Fat Thrown At Prison Officer, Court Told

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30064, 23 February 1963, Page 13

Fat Thrown At Prison Officer, Court Told

(New Zealand Preet Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, February 21. Evidence of drinking by prisoners at the New Plymouth prison was given at the Lower Court hearing today of two charges of assaulting prison officers preferred against William Maurice Corcoran, a prisoner. He pleaded not guilty and was committed for trial in the Supreme Court.

Corcoran was charged with assaulting Second Officer D. E. Macdonald with intent to injure and also with assaulting Donald Edward Radonich.

Both Incidents are alleged to have occurred at the prison on February 11. Dr. K. E. Berendsen said in evidence that he examined Prison Officer Macdonald on February 11. He had first-degree burns on the side of his face. There were also some burns on the upper back.

Douglas Eaton Macdonald, second officer at the prison, said that about 335 p.m. on February 11, a prisoner named Shaw was brought to his office. Shaw had been drinking. “His speech was peculiar and he was unsteady on his feet," said Macdonald. He went to the bakehouse to see if there was any home brew there. Third Officer Trodd and Shaw went too. “We found a jug that had brew in it and a large teapot about three-quarters full," said Macdonald. Visit to Kitchen

When Macdonald and the superintendent went to the kitchen to inspect the evening meal, four inmates, including Corcoran, were there. Corcoran was stirring something in a pot. The su-

perin tendent asked where the tea was and a man named Thompson opened a pot

“Out of the corner of my eye I saw someone rushing and I received hot fat on the top of my head and the right side of my face,” Macdonald added. “Corcoran rushed right at me and bumped into me. I grabbed hold of him. I thought he was attacking me. He said ‘Sorry Mr Mac’,” Macdonald said. “I accused him of throwing fat at me and he said it was an accident.” John William Trodd, third officer at the prison, said he went to the bakehouse on February 11 and found Shaw in a state of intoxication. He went to the kitchen, where Corcoran spoke to him. “Had Been Drinking” “I consider he had been drinking. He was aggressive and spoke about Mr Macdonald. Corcoran said he •hated the bully—why did he have to pick on the little bloke.’

“Corcoran said ait one stage he would kill Mr Macdonald and that he would do life for him. I told him that to kill an officer or kill anyone just wasn’t worth it,” Trodd said. Trodd said he was just outside the kitchen when the

evening meal was being inspected. “I saw a stream of light brown liquid descending in an arc on to Mr Macdonald. Then I saw Corcoran crash into Mr Macdonald. Corcoran had a saucepan in his hands.”

Superintendent's Evidence The superintendent of the prison, Leslie Hine, told of the routine visit to the kitchen to inspect the evening meal. He did not see Corcoran move until he heard Second Officer Macdonald speak and saw fat running down Macdonald. Corcoran was then close to Macdonald. Macdonald said: “You did that deliberately.” He could see no need for a saucepan of fat being on the stove at that time of the day. Fait was rendered down quite frequently in the mornings. He had never seen it being rendered down in a container the size of the saucepan used.

Prison Officer Donald Edward Radonich said he started as prison orderly officer at 5 p.m. on February 11. He was in the guard room close to the dome and saw two inmates fighting and the others crowded around. He got between the two men who were fighting and was struck a blow on the chest. “Turning around I confronted Corcoran who was in an aggressive mood and wanted to continue fighting,” said the witness. “He was standing with both his fists clenched and glaring at me. He said ‘Come on, you and I have a go. Take a bite out of me’.”

“Very Ugly” Radonich continued: “The situation was very ugly and as there were only three officers among 60 inmates, I thought it could have been very serious. Radonich said he did nothing. He then heard his fellow officers coming through the grille. “I said to the accused: ‘Don’t be a fool. Go back to your work’. He glared at me but then turned around,” said Radonich. Sergeant John M. Quill said that on February 12 he went with Detective-Ser-geant Hogan to the prison and saw the accused, who was told of the allegations against him. Corcoran said he wanted to lay a charge of assault against Macdonald. Corcoran claimed that after the accident he had been struck on the mouth by Macdonald. Corcoran did not answer a question on where the hot fat came from, the witness said. When he was asked why he had the hot fat container in his hand, he said: “That is my business.”