They're oldies but not goodies
SIOBHAN DOWNES
Last updated 05:00, December 28 2014
NEVER TOO OLD FOR ARREST: The arrest of a 99-year-old was just one of 1235 recorded apprehensions of offenders aged 65 or over, according to figures for the year ending June 2014.
A potty-mouthed pensioner has won the dubious distinction of being the oldest person to be arrested in New Zealand in the past year.
The 99-year-old was taken into custody in Canterbury for using threatening language in a public place.
The case of the ne'er do well nonogenerian was just one of 1235 recorded apprehensions of offenders 65 or over, according to police figures for the year ending June 2014.
Nineteen of the badly behaved seniors were aged over 85, and found themselves in trouble for a range of offences, including shoplifting, disorderly behaviour, offensive language and indecent assault.
Of the 1235 offenders, 505 were prosecuted. But of the 19 oldest offenders, only one was prosecuted - a 90-year-old arrested for common assault in a public place in the central police district.
Among those let off with a warning was a 92-year-old who threatened to kill or cause grievous bodily harm using a stabbing or cutting weapon, also in the central region.
Police said apprehensions of over-65s had accounted for fewer than 0.8 per cent of the total apprehensions across all age groups for the year.
A police spokesperson denied elderly offenders were let off with warnings more often because of their age.
"Police treat everyone the same, and consider all of the available facts on a case-by-case basis before deciding which course of action to take."
Grey Power national president Terry King said he was surprised to hear of the number of elderly partaking in crime, as it was usually the elderly who were the targets of such crimes.
"When one thinks of an older person, what comes to mind is a law-abiding citizen," he said.
But the figure was still "a very insignificant number when you consider there's over 650,000 people over the age of 65 in New Zealand".
When asked about the 99-year-old arrested for threatening language, King said the danger was people in that age group "often say what they think".
"They just call it the way it is, sometimes."
- Stuff
http://www.stuff.co....but-not-goodies
I couldn't resist posting this story which I found on the stuff.co.nz news site.
