Six Youths Face Joint Manslaughter Charge

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30348, 25 January 1964, Page 19

Six Youths Face Joint Manslaughter Charge

. Six youths, aged between 15 and 17, appeared in the Alagistrate’s Court yesterday on a joint charge of manslaughter. 1 hey were remanded in custody to January 30. lhe youths were charged with killing Allan Charles Aberhart, aged 36, of Grove road, Blenheim, at Christchurch on January’ 23, thereby committing manslaughter. Aberhart’s body was found in Hagley Park, near the Armagh street entrance, on Thursday evening.

Mr K. H. J. Headifen S.M., was on the Bench.

The youths are Anthony Dennis O'Connor, aged 15, an apprentice butcher, Brian Francis Johns, aged 17, a workman, Raymond Clive Neither, aged 16. a baker's assistant, Zane Leslie Macdonald. aged 15, an apprentice spray painter, Frank Leicester Reynolds, aged 16, a telegraph assistant, and Roger Malcolm Williams, aged 17, a builder’s labourer.

Mr G. R. Lascelles appeared for Neither. Mr P. T. Mahon for Reynolds, and Mr N. H. Buchanan for Macdonald. The other three accused were not represented.

The accused appeared in court dressed in casual clothes. About 60 persons were in the public gallery of the Court, most of them left when the accused left the dock.

After the charge was read Senior-Sergeant G. M. Cleary asked for a remand in custody to February 6. Mr Mahon asked for a remand for a shorter period of seven days for his client. Mr Buchanan said Macdonald was the youngest of the accused and living at home. He asked for bail and suppression of name. Neither request was granted. The accused were ordered to be remanded in police custody but to be kept apart from other prisoners.

Inquest Opens An Inquest into the death of Allan Charles Aberhart, aged 36, of Blenheim, who was found dead in North Haglay Park at 10.15 p.m. on Thursday, was opened before the Christchurch Coroner (Mr A. T. Bell) yesterday morning and was adjourned sine die after evidence of identification had been given. A post mortem examination was held later in the morning. Detectives carried out investigations in the park from late on Thursday evening until yesterday morning, during which North Hagley Park was cordoned off from the public. About 12 detectives, and a number of uniform police, took part. Police said yesterday that Mr Aberhart arrived in Christchurch from Blenheim on the day of his death He had travelled to the city to drive his mother back to Blenheim.