Charge dismissed after Cave fracas

Press, 24 August 1977, Page 4

Charge dismissed after Cave fracas

PA Wellington A charge of assault against the international Kiwi rugby league forward, Whetu Henry, was dismissed in the Magistrate’s Court at Wellington.

Henry, aged 26, a council workman, who is an assistant doorman at the Cave nightclub in Wellington, was charged with assaulting Clayton Delaney De-Barres at the nightclub on July 7. He pleaded not guilty.

Mr De-Barres told the court he had been taken to hospital suffering facial injuries and a head injury after being punched and hit on the head with a baton wielded by a leather-jacketed man he “reckoned” was Henry. The fracas began after Henry had accused one of

his friends of climbing over seats and had asked him to leave the nightclub, Mr De-Barres said?

A fight broke out on the stairs as Henry was dragging his friends towards the exit.

In evidence, Henry said he was not wearing a leather jacket or carrying a baton that evening. He was escorting Mr DeBarres’s friend towards the exit, after he had been warned several times about his behaviour, when he (defendant) was punched in the face twice.

Dismissing the charge, Mr D. J. Sullivan, S.M., said that the complainant had “somewhat exaggerated” his injuries. However, he also considered Henry had underplayed the description of his part in evicting the patron.