Couple For Trial On Abduction Count

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29726, 20 January 1962, Page 12

Couple For Trial On Abduction Count

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND. Jan. 19.

Charles Gillen, aged 61, and Mary Gillen, aged 38. were today committed to the Supreme Court for trial on charges of abducting two children from New Zealand to Australia in March. 1960. when they appeared before Messrs R. Woods and E. H Rabbetts, J.P.’s, in the Magistrate's Court at Auckland The couple were charged that on March 9, 1960, at Huntly, they unlawfully detained Suzanne Margaret Dole, aged 11, and Christine Else Dole, aged 9, to deprive a parent, Phoebe Margaret Dole, from having lawful charge of them. The second charge was that on March 10 they unlawfully took away the children with intention to deprive the mother from having lawful charge of them. Both accused pleaded not guilty. Christine Else Dole said in evidence she remembered living at Torbay with the Gillens and of moving to Huntly. She said they slept in a tent at Huntly unital Gillen got a house. Gillen used to say that Mrs Dole was a "drunkard” and was “no good.” Witness said she went to Australia with Mrs Gillen and with Suzanne Dole. They travelled a lot in Australia. She described to the Court a trapeze and dancing act they had been taught by.Gillen in Australia. The show was put on in Tasmania. Christine said they were supposed to get £25 for (heir performances, but Gillen had told them that someone had taken the money out of the bank and they were not paid The children did not go to school while the show was on. Gillen had told them he might take them on stage or television. He used to tell people the girls came from America. All four of them used to sleep in the car when they were travelling. Christine said they were having breakfast one morning when the police came to the door. “Gillen climbed out the

window and slid two storeys down a drainpipe into the back yard.” she said. “He was caught later after a search." She said that before going to school they had to make the breakfast, wash and dry the dishes and make he beds. After school they had to get the tea. Suzanne Margaret Dole said that while they were in Australia Gillen would not let them write to their mother. "He told us we would be millionaires by the time we were 21," she’ said. Norman Herbert Hardy, a detective, said he interviewed the accused at Melbourne police headquarters on November 29. 1961. Later the same day he successfully applied for extradition papers. During the hearing Mary Gillen made a deposition.

In the deposition she said she took the children to Australia at the request of their father. She was not aware the police were after them. She said her real name was Mary Forbes and that she was not married to Gillen.