Police Station Fire Accused’s Evidence

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31248, 21 December 1966, Page 3

Police Station Fire Accused’s Evidence

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, Dec. 20. Mr C. E. H. Pledger, S.M., reserved his decision until tomorrow on a charge against a 20-year-old farm labourer, Kelvin David Wright, of wilfully setting fire to the Papakura police station on June 18. Wright, represented by Mr G. T. Wadsworth, pleaded not guilty. Detective Sergeant B. W. Jones prosecuted.

The hearing began yesterday. A constable, Walter Graham Douglas, said today that Wright, interviewed on the afternoon of June 19, said that after leaving a function at Drury Hajfche previous night he traveil# to Ardmore where

he and three other people slept the night. On June 16 Wright had called at the station to see his brother, Graham Wright, who that day had been sentenced to one month’s imprisonment for driving while disqualified. In evidence, Wright said an arrangement was made at Drury Hall on JUne 18 for a person to be given a gallon of petrol. Wright was going to leave the petrol at the police station so that the other person could pick it up when he went to get his car keys from the police.

He knocked on the station door. No-one was there. After leaving the tin at the station he walked over to a car parked nearby. Later he returned to the station. “I leaned against the door of the station. I lit a cigarette, and without thinking, sort of dropped the match,” said WrightA

“The tin was just in front of the door. There was something like a puff and I just took off.

“I knew the tin would go bang if I touched it There was some petrol on the top of it I saw the flames and just scattered.”

Wright said he did not break any glass or spread petrol around the police station porch.

Asked to comment on evidence by Joyce Marie Hopkins that he had said “that would teach them to put a Wright in gaol,” Wright said: “That is not true. She’s mad.” He said he did not say anything about a “quick getaway” to occupants of the car. Asked why he did not kick the tin off the porch, Wright said: “It would have exploded.”

He said he did not run for help. He did not knqw what to do. 'i