Dillon Committed For Trial

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31343, 13 April 1967, Page 3

Dillon Committed For Trial

(N.Z. Prfti Auociation) AUCKLAND, April 12. lan Piercy Ashdown Dillon, a 49-year-old woolstore foreman, today pleaded not guilty to a charge of having murdered Dora Isohel Sullivan, a 49-year-old widow, on February 17, and was committed by Mr H. Jenner Wily, S.M„ to the Supreme Court for trial.

Detective-Inspector E. G. Perry said he had interviewed Dillon at the Central Police Station on the afternoon of February 17. Dillon had said he had nothing to hide. Dillon also said that about 15 years ago he had left his wife and had lived with another woman and they had had two children.

Dillon also said that about two yean ago he had met Mrs Sullivan and had formed an association with her.

The accused said Mrs Sullivan’s husband had committed suicide as a result, Dillon had thought, of learning of his wife’s association with Dillon. Dillon had told Mm that Mrs Sullivan used to have “scratchy" moods. Sometimes the relationship had been “terrific,*’ but when Mrs Sullivan was in one of her mbods, nothing one did could please her. Dillon had said that on the

night before Mrs Sullivan died he had taken her for a drive to Titirsngi. When he had driven her home about midnight they had parted on good terms.

Dillon had said he had gone to Mrs Sullivan's house by arrangement about 8 a.m. on Friday, February 17, and had given her some flowers. This had not been a peace offering, as he often took her gifts of flowers and chocolates.

The witness said Dillon had said he had asked Mrs Sullivan if she had much to do. This had seemed ot make her go berserk. She had started to belittle herself. She had got her handbag and shoes and had gone outside and sat in her car. Mrs Sullivan had said something about going shopping. Later, she had gone in the back door of the house. In The Kitehen According to Dillon,- he had followed her into the house and she had confronted him in the kitchen. She had stood up to him and had said: "Everything has got to be your way, hasn’t it?” The witness said Dillon claimed Mrs Sullivan had said that he (Dillon) thought he owned her because he bought her “a few measley flowers.” Mrs Sullivan had allegedly bashed the flowers down on the table. According to Dillon, she had then invited Dillon to Mt her. The witness said Dillon had told him: “I did. I don’t

know what came over me. She fell on the floor. She kept on saying, *Go on, go on*.” Detective-Inspector Perry

Mid that in a written statement Dillon had said: "We both went down and were rolling around fighting on the floor. When I came to my senses I was lying on top of her—there was blood everywhere.” “Something Snapped” “I would ray I did grab her by the throat during the struggle,” Dillon had said. “I thought the world of Don and I would never have harmed a hair on her headsomething must have snapped.” The witness Mid Dillon had never implied he did not know what was happening while he and Mrs Sullivan were struggling. He said he did not remember at first, but then began to recall the events in snatches.