SUPREME COURT Three accused deny burglary charges

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33062, 1 November 1972, Page 11

SUPREME COURT Three accused deny burglary charges

The trial of three men on charges of burglary and of being in possession of instruiments for burglary began in ; the Supreme Court yesterday before Mr Justice Haslam and a jury. The trial will continue today. The men, Ronald Wi McLean, aged 32, a shearer, Peter Kaimoana, aged 33, a carpenter, and Larry Hemi Matthews, aged 21, a plasterer, have pleaded not guilty to joint charges of burglary of two explosives store sheds at Sandy Knolls Road, Bumham,_on or about September 6, 1972, and of being in possession of instruments for burglary at Woodend on September 7.

McLean and Kaimoana have pleaded not guilty , and Matthews guilty to a joint charge of burglary of the Totalizator Agency Board building at Hanmer Springs on September 7. Mr N. W. Williamson, who appears for the Crown, is calling 17 witnesses. Mr M. J. Glue appears for McLean and Mr E. T. Higgins for Kaimoana and Matthews. FUSE WIRE

Evidence was given that gelignite, detonators and fuse wire were stolen from two locked sheds on a farm at Bumham.

1 Helen Margaret Scott, proprietress of a tea rooms at Hanmer Springs, said that at 4.10 a.m. on September 7 I she was awakened by a loud [noise. She looked out the window and saw a car drive away. On going outside she found there was a strong smell of explosives. Colin John Leslie Brownie, manager of the Hanmer Springs T.A.8.. said that [there was $506.40 in the safe on the night of September 6-7. He was recalled to the

office in the early hours of September 7. The inside of the building was a shambles, the safe was damaged, there was a smell of gunpowder and the interior was filled with a hazy smoke. An expert later opened the safe. The money was found intact but slightly singed. Constable Harold White, of Amberley, said that about 5.5 a.m. on September 7 he followed a car south on the Main North Road. After the car failed to stop for a police car with a red flashing light at the Ashley River Bridge witness said that he pulled alongside the car, turned on the interior light to show that he was in uniform and sounded the horn. The car would not stop and increased speed rapidly. POLICE CAR

A police dog van and a police car took over the chase and witness said his car dropped back a short distance. Witness saw objects being thrown from the car being chased. At the Woodend butchery comer the car suddenly swerved right and crashed into some trees at the front of a house. Men ran from the car and two of them were apprehended. A short time later the witness saw a short man run across School Road.

To his Honour the witness said that he was in communication with police head-

quarters and the other vehicles involved in the chase on a two-way radio installed in his private car. Evidence was given by three constables of apprehending the two accused, Kaimoana and McLean, and a man named Zac Andrews after they had run from the crashed car. A fourth man who ran from the car was trailed for some distance by a police dog until it lost the scent.