Rugby Players Fined

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31115, 19 July 1966, Page 3

Rugby Players Fined

(N.Z. Press Association! NAPIER, July 18. Three members of the Auckland representative Rugby team which played Hawke's I Bay on Saturday ] pleaded guilty in the 1 Magistrate’s Court to charges of behaving in a disorderly manner in a public place in Napier. The men, who were each fined £l5, are Phillip Anthony Lindesay, aged 23, an assurance clerk, Ashley Brown Edwards, aged 24. a police constable, and Keith Alister Nelson. aged 27, a dentist. Refusing an application to suppress their names, Mr W. K. L. Dougall, S.M., said that people representing their province in sport had “some sort of special responsibility. “Because you are representing your province I cannot make an exemption,” said the Magistrate. Detective Senior-Sergeant H. Baldock said that at 150 a.m. yesterday three girls were sitting in a car in Herschel! street, Napier, while their male companions were at a pie-cart. A group of men approached, all members of the Rugby team. The girls started to lock the car doors, but an

unidentified man got in the front passenger's seat. Lindesay then got into the driver’s seat. The back doors were unlocked and Nelson land Edwards got into the car. ’ At least two others entered j the car and one of the girls was touched on the leg. How-

ever, the three defendants denied responsibility for this

Several men were outside the car and road signs wenplaced on the roof. One of the girls sounded the horn and the men got out of the car. As the car was about to drive off one of the Rugby team was heard to say that he had missed out on an op 'portunity to have sexual I intercourse. This remark was denied by the defendants. i Mr A. K. Monagan, representing accused, said that what began as a high-spirited I piece of nonsense deteriorated into something more I serious. They had been drinking. ; The girls and the car driver had accepted an apology. Other members of the Auckland team had much more to answer for than any of the defendants but were “escaping scot-free.” Mr Monagan said.