Club worker stole to gamble

A woman employed to look after the Wyndham Town and Country Club's gaming machines and finances admitted in the Gore District Court yesterday to stealing $18,067 from the club to pay for her online gambling.

Gaye Heather Jackson, 43, of Wyndham, took the money in $800 to $3000 lots between May 21, 2007, and July 1 this year. Her offending came to light only when the Inland Revenue Department notified the club it was several thousand dollars in ar-rears with GST, PAYE and gaming duty.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Glen McMurdo said Jackson told police she put the money on to her debit card then used it to gamble online. She had intended to replace the money from her winnings but this never eventuated and nothing was paid back, he said.

Jackson was remanded to December 10 for sentence.

Theft: Waikaia Golf Club member Heather Susan Elder, 54, was convicted on charges of stealing $40 on October 6 and a sum of money less than $500, during the past year from the club. Elder, who has been banned from the club, was fined $500.

Intentional damage: Kicking a Westpac ATM proved costly for Hendrix Tamariki Russell Kamo, 17, farm worker, of Wendon. He was sentenced to 50 hours' community work for intentional damage on July 27 and ordered to pay $7810 reparation.

Assault: Kayla Peterson, 17, dairy farm worker, of Mataura, was fined $300 and ordered to pay $200 emotional harm reparation for assaulting a 14-year-old girl at Mataura on August 27. Peterson told police the victim deserved it as she had been bad mouthing her, Mr McMurdo said.

Judge Flatley said he was appalled at Peterson's behaviour. "It's not the wild west, you don't go around beating people up," he said.

Interfered with car: Matthew Reece Puru, 18, was sentenced to 40 hours' community work for interfering with a car owned by Jenkins MainDrive car sales, on September 16. He unsuccessfully tried to siphon petrol from three cars but their tanks were nearly empty.

Cannabis: Bradley Ross Thomas Forward, 25, unemployed, of Ohai, was sentenced to 250 hours' community work for possession of cannabis at Ohoka, on July 23.

Benjamin Bryant, 18, of Winton, was sentenced to 60 hours' community work for the possession of cannabis and possession of utensils for the use cannabis, at his home on September 15.

Threatened: Jade Allan Thomas Wilson, 25, a labourer, was sentenced to 40 hours' community work for behaving in a manner likely to intimidate by threatening to injure an off-duty constable, between July 7 and August 5.

Tony Arnold Batt, 39, was fined $350 for behaving in a threatening manner likely to cause violence against persons to start, on August 3.

High-speed chase: Rawiri Rulon Edwards, 35, a contractor, was convicted on three charges arising from a 1.2km high speed police pursuit around the streets of Mataura, on October 23. At times Edwards reached speeds of 100kmh in the 50kmh zone.

He was fined $1000 and disqualified from driving for 10 months on charges of dangerous driving and refusing to allow a blood specimen to be taken. He was convicted and discharged for refusing to stop for police.

Disqualified: Roger Albert Russell, 55, sickness beneficiary, of Mataura, was convicted and discharged for driving while his licence was revoked on September 4. He was disqualified from driving for six months.

Harawira Matthew David Matchitt Edwards, 23, was fined $400 and disqualified for eight months for driving while disqualified on August 22.

Drink-driving:  Adam Bruce Moffatt, 27, was convicted of driving with a breath alcohol level of 716mcg on August 30. Judge Flatley noted Moffatt's previous record of two youth court appearances and two convictions in the district court for drink-driving.

Moffatt was remanded to January 21 for a drug and alcohol assessment and sentence. He was warned he was looking at a sentence of imprisonment.

Andrew James Evans, 22, 596mcg on October 25. Fined $650 and disqualified from driving for six months.

Brian James Dickison, 52, 615mcg at Riversdale on October 18. Fined $660 and disqualified for six months.

Luke Thomas Caldwell, 19, of Edendale, 764mcg at Edendale on October 24. Fined $820 and disqualified for six months.

Troy Anthony Miitchell, 30, builders' labourer, 922mcg on October 13. Fined $1000 and disqualified for nine months.

Tyson John Renata, 19, railways contractor, of Pukerau, 387mcg (youth level) on October 12. Fined $400 and disqualified for three months.

Mitchell Howard Wagener, 19, dairy farm worker, of Woodlaw, was fined $500 and disqualified for six months for driving with a blood alcohol level of 90mg on July 27.