‘Asked About Guns To Shoot Cops’

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30783, 22 June 1965, Page 3

‘Asked About Guns To Shoot Cops’

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, June 21.

A 16-year-old youth, accused of murder, asked a friend if he wanted “to pinch some guns and shoot a few cops,” the Supreme Court in Auckland was told today.

The friend, David William Treen, aged 16, said this when giving evidence against Paul Kerry Anthony, a workman, who pleaded not guilty. Anthony is accused of murdering Mincher, aged 15, by shooting him at his home in One Tree Hill on March 19.

Treen said in the witness; box today that on March 18 he; saw Anthony who asked him what time the Minchers would I be home and whether they! still had their guns. Treen said he told Anthony the Minchers would not be home until at least 4 p.m. and that they would still have the guns. “He asked me if I wanted to pinch some guns that night and shoot a few cops,” said Treen. “He said he wanted to take a car and go to Wellington and! take off for Australia, stowing away or something. I thought ; he was just mucking around. | and I refused." Mr S. A. Cleal and Mr G ' V Hubble appear for the! Crown, and Anthony is represented by Mr S. C. Ennor and Mr H. T. D. Knight. Mr Justice Richmond is on the bench. The jury includes four women.

CROWN CASE Opening the Crown case. Mr S A. Cleal submitted Anthony deliberately shot Mincher without provocation, and that he showed c-areless disregard for property belonging to other people and for human! life. Anthony had broken into! Mincher’s home to steal the' guns, then held-up Mincher’s I brother. Harold, who discovered him.

When W’illiam arrived, he advanced toward accused, who deliberately shot him with a bullet through the heart. Mr Cleal submitted that. Anthony knew the power of; the .22 rifle he shot Mincher: with, as he had practised shooting-up the empty Min-; cher house. Shots had pene-i trated the back of a bed and. entered a wall. Further shots were fired in

the house after the fatal shot in order to help Anthony escape, he said. The guns were in good order and required the normal pressures to fire. Howard Thomas Mincher, of 25 Williams avenue, a fitter’s mate, said his son William was in form 4 at Penrose High School and was 15 years 11 months old ;.t the time of his death. He had been a member of the Auckland Smallbore Rifle Club for three years and for

two years had been C grade champion. Mincher himself was a keen hunter and there were three rifles in the house. Mincher said accused to his knowledge had never been inside the house. Accused’s younger brother Brian was very friendly with the boy who died. To Mr Knight, Mincher said accused had been to the property two or three times. The hearing will continue tomorrow.