ATTACK ON CONSUL

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33816, 12 April 1975, Page 16

ATTACK ON CONSUL

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND, April 11. Three people appeared in the Magistrate’s Court today on charges relating to a petrol bomb attack on the home of the Greek Consul in Auckland early yesterday.

A Greek painter, Costos Vahaviolos, aged 25, admitted wilfully setting fire to a house at 71 Patterson Avenue, Mission Bay, using a firebomb. He also admitted a charge of being in possession of a firebomb. Mr H. Y. Gilliand, S.M., convicted and remanded Vahaviolos in custody until April 18 for probation report and sentence.

Steven Stravrianos, aged ! 25, an electrician, also from Greece, and a Maori woman, Sharon Denise Martin, aged 23, a clerk, did not plea to two similar charges each and were remanded on bail withlout plea until April 18.

undertaker around to the the address to uplift his body, tow-trucks to tow away the car, and also a number of taxis calling at odd hours of the night,” he said.! OCCUPANTS SHOCKED | At 4 a.m. yesterday a fire-1 bomb was thrown through [ the lounge window, causing! about $l5OO in damage. Alli people in the house suffered! shock. As a result of police: inquiries a car was located at Herne Bay and Martin spoken to. Two others were then located and all three admitted being present in a house at Waterview when threatening calls were made. Vahaviolos told police he had had trouble with the complainant (Mr Phillips). He admitted having thrown the made-up firebomb through the window, but denied anybody had been with him. Vahaviolos was on bail on charges of false pretences. During the remand accused had approached Mr Phillips and asked him to go to Auckland Prison to obtain a statement from his associate claiming that he (Vahaviolos) had not taken part, in the [false pretences charges. The Consul had declined to go and since that date had received the annoying calls.

Sergeant D. W. Somerville said that during the past week the Greek Consul (Mr Theo Phillips), had received many threatening and obscene phone calls. As a result of these a taperecording was made of a call at 1.05 a.m. yesterday. “Other threats have been made by way of sending an