Man enraged by speedboats

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33790, 12 March 1975, Page 3

Man enraged by speedboats

A fisherman, enraged by the use of speedboats on the lagoon near Brooklands motor camp at Kaiapoi, lifted an oar and brought it crashing through the deck of a speedboat, Mr W. F. Brown, S.M., was told in the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

Edward George Sampey, aged 39, a driver (Mr P. G. Benseman) was convicted on charges of wilful damage land obscene language. He [was ordered to come up for sentence within the next 12 months if called upon. Compensation of $5O, for damage done to the speedboat, was ordered. The defendant pleaded not gpilty to the charges. I The owner of the boat, Mr jC. F. Andrews, said in evidence that on January 3 he lent his boat to a friend and was watching him circuit the lagoon. He saw defendant row out across the marked water ski-ing lanes in a small boat. Defendant shouted abuse at the occupants of the boat and then attempted to row

his boat between the speedboat and a waterskier being towed by the boat.

The skier fell off and defendant threw a bottle at him, witness said. Defendant appeared very irate and was shouting abusive language, telling the group in the other boat that they were “crazy" and “polluting the area.”

Mr B. Noble, who was driving the boat- at the time of the incident, said that when he returned for the skier, he was told by defendant to get out of his way “or he would put his oar through my head.”

Defendant then stood up. raised his oar, sideways, above his head and “struck a very violent blow towards me.”

As a result, the front left deck of the boat was damaged. In evidence, defendant' said he had got the impres-! sion that the driver of the 1 boat was going to “ram him.”; He had lifted the oar in retaliation to “threaten him.” Defendant denied throwing the bottle at the skier or using the language stated in evidence by the prosecution witness.

When cross-examined i about allegations of attempting to “ram” defendant, Mr' Noble said this was “out-, rage,ous—we have more I sense than that,” he said.