Prison term for former detective

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32661, 17 July 1971, Page 3

Prison term for former detective

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, July 16. A former detective sergeant, Brian Ingram Murray, was sentenced by Mr Justice Woodhouse in the Supreme Court at Auckland today to nine months imprisonment on a charge of assault.

“You were guilty of a reckless and gross abuse of power,” his Honour said to Murray. “You assaulted a man on a trumped up charge,” said his Honour. “You got him alone and then you made a violent attack on him.

tration of justice, and in the force itself, would immediately and rightly evaporate. “You were convicted of common assult, an offence which carries a maximum penalty of imprisonment of ■ one year only,” said his Honour. “You are entitled to have [your good record taken into | account and for that reason alone I will not impose that [maximum term.” COUNSEL’S PLEA

“If in those circumstances j he had lifted a hand to de< fend himself he faced the grave risk ,of being branded' as the assailant of a police officer acting in the course of his duty. “Like every member of the police force, you were sworn to act faithfully and without malice or ill-will. On this occasion you utterly failed to act faithfully and without malice or ill-will. Indeed, you were guilty of a reckless and gross abuse of power. “I recognise that this affair was triggered by alcohol and I do not overlook the medical opinions. But you and I know that if alcohol were to be regarded by the Court as some sort of excuse for a wanton attack by an experienced police sergeant upon an innocent citizen, then public confidence in the adminis-

Murray’s case did not call for a deterrent sentence, his counsel, Mr R. L. Maclaren, had submitted.

There were mitigating circumstances. Throughout, he said, the accused had been grossly affected by liquor or drugs, or both. Other factors were job frustration and [fatigue. [ Murray had been adequately punished, said Mr Maclaren; he had resigned from the Police Force and his earnings had drooped from $ll2 a week to $6O.

Murray had also been publicly humiliated, and the trial had put a substantial strain ion him.