Depositions taken in stabbing case

Press, 15 October 1976, Page 2

Depositions taken in stabbing case

“Groper said he could have killed someone — he was crying and shaking and really scared.” said a witness in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday during the taking of depositions before Mr F. G. Paterson. S.M. The defendant in the hearing, Gary James Redrup. aged 18, n unemployed labourer. is charged with murdering Peter Robin Antonovich on September 9. Messrs G. K. Panckhurst and J. J. Brants Giesen appear for the prosecution and Mr R. L. Kerr for the defendant. Kenneth Raymond Edward Hunwick. aged 23. a sickness beneficiary, said in evidence! that he knew the accused by' the nickname of ‘Groper." On the morning of Septem-i her 6. he. the accused, and) another person went out; looking for jobs. In the after- 1 noon they went to several I hotels for drinks, and met other friends. After closing! time they bought some beer 1 and went back to his flat fori a party. Later that night, the accused had left the party, although witness was not aware of his leaving. About 1 a.m. Groper returned to the flat. “I was crashed on the floor and knew he had returned when there was a noise in the kitchen and I walked over to see what had happened."

Witness asked what was going on and Groper said. “T could have killed someone, I stabbed someone." He was shaking and really scared. Witness said the accused’s hand was cut so he and another person had bandaged it.

soon after the police arrived and Redrup hid in a manhole in the roof — “I never saw him again." When asked if he thought the defendant had been intoxicated. witness said, "Yes—( he would have been just as! drunk as me, and I was rotten.” The girlfriend of the dead man, Vivian Lorraine Fry, aged 25, a process worker, said in evidence that she had known Peter Antonovich for almost five years. For three of these years she had been living with him in a flat in Stanmore Road. On the night of September 6. she was awakened just after midnight. “I thought I was dreaming because I thought I saw a shadow in the bedroom." Miss Fry said the shadow was going through the top drawers of the duchesse. “I woke Peter but he went back to sleep. I shook him again and repeated that someone was in the flat. This tipne he said. Oh bloody hpir and got out of bed."

Miss Fry said he switched' the light on and stepped through the door. As he did this he screamed and she! jumped out of bed. She saw Mr Antonovich lying on his back with a figure bending over him. The person pulled his arm back and she saw he. was holding a knife. As the arm went forward.‘ witness said she “lost her, head” and began to attack the person. Mr Antonovich.! still on his back was hitting‘ out and kicking at the in-1 t ruder. Witness said she pushed and shoved the person and: threw a pair of boots at him. "Peter partially tripped him but it was not enough to make him fall," she said, i The person then ran down! the stairs and fumbled with‘ the lock on the door. She Mid she then heard the sound of breaking glass. Witness said that Mr Antonovich stumbled to the telephone and dialled 111. After asking for the police.

he collapsed and she picked the telephone up. She told the man on the telephone who she was, where she lived and what had happened She then ran to the bathroom, took a towel and covered Mr Antonvich with it She also covered him with a sleeping bag. She then took bits off the vacuum cleaner and stood astride him until the police arrived. During her evidence, a boning knife with a fourinch blade was produced as an exhibit. Miss Fry said the knife had belonged to Mr Antonovich and was kept in a cabinet in the kitchen. Doctor Richard Hugh Acland told the Court that as surgeon at Christchurch Hospital he had been working in the accident and emergency department at the hospital during the early hours of September 7. He said Mr Antonovich was admitted to the department at 1.25 a.m. He found him to be unresponsive, with no spot breathing, no pulse palpable, and dilated, fixed pupils. After 25 minutes of unsuccessful resuscitation, he pronounced Mr Antonovich dead. Doctor Leonard Lawrence Treadgold, a pathologist, told the Court in evidence that he made a post-mortem examination on Mr Antonovich’s body at 10.30 a m. on September 7. Dr Treadgold said there were six stab wounds in the body — two in the chest and four in the back. Two of the wounds were nearly five

inches deep and one of these had penetrated Mr Antonovich’s heart and lung. He said that either of these two wounds could have caused death within minutes. Inspector Arthur Benjamin: John Jonas said in evidence' that he went to an address: in North Avon Road on thej morning of September 7.1 He and other policemen! searched the premises and ■ Redrup was found hiding ini a manhole in the roof of the property. When the defendant came! down he was asked what hej was doing there, but had no explanation. He was also! asked where his knife was,; and said he did not have _al knife. Inspector Jonas said he did not notice that the defendant was affected by liquor. Doctor Kevin John O’Connor told the Court that he had examined the defendant at the police station at 3.30 a.m. on September 7. He said that Redrup had appeared dirty and untidy, and had bloodstains on his chin. He also had cut fingers. His manner was relaxed, his speech clear, his i eyes rather red, and hisj breath smelt moderately of! alcohol. He said the accused; was not drunk. The cuts on Redrup’sl fingers, he said, were con-1 sistent with those that; would come from glass or ai knife. "I thought a knifej would have been morel likely,” he said. The hearing will continue; today. ■ j