Sect men fined on gunpowder charges

Press, 5 August 1977, Page 1

Sect men fined on gunpowder charges

PA Wellington Arms Act charges against five members of the Full Gospel Mission were dismissed in the Magistrate’s Court at Lower Hutt yesterday, but each was convicted and fined for breaches of the Explosives Act.

After Mr J. K. Patterson, S.M., had ruled that the prosecution had not proved the main part of its case, the group’s Lower Hutt leader, Paul Williams, said, “We thank the Lord for our deliverance.”

He said that the public had nothing to fear from them. “But we would like to bring them the work of the Lord.”

Williams and four other members of the sect had pleaded not guilty to 23 charges under the Arms Act and the Explosives Act laid after police raids on their homes in Richmond Grove, Woburn, last June. Mr K. G. Stone appeared for the Crown, which called 23 witnesses in the three-day hearing. Appearing with Williams, aged 26, were Stacy John Squires, aged 30, and Trevor William Corbett, aged 26, both R.NJS.A.F. flight sergeants, John Leslie Perkins, aged 21, an engineer, and Brian Charles Henshaw, aged 27, an accountant

Each defendant was convicted and fined $5O for storing explosives in their houses. Perkins was convicted of leaving 32.5 kg of explosives unattended in a public place, his car, and Henshaw, Squires, and Corbett for storing explosives at an unsafe distance from a house.

They were also convicted and fined $lO for storing explosives without the markings required by the Explosives Regulations 1950. In the search of the

defendants* homes at 34 and 36 Richmond Grove. Woburn, on June 2, police found more than 40,000 rounds of ammunition and 57kg of gunpowder. More gunpowder was found the next day in a car owned by Perkins and in a room at Government House, where Corbett worked as a footman.

Police also found 37 firearms of assorted calibres and a large amount of reloading material. Each of the defendants gave evidence and said that their religious beliefs were not connected uith their guns.

They believed that they would have to go to the hills in a time of civil disorder preceding the return of Jesus Christ and, If possible, would take guns. Asked if they would use their guns against other people, each said that they would not. That was against the Scriptures. Mr Joseph said that the prosecution had never proved the defendants owned their weapons except for a lawful, proper, and sufficient purpose. > If the defendants did go into the hills with their guns to live off the land, they would not be breaking the law. Nor would they be breaking the law if they used their weapons in selfdefence against harassment or attack. Each of the defendants was allowed up to 15kg of explosives and, since the amount taken by the police averaged less than this when divided by five, the Explosives Act charges should also be dismissed. Mr Stone said that Mr Joseph’s submission that each defendant was allowed up to 15kg of explosives was wrong. “Otherwise there could be the absurd situation where 100 people in one building could each own 15kg.”