Charged With Murder Of Father

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30802, 14 July 1965, Page 3

Charged With Murder Of Father

(N.Z. Press Association) GREYMOUTH, July 13. A 17-year-old miner went on trial in the Supreme Court at Greymouth today on a charge of murdering his father.

Brian James McGuinness is charged with murdering Patrick Edward McGuinness, aged 45, on April 18. The Crown alleges McGuinness shot his father ■with a .303 rifle in the hallway of the family home in Somerled avenue. Dunollie. The case is being heard before a jury of 11 men and one woman. Mr Justice Perry is presiding. Mr D. J. Tucker appears for the Crown and Mr J, D. Cadenhead for McGuinness. Mr Tucker said the deceased and his wife had been out on the evening of Saturday, April 17. On returning home, an argument had developed and the deceased had then gone to accused’s bedroom where there was another argument. In his bedroom, the accused had two rifles. A bullet fired from a .303 had killed the deceased in a narrow hallway of the house. Mr Tucker said the deceased’s family had experienced some problems, because of his drinking habits. The accused's brother, Geoffrey, had, on one occasion, hit his

father on the head with a baseball bat when the latter was assaulting the mother.

After that incident, the deceased had given up drinking for a long period, which, Mrs McGuinness said, was “the best year of their marriage."

Dr. Walter Balfour Murray, of Runanga, called to the home, said he found a bullet wound on the right side of the chest and what appeared to be an exit wound on the left side of the chest. The accused was in a state of shock.

Gweneth Margaret McGuinness, mother of four sons, aged from 12 to 18, said her

husband came home at 6.20 p.m. on the Saturday “very full.” He suggested that they go out for the evening, which they did, leaving the house at 8 p.m. and returning about 2 a.m. Her husband had consumed a lot of liquor. She went to the front gate with the milk bottles and her husband came out and started to fight her on the porch. He pulled her into a bedroom and started punching her. The witness said she called out “For God’s sake, stop it.” Her husband then went out of the bedroom and closed the

door. She was crying and had her face in her hands. The witness then heard a : noise. She opened the door and found her husband sinking to the floor. He died soon afterwards. The accused was standing beside her. He had a rifle in his hand. Cross-examined by Mr Cadenhead, Mrs McGuinness said her husband became violent when drunk. All members of the family were scared of her husband when he had drink. Brian was the. most frightened. The hearing will continue I tomorrow.