Accused Alleges He Was Wrongfully Detained

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30576, 20 October 1964, Page 3

Accused Alleges He Was Wrongfully Detained

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 19. John Blundell, aged 34, a salesman, claimed in the Magistrate’s Court at Wellington today that he had been locked up in the Brisbane police commissioner’s room to keep him away from a New Zealand girl.

Blundell told Mr R. D. Jamieson, S.M., the Brisbane police conspired with the parents of Miss Barbara Coles, aged 20, to keep him out of the way until the girl and her parents had left the city.

Blundell said he had virtually been kept in custody without being charged.

Charged under the name of Blundell-Cunningham—he today admitted his correct name was Blundell—he was giving evidence on extradition proceedings against him on a charge of obtaining a cheque for £52 under false pretences from Father Kevin Herbert Aspinall, of Brisbane, on September 13.

He was arrested here on a provisional warrant issued under the Fugitive Offenders Act. An extradition order for his return to Australia to answer the charge is sought by the Brisbane police. Detective Senior-Sergeant R. L. Butler appears for the police and Mr F. D. O’Flynn for Blundell. Cross-examination

The Magistrate said that in view of the nature of the evidence and allegations made, he was not going to restrict cross-examinations to any great extent. “It should be remembered, however, (hat I am not here to try the case,” he said. In evidence on Friday Blundell alleged he had twice been attacked by the father of the girl—once at an airport and again in Queen street, Auckland. Blundell said that on October 6, he was told by the police that a warrant for his arrest had been issued. He agreed to go with detectives to the central police station. Since that date he had been kept in Custody. To Mr O’Flynn Blundell said he had every intention of paying back the money he borrowed from Father Aspinall. He had never intended to defraud the priest.

Driver’s Licence Questioned by Mr Butler, Blundell said his real name was Blundell. He had led people to believing his name was Blundell-Cunningham because he intended to change it to that. He had gone under the name of BlundellCunningham for six months. Shown a driver’s licence under the name of BlundellCunningham, issued in Auckland in October, 1963, stating his occupation as schoolteacher, Blundell admitted it was his. He also admitted he had falsely stated his name was Blundell-Cunningham to get the licence. He was not a schoolteacher at the time. He said that when he lived

in Auckland with Miss Coles after their return from Australia, it was under a false name. This was because Miss Coles’s parents were “hounding them all over Auckland.” He said he left his Auckland motel without paying the bill, but intended to honour his debt. Paid Air Fares

He admitted that after paying the air fares Miss Coles had deposited about £l5O in a Sydney bank for him. But she had certainly not given him about £4OO as Mr Butler suggested. In Brisbane, Blundell said, he had been locked in the commissioner’s room. “I don’t claim this. It’s the actual truth,” he said. Mr Butler: Didn’t you ask if you could leave. Blundell: I certainly did. I asked to see the charge against me, but I was told “you are staying here.” Blundell said he had been taken by the arm and pushed by one detective along the corridor of the police station and into another room.

“It was 8 a.m. on a Sunday. There was only a skeleton crew on. It was cunningly arranged. It was a conspiracy between the Police Force and Barbara Coles’s parents,” said Blundell. Blundell said that after being released from the virtual custody he was in at the police station, he went to see Father Aspinall. He obtained money from him. This money was to pay for his trip back to New Zealand.

He admitted making a few false claims to get the money from the priest. He said he did not know if he had told the police in Wellington he had been assaulted by the Brisbane police but he had been “smashed around by them.” The hearing will continue tomorrow.