SHOOTING CHARGE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 11, 13 January 1945, Page 7

SHOOTING CHARGE

WOUNDING OF DOCTOR

HOLE IN BANKNOTE STORY

SYDNEY, Jan. 11

A fragment of a banknote found in the breast pocket of a coat alleged to have been worn by Dr. Reginald Stuart Jones fitted into a hole in a £10 note found in the pocket of Clifford Tasman Thompson and formed part of that note, Detective-Sergeant C. S. Jardine said in Central Police Court yesterday. Sergeant Jardine said that there was a bullet hole in Jones' pocket. Four men were charged with having shot at Jones at Maroubra on November 1, with intent to murder him. The men charged were Clifford Tasman Thompson, 32, engineer; Alexander Jowett (or McDonald), 28, labourer; Leslie Dunn, 38, clerk; and Horace Clive Robinson, 31, mechanic. Detective-Constable Raymond William Kelly, of the C.1.8., alleged that Thompson had said that Jowett told him and Dr. Jones he was going to shoot both of them, and that Dr. Jones had been shot by Jowett during a struggle. Jowett, Detective Kelly alleged, told him he intended to shoot Thompson, whom he saw holding a gun, but Dr. Jones got in the way and had been shot instead. All four defendants were further charged ,with having, while armed and in company, assaulted and robbed Dr. Jones. Counsel for the defence opposed an application by the police prosecutor, Sergeant Briese, to have the charges taken together, and only the main charge was proceeded with. Detective's StoryDetective .Kelly said that after seeing Dr. Jones in St. Vincent's Hospital on November 1, 1944, he went to a house in Flood Street, Bondi, where he saw Dunn. Detective-Sergeant Keating, who was with him, said that Dr. Jones had been shot and had told the police that "Scotty" McDonald and Thompson had called at his place that morning and had asked him to go to their car. Dr. Jones got into the car, and Dunn was ordered to drive to Maroubra. On the way, both Thompson and McDonald produced guns and tojd Dr. Jones they were going to shoot him and throw him over the cliffs. At Maroubra, McDonald shot Dr. Jones in the chest. He was then taken to Vassilia Hospital and left there. Detective Keating also told Dunn that Dr. Jones had said he had been robbed of between £120 and £130. According to Detective Kelly, Dunn said he had been with Thompson in Woolloomooloq the previous R*ght, and- had been "booked" for consorting. He got home about 11.30 p.m. Asked by Detective Keating where Thompson was, Dunn allegedly replied, "He did not come home last night." On the same date, Detective Kelly said that, with Detective-Sergeant Robinson, he saw Thompson at the Darlinghurst police station. Thompson was tojd what Dr. Jones had said about being shot by McDonald and having been robbed. Thompson, according to Detective Kelly, said. "How is Reg? This is a bad 'blue.-"" r "Bloodstains on Coat" Detective Kelly said he noticed what appeared to be bloodstains on the right sleeve of Thompson's coat, on the front of his trousers, and on the front of his shirt. Thompson said he must have got them when helping Dr. Jones into Vassilia Hospital. •"I did not shoot him, and can explain why I was there," Thompson allegedly added. Detective Kelly added: "I then searched Thompson, and in his lefthand side trouser pocket I found a £10 note folded into about eight folds." Thompson said he had got it from a man to whom he had sold two suit lengths on the previous day. Thompson- said he did not know the name of the man. He had met him in a hotel. Detective Kelly said he told Thompson that the bullet that shot Jones had gone through a pocket in his coat in which he was carrying money. He drew Thompson's attention to what appeared to be a bullet hole in the banknote. Thompson replied that he did not know it was there, and that the note must have been like that when he got it. Later at the C.1.8. Thompson reiterated that he had not shot Jones. Detective Kelly said that Thompson then made the following statement:— . "Last night I was with Les Dunn and Horrie Robinson. We went down to Crown Street to get some beer. "When we. got there a man whom I know as 'Scotty' (Jowett), who has been living with my wife for the past six months, came up and pulled a gun and ordered me back into the car. "I got back into the car and he then said, 'How much money have you got?' I told him I did not have any, and he said, 'Your mate Reg. Jones will have some.' ■ "I tried to reason with him, and I bought some beer, which we drank in the car. "About 12.30 a.m. he ordered Les to' drive to Reg's home, and told him if he did not he would shoot him. "Previous Threat" "I was frightened of 'Scotty,' because he had threatened to shoot me before and I know that he meant it, as he nearly kicked me to death a few months ago. Reg will tell you that. He stitched me up. "When we got there we left Les and Horrie in the car, and 'Scottie' made me go with him to get Reg out. When we got to the front gate I saw Reg and Jimmy Dare. " 'Scotty' asked Reg to come down to the car. We walked down to the car, and when we got there 'Scotty' pulled a gun, backed into the car and said, 'Get in here.' "We got into the car and he ordered Dunn to drive to Maroubra. He told Reg and I he was going to shoot us. I tried to reason with him. He said, 'This is where you both go.' I tried to get out of the car, but 'Scotty' pulled me back. ."'Scotty' and Reg were struggling and I heard a shot. Reg said, 'He's got me, Cliff,' and placed his head on my shoulder. "We took Reg to Vassilia Hospital. I wanted to stay with him, but he said he would be all right.

"We drove back to Bondi Junction, where we dropped 'Scotty.' We left Horrie at Darlinghurst and we took Dunn home. I went home to my mothers' place.'-' On November 8, Detective Kelly continued, he and other police went to a'cottage at Woy Woy, where he saw Jowett in the yard and Robinson lying on a bed on the verandah. Detective-Sergeant Robinson told them: "You men are wanted on warrant for shooting at Dr. Jones with intent to murder, and we are going to take you to the C.1.8."

Robinson said, according to Detective Kelly, "You came a couple of days too soon; We were going down to give ourselves up, but we were waiting to see if he would die." When Detective-Sergeant Robinson said that the house was going to be searched for firearms Robinson said there were none, and Jowett said, lou won't find any here."

"All Fiction is Funny" Detective Kelly said he made a search, and, at the end of the bed on which Robinson was lying, he 1 found a number of sheets of foolscap which he recognised as copies of statements made by Dunn and Thompson on November 1. Asked where he got them, Robinson replied, "Where do you think?" Jowett remarked, "Very interesting reading, but all fiction is funny." Later, according to Detective Kelly, Jowett said he did not intend to shoot Dr. Jones.

I intended to shoot Thompson. When I was in the car Reg told me something, and I thought he was telling lies and I smacked him in the mouth," Jowett was alleged to have said. "Later I realised he ,was telling the truth, and I saw Thompson, holding a gun in his hand, put his arm behind Reg's back, trying to shoot me.

'I said, 'All right, Thomas (Thompson). You have asked for it. Take this.' I went to shoot him, but Reg got in the way and I shot him instead. Reg will tell you that that is right."

Detective Kelly said he asked Jowett whether he would make a written statement regarding what he had said, but Jowett said he was not prepared to put anything in writing. Answering Mr. P. Roach, for Thompson, Jowett and Robinson, witness said that Robinson had never been confronted with anybody and identified as having been in the car. Robinson had denied having been in the car at Maroubra.

Detective-Sergeant Henry. Arthur Swift, of Daceyville, said on November 1 he saw a car, JXS7I, in Hardy Street, Darlinghurst. Thompson was in the driver's seat. He told Thompson to get out of the car, and later he examined it. He found bloodstains on the near side front door, on the rear near side door, on the running board, the floor, and on the back seat. In the upholstery of the back there was a bullet embedded about eight or nine inches up.

The hearing was adjourned.