Policeman’s Wife Struggled With Husband’s Assailants

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28976, 18 August 1959, Page 21

Policeman’s Wife Struggled With Husband’s Assailants

<New Zealand Press Association)

WHANGAREI, August 17. How a wife came to the aid of her husband, a policeman who Was being kicked by one escaping prisoner and throttled by another, was related by Senior Detective-Sergeant M. J. Ross in the Whangarei Magistrate’s Court today. He was prosecuting Joseph Allan McDonald, aged 26, and Melvin Tohn Tipa, aged 24, both unemployed, of Whangarei.

They had jointly admitted taking for their own use William Edward Follett’s £3OO car at Whangarei, interfering with George Reti’s £5OO car at Whangarei, wilfully damaging at Maungaturoto a 5s padlock owned by Ante Antumovich, taking for their own use at Maungaturoto Ante Antumovich’s £3OO car, and assaulting at Maungaturoto Richard Robert Hull so as to cause him bodily harm.

Tipa also admitted taking at Auckland Richard Fisher Matthews’s £450 car, stealing at Auckland a vehicle registration plate worth Is 9d from Walter Ivan Thompson, taking at Auckland Wilfred Bently’s £250 car, and escaping from lawful custody at Maungaturoto. McDonald also admitted assaulting at Maungaturoto Alice Frances Hull, when she was acting in aid of a constable, escaping from lawful custody at Maungaturoto, and being in possession by night of house-breaking instruments. Mr J. R. Herd. S.M., convicted the men and remanded them in custody until August 25. Activities Described Senior Detective-Sergeant Ross said that after committing the three offences at Auckland Tipa came to Whangarei and stayed with his friend McDonald. Mr Reti had parked his car outside his home in Second avenue. Whangarei. Soon after midnight he heard car doors being opened, and saw one person in his car and another on the street. They disappeared when he called out. Soon after this Mr Follett’s car was taken from outside his Kauika road home. The car had been left unlocked, with the key in the switch. Both offences had been reported to the police by 1.20 a.m., after which surrounding police stations were alerted. At 2.55 a.m. Constable R. R. Hull, of Maungaturoto. accosted McDonald and Tipa as they were walking through the township. McDonald said that his car was nearly out of petrol and they were trying to buy more. McDonald said the car belonged to his brother. Constable Hull examined the

car after which the two accused accompanied him to the police station. Constable Hull told McDonald and Tina that he was arresting them for taking Mr Follett’s car, and that he would take them to Whangarei. He took the men out to his car, and as he was about to seat them in tht front McDonald punched him in the stomach. Tipa grabbed his ankles, and the three fell to the ground. Tipa rose and began to kick Constable Hull about the groin. Constable Hull’s wife, Alice Frances Hull, switched on the front light at the station and ran to the struggle. She picked up her husband’s torch and struck McDonald, who was kneeling on Constable Hull with his hands around his throat. McDonald grabbed Mrs Hull’s left thumb and forced it back, making her release the torch. The thumb was badly bruised, and Mrs Hull was ill for the rest of that day Constable Hull was getting to his feet when Tipa found a piece of timber at his feet and hit Constable Hull with it, knocking him unconscious. Car Owners’ Precaution McDonald and Tipa then escaped in the darkness. They hid in scrub until the following night, when they began looking for a vehicle. Tipa forced the padlock on the door of Mi Antunovich’s garage, said Senior Detective-Sergeant Ross. He cut the ignition wires of Mr Antunovich’s car, and rejoined them m an attempt to start the engine. Unknown to the two accused Mi Antunovich had removed the distributor rotor after police radio warnings to vehicle owners. Unable to start the car. Tipa and McDonald ran it down a slope in an attempt to start the engine. The car was then abandoned. By this time both the accused were wet and cold. They tried to hitch rides, and this led to their being arrested as they .were walking up the Brynderwyn hill. McDonald had 24 previous convictions and Tipa 29. Tipa’s home town was Dunedin. Tipa told the Magistrate that he was sorry. McDonald said he was especially sorry for the assault. The Magistrate convicted the two accused, called for a probation officer’s report, and remanded them in custody until August 25. Annual Grant.— The annual grant of £3 3s to the New Zealand Council for Educational Research was approved by the board of governors of Avonside Girls’ High School at its meeting yesterday.