“Obstruction Of Police Proved”

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31307, 1 March 1967, Page 3

“Obstruction Of Police Proved”

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, Feb. 28. A charge of wilfully obstructing a police constable in the execution of his duty laid against two 18-year-old students, was found to be proved, Mr C. E. H. Pledger, S.M., said in a reserved decision * this morning. He was giving judgment on charges arising from incidents during the visit to Auckland in January of the South Vietnamese Prime Minister, Air Vice-Marshal Ky. Jennifer Margaret Parkinson, a student and folk singer, and Peter William Mawhinney, a student and assistant post office technican, had denied an earlier charge of disorderly behaviour. At Friday’s hearing, the charge was amended to one

of obstructing a constable. Both also denied this charge. The Magistrate remanded them both on bail until Thursday for sentence. The Magistrate said it was the constable’s duty to keep the area in front of the Star Hotel clear to avoid further breaches of the peace, but the pair had generally persisted in their efforts to move in front of the hotel. Parkinson and Mawhinney had said they wanted to be arrested, and eventually they were. The Magistrate also found that a prima fade case' had been established against a 20-year-oid student, Timothy Richard Shadbolt, who, on Friday, had denied a charge of disorderly behaviour. He was remanded on bail until Thursday for sentence.