Possesion Of Gas-Operated Pistol Admitted

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31154, 2 September 1966, Page 7

Possesion Of Gas-Operated Pistol Admitted

After being told in a hotel bar that his five-year-old daughter, of whom he was very fond, was dead and that the funeral had taken place that morning, the accused went to a house, produced a pistol and threatened to “do” another man, Sergeant V. F. Townshend told Mr K. H. J. Headifen, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Barry John Aldridge, aged 27, a shearer, was remanded in. custody to September 8, for sentence on a charge of being in possession of a dangerous weapon, a gasoperated pistol, without lawful purpose on August 25. He pleaded guilty. Mr G. R. Lascelles, who appeared for Aldridge, said he was not making any application for bail as the accused was in custody on a maintenance matter.

The Magistrate said that in calling for a probation officer's report he was not contemplating imprisonment for the offence.

Sergeant Townshend said Aldridge was a married man but was separated from his wife. On Tuesday, August 23, his five-year-old daughter died suddenly in hospital. Aldridge’s whereabouts were not known and he was not able to be informed of the death and the funeral, which took place on Thursday morning, August 25. On Thursday afternoon Aldridge was in a hotel bar when he was told in a very direct manner that his daughter was dead and that the funeral had taken place that morning. Aldridge went to his fosterfather’s home in Christchurch and his father and his uncle were present, Sergeant Townshend said. About 7 p.m. Aldridge telephoned his wife but the call was answered by Colin Thomas, who told him that his wife did not wish to speak to him. After the telephone call Aldridge produced what t

appeared to be a revolver. He made a number of abusive remarks to his father and uncle about Thomas. With his back to them he loaded the pistol, said Sargeant Townshend.

Aldridge'said he was going to get a taxi to Thomas’s place and would make Thomas “squeal.” He indicated that he was going to use the pistol on Thomas. Aldridge left the house in a taxi about 7.30 p.m. and his father and uncle immediately informed the police. They told the police that Aldridge had been drinking but was not drunk, and that he was extremely upset and might carry out his threat

A large scale search was made by the police and Aldridge was located at a house in Amberley in the early hours of the morning, said Sargeant Townshend. A gas-operated pistol was found in the house. It was identical to a revolver and was fitted with an exchangeable cylinder of compressed gas. The gas propelled a ;22 calibre pellet A box of pellets and cylinders were also found in the house.

When seen by the police Aldridge stated that he had bought the pistol from a friend that morning to shoot

rabbits. He had taken the pistol to town for repairs. Aldridge said that Thomas had been standing over him and his wife for some time and had always been interfering. He said he could remember loading the pistol and stating that he was going to “do” Thomas or words to that effect. Aldridge said that this was only “big talk” and that he had no intention of carrying out his threat. He could not remember much of what happened. Aldridge and his daughter were extremely fond of each other and he was under a tremendous strain at the time of the offence, Sergeant Townshend said.