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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1988-08-03, Page 7THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 1988. PAGE 7. Legion fire accused fails to appear in court A warrant has been issued for the arrest of one of the two men charged in connection with the fire which gutted the Brussels Legion in the early morning hours of July 6. Judge Robert Riley ordered a bench warrant for the arrest of Robert Martin Killick, 22, of no fixed address, after he failed to appear in Wingham District Court on July 27 to face one charge of break, enter and theft and one charge of arson, laid by the Wingham detachment of the On­ tario Provincial Police following the fire. The second man jointly charged with Mr. Killick in connection with the fire, Leonard Gordon Cowie, 22, of Wingham, made a brief appearance before Judge Riley and was remanded to August 24 in order to have time to seek legal aid. Both men were released on their own recognizance following their arrests just hours after the July 6 fire. In other court news, Harry, Maimoon and George Singh, all of RR 2, Baden, appeared before Judge Riley and were remanded to September 28, when they are expected to enter a guilty plea in connection with a charge of cultivation of a narcotic. Wingham OPP laid the charge after a large quantity of marijuana plants, with a projected street value of $150,000 were discovered in a secluded area of Grey Township. A fourth individual, a 17-year-old female whocannot be named under the terms ofthe Young Offender’s Act, appearedon the same charge in Goderich Young Offenders’ Court on July 13 and was set over to August 10, when a date is expected to be set for plea or trial. Filling in for Judge R.G.E. Hunter for the day, Judge Riley went to careful lengths to make sure that several persons appear­ ing before him on alcohol-related charges fully understood the pos­ sible consequences of drinking and driving, but also imposed substan­ tial fines and suspensions on those pleading guilty, after asking court police officers “what Judge Hun­ ter would do in the circumstan­ ces.” “You can very definitely screw up your life if you drink and drive, ’ ’ the judge told James Symes of RR 6, Goderich, Douglas J. Pidgeon of Walkerton, and William H. Krotz of Gorrie, before imposing sen­ tence. Mr. Symes was fined $550 and has his driver’s licence suspended for three months; Mr. Pidgeon was fined $500 and received a three-month suspen­ sion; and Mr. Krotz was fined $600 with a six-month suspension. Judge Riley also had some advice for Ronald Stokes of RR 2, Blyth, who appeared to plead guilty to two charges each of break, enter and theft and of possession of stolen property, although the possession charges were later dropped. “You are very, very close to going to jail for this, ’ ’ the judge told Mr. Stokes. “I prefer to think you were just stupid, not dis­ honest.” Mr. Stokes was fined $300 after pleading guilty to the theft of a car stereo from Ducky’s Auto and Farm Repair at RR4, Wingham, last April; he was also fined $200 after pleading guilty to the theft of automotive parts from Marks Bros. Auto Body Ltd. in Wingham last May. Marks Bros. Auto Body was also namedinacasein which Jeffrey David Springer of Goderich, form­ erly of RR2, Wingham, pleaded guilty to the possession of stolen property after offering two stereo speakers for sale to the body shop, three weeks after the same speak­ ers had been stolen from the shop. Judge Riley expressed skepti­ cism at Mr. Springer’s story, but struck his guilty plea after Mr. Springer insisted he had found the speakers by the side ofthe road. “If you thought they were not stolen, why are you pleading guilty?” the judge asked. “Only a damn fool would plead guilty if he’s not guilty.” The case was set over to August 24 to be spoken to, at which time Judge Riley told Mr. Springer to return with a lawyer. Bruce Wayne Boyd of RR 2, Brussels, was remanded to Sep­ tember 28 when it is expected a date will be set for plea or trial in connection with one charge of impaired driving and one charge of possession of a narcotic; Brian G. Johnston of Blyth was remanded to October 26 for trial in connection with two alcohol-related charges; value 99 sausage ___■ — 450 9 MARV MILES WIENERS______ PORK LOIN I ROASTS c^(7o- I 3 95*9 BLADE I STEAKS I FAtSH' lectedsto^- See our Flyer Heinz tiampfeUi Nabob reg. for VEGETABLE TOMATO TRADITION money saving COCKTAIL SOUP or SUMMIT Specials/48 oz.10 oz. 3/.99 i 300 g "I .99 Coupons With coupon provided With coupon provided With coupon provided in weekly flyer in weekly flyer in weekly flyer and Derek Tanner of RR 2, Brussels was also remanded to October 26, when it is expected he will enter a guilty plea in connec­ tion with two alcohol-related charges laid against him in De­ cember, 1987. Douglas Ruttan and Valerie Jean Comeau, both of Walton, also appeared in Wingham Court July 27 on a joint charge of possession of a narcotic and were remanded to December 21 for trial. Mr. Ruttan will also appear for trial September 28 on an unrelated charge laid under the criminal code. A bench warrant was issued for the arrest of Carl M. Brindley of RR 1, Gowanstown, after he failed to appear on charges of theft and HEINZ or spaghetti ! grapes loavesMeat O jTTTXt —_r fe• arge kaiser powoPtP°*D possession of stolen property involving a Brussels business. Mr. Brindley last appeared in Wing­ ham court on June 22 when he was remanded to July 27. Murray Derbyshire of RR 1, Belgrave appeared to plead not guilty to a charge of cruelty to animals laid following an incident at his farm last April, but Judge Riley refused to accept the plea after finding out that this was the East Wawanosh farmer ’ s first court appearance, and that he had not spoken to a lawyer. The case was remanded to August 24 to permit Mr. Derbyshire to seek the advice of a lawyer. Finally, three young men ap­ peared before Judge Riley and z \ 0 \_____ J -----------1 D _ P,"K Sa^mon LOIN ' 1 ^nderlo, were remanded to a later date on alcohol-relatedcharges arising from a “Pit Party” which took place at a gravel pit on the Turnberry-CulrossTwp. border 15 km. northwest of Wingham on the evening of June 11; the party involved 500-600 people and brought 20 OPP officers from the Wingham, Listowel, Walkerton and Mount Forest detachments to the scene at various times. Robert E. Lebbink of Harriston will appear again on August 24 to be spoken to; while Robert Gordon Goddard and Wilmer David Mit­ chell, both ofGoderich, will appear on September 28 for the same reason. I ""oo or B*°ccou ""CO O'