Alleged Confession By Simmonds Read

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29067, 2 December 1959, Page 17

Alleged Confession By Simmonds Read

(Rec. 9 p.m.) SYDNEY, December 1. The police alleged today that Kevin John Simmonds, who escaped from Long Bay Gaol ast month, had admitted striking a warder, Cecil Mills, wer the head with a baseball bat at Emu Plains training centre on October 11.

A statement allegedly made by Simmonds was produced by Detective-Sergeant Ray Kelly at an inquest today In the Penrith Coroner’s Court into Mills' death. Mills was found battered to death in the office at the Emu Plains training centre two days after Simmonds and Leslie Newcombe escaped from Long Bay. The Coroner (Mr A. E. Stoneham) granted a police request for Simmonds and Newcombe to be handcuffed throughout the inquest proceedings. The two prisoners sat handcuffed together in the dock. Each wore a set of handcuffs, and a third set linked Simmonds’ right wrist to Newcombe’s left. In the statement he allegedly made to the police Simmonds said the three things he wanted when he escaped were food, clothes and a gun and he knew he could get all three at Emu Plains instead of having to go to three different places. He intended only to knock Mills unconscious with a blow in the stomach. But when he hit him with a baseball bat, “to my amazement he looked at me as though I’d struck him with a feather.” . . Simmonds’ alleged statement went on that he tried to hit the warder on the head and he "had to repeat the process as it appeared to be having no effect. "I must have hit him too hard and too often. . " Simmonds is alleged to have said. An alleged statement by Newcombe said that he stole a cricket stump from the prison store and Simmonds a baseball bat Simmonds hit the warder in the chest and, when the warder staggered back into the office, Simmonds followed him in. hitting him all the time. ‘1 hit him once or twice on the head but Simmonds kept hitting him," the statement went on. Counsel for Simmonds and Newcombe both objected to the alleged statements being ten-

Early today, Simmonds 1 and Newcombe were taken to Penrith Court under heavily-armed escort, from Lorig Bay. Newcombe was recaptured at Paddington, outside Sydney’s Centennial Park, on October 23, but Simmonds was at large for 37 days before being arrested at Kurri Kurri on November 15. The chief Crown witness, Detective-Sergeant Kelly, said that at the C. 1.8., on October 24, he said to Newcombe, “Do you admit you and Simmonds went to Emu Plains training centre in a stolen car, that you parked outside the fence, and that you were responsibe for the death of Mills?” Newcombe replied "yes, according to Kelly. Detective-Sergeant Kelly said that on November 15 he was in a jeep, with several other police i in the bush, near Kurri Kurri, when he saw Simmonds about 80 yards away, standing with his hands in the air. “We walked towards him with : our pistols drawn,” said Kelly, “and when we got close to Sim- > monds, I said: ‘Where is your 1 gun?’ “He said ‘I lost it last week at : Wyong—l am not armed,”’ Kelly ' said. I Detective-Sergeant Kelly said i that before today’s hearing he spoke to Simmonds and NewI combe in the presence of their s counsel. He had shown Simmonds a ’ revolver, which had been found • on November 19 by police, at a 1 spot indicated by Simmonds in Wyong creek. ' Simmonds had identified the pistol from a small piece broken ’ off the handle. Newcombe had ’ also recognised it , Mr Stonham found that Mills : had died as a result of a “vicious assault" by Simmonds and NewI combe. > He committed them for trial - at the March sitting of the Central Criminal Court.