Courts deal with quake crime

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Earthquake stresses were showing at Christchurch District Court today as a long line of people were dealt with on cases apparently related to the emergency.

Judge Stephen Erber handed out remands in custody for some, warnings for others, and additional community work for one man in the hope that he could use it to help with the city's vast clean-up.

Jack Allan McPherson, an 18-year-old sheet metal worker from Waltham, admitted a charge of hindering a constable while a state of emergency was declared.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Jeremy Siddell said McPherson was inside the cordon and on the street within the curfew period at 10.10pm on Saturday. He ran away but was found trying to hide behind a wall in a secure parking area.

Defence counsel Teng Pang said McPherson was drunk at the time and had gone through the cordon because he was curious about the extent of the damage.

"He didn't realise the police were regarding the matter so seriously. He can't remember much because he was so drunk. He didn't mean to cause inconvenience and regrets his actions," said Ms Pang.

Judge Erber said: "I hardly need to say this was a particularly silly thing to have done. There is a state of emergency and you are messing around because you are drunk."

He imposed 50 hours of community work.

Anthony Heath Cook, a 35-year-old sickness beneficiary, of Aranui, pleaded guilty to a charge of intentionally smashing the window of a Stanmore Road dairy on Sunday. Ms Pang said he did it because he was stressed by the earthquake and he did not intend to take anything.

Judge Erber noted he had been recently released from a long prison sentence and was due to appear on Monday for breaching his prison release conditions. He had caused the damage while on bail.

"A remand in custody for the benefit of the public safety is required," he said, ordering that Cook be held until Monday.

An Islington man was charged with disorderly behaviour for abusing the staff at a service station where he had gone to get something to eat. He also said he was stressed by the earthquake.

Another unemployed man who admitted not doing his 40-hour community work sentence was given an extra 40 hours by Judge Erber, who said: "I'll give him the opportunity to do all his hours. There's a great need for people to help out at the moment."

Seventeen-year-old Liam Blair Farmer, unemployed, of Waltham, has found himself in custody after being picked up early today on a charge of drink-driving and in breach of his bail.

Police opposed bail and Judge Erber accepted that - he was the judge who recently gave Farmer a final warning and imposed bail conditions banning him from driving and imposing a curfew. He broke both conditions.

Judge Erber said Farmer had earlier been charged with taking a car belonging to someone engaged in relief work at the time.

"You were very lucky to get bail at that time," he said. "You are remanded in custody to Monday to reflect on the merits of obedience."

Several other people were granted registrar's remands, without having to appear before a judge, on charges of hindering or obstructing the police while the state of emergency had been declared, or being found unlawfully in the yard of a medical centre on Saturday.

- NZPA