Pilot fined for assault

Press, 25 February 1977, Page 3

Pilot fined for assault

Staff reporter Greymouth “I cannot but tell people in dangerous occupations and in remote areas that they are not beyond the law,” Mr N. L. Bradford, S.M.. told a helicopter pilot in the Greymouth Magistrate’s Court yesterday when sentencing him on a charge of assault. WiUiam Geoffrey McDonald A’inefield had originally been charged with assault with intent to injure Wellwyn Harris Collins at Mussel Point on January 22. The charge was reduced by the Magistrate yesterday to one of ordinary assault, to which the defendant pleaded guilty. Evidence had been given on Wednesday that Winefield and a passenger, Robert Patrick Nolan, aged 23, had hovered over a barbecue party in a helicopter while

Nolan had baled deer offal over the persons below. When the complainant and another had gone to the helicopter base to seek an explanation, fights had broken out and it was alleged that the defendant had assaulted Collins with an axe.

Defence counsel (Mr R. G. Sinclair) said that since the incident, the defendant had been entirely responsible. He had been suspended from his job and had had to report regularly to the police.

“He is now in a situation where he has received communication from another arm of the Government which could have more serious consequences for him, and he may have difficulty in continuing in his chosen form of employment,” said Mr Sinclair. He said that there had been a series of incidents which had started off as

jokes but which had gone too far.

The Magistrate said that the evidence showed a situation where Winefield and others involved “in this violent action” had not stopped to think of the consequences. “Mr Sinclair has mentioned the attention of another arm of Government and, in addition, the police are taking steps over you about the 1 use of firearms,” he said. “Your present career has been destroyed.” The Magistrate said that he had doubts whether there was an intent to injure and had reduced the charge accordingly. “But there was obviously bad blood between you and the complainant,” he said. “I am quite sure that the word will spread in this remote area that the community is not going to tolerate such behaviour.” Winefield was convicted

and fined $4OO. Although witnesses’ expenses were said to total $547, the -Magistrate allowed $lOO.

Nolan, who was charged with assaulting Collins by tipping the offal over the barbecue party, had initially seen it as a joke, and as “rough justice or recompense” for others turning over Winefield’s car in an earlier incident, said Mr Sinclair.

Nolan had not come out unscathed. As the bucket of offal had been tipped over, pressure from the helicopter blades had resulted in it being pushed back into the helicopter “and he ended up receiving most of it himself.”

“It was an incredibly bad joke,” said Mr Sinclair. The Magistrate said that it had been a disgusting and revolting thing to do. “There was a baby in that crowd,” he said. He fined Nolan $l5O.