middle of the road, VanderpennenGillespie approached faster than she normally would, did not stop, slow down, take evasive action or toot horn; the man had to jump out of the way; judge said ‘‘I’m uncertain whether the defendant’s vehicle struck him; he said he believed he’d been struck but was able to maintain his footing . . . I find the defendant’s driving was careless and created a dangerous situation, particularly for the man’’.

Laqwesha Ngarongo Maudina Mercer (25), of Dunedin, breaching community work (failed to complete required number of hours within period prescribed), March 9, sentence cancelled, new 150hour term (takes into account 115 hours remaining on sentence cancelled), warning ‘‘continue to fail to comply . . . prison likely’’.

Matthew Merwood (23), employed, of Dunedin, breaching community work (failed to report to probation), April 7, sentence cancelled, new 120hour term, warning ‘‘if you breach . . . imprisonment likely’’.

Shane Robert Sapwell (39), employed, of Dunedin, possessing cannabis (two small bags cannabis head beneath passenger’s floor mat in his vehicle), Gore, about 4pm, April 23, fined $650, court costs $130 (two previous convictions for cannabis possession — first in 2007, other in 2008.