The courts Men told about “easy” girl

Press, 1 September 1977, Page 4

The courts Men told about “easy” girl

j A group of young men inI volved in multiple rape j charges were drinking in i Warners Tavern when they were told about “a chick in Cashel Street who was «asy.” it was stated in the . Supreme Court yesterday. The trial of the four men, 'which is being presided over by Mr Justice Somers, will finish today. Wayne Maurice Crump, aged 20, Joseph James Ward, aged 25, and Darryl Ivor Wheeler, aged 17. have ■ pleaded not guilty to two I charges' of raping an 18- | year-old girl in a Cashel Street flat on April 13 and !14.

Christopher Owen Melville Collins, aged 17, has pleaded not guilty to three charges of aiding and abetting rape on April 14. Mr G. K. Panckhurst appears for the Crown, Mr R. J. Murfitt for Crump, Mr D. J. R. Holderness for Ward, Mr P. M. James for Wheeler, and Mr P. H. B. Hall for Collins.

Alexander Nelson, aged 46, a sickness beneficiary, said that in April he had been living in a flat in Cashel Street. About 11 p.m. on April 14 he admitted four young men to the flat after they had asked if the girl complainant was there. Nelson said that he slept in a single bed in the bed-

room of the girl’s boyfriend, Neville Paul King, who had the double bed. Witness went back to bed but when he heard a “bit of screaming going on" he called the

police and told them that there were men in Jhe flat. The men had left when he got back. When the men returned in the early hours he was asked if he had called the police; when he admitted that he had he was smacked in the mouth. He was in bed .and was ordered to face the wall. He saw nothing of what happened in the bedroom because the lights were out. He heard the girl “doing a bit of screaming.” To Mr Murfitt, Mr Nelson said that he had heard no screaming during the first visit. He got the police because there had been some ffghting. To Mr Holderness, the witness said that he did not hear the girl telling one of the men “to hurry up.”

Constable Brent Patrick Wilson said that he was admitted to the flat on April 13 by Mr Nelson. Ward came part way down the stairs and on seeing the constable ran back up. In the bedroom, the girl had just finished dressing. When she bent over to pick up her shoes she held her stomach and groaned. She was upset and was crying.

The left side of her face was red and slightly swollen. He called for the assistance of the C. 1.8. Detective Constable Philip' Matthew Deazley said that on April 14 he interviewed Crump who refused to make a statement. Crump denied 1 being at the Cashel Street flat the previous day. knowing the girl, or having intercourse with her. He an-1 swered a number of ques-| tions and then refused to answer any more. Asked if he knew what rape was, Crump said it was I intercourse without consent. He knew it was a serious! matter, and added: “Yes I know I’m in trouble and will! get a long lag for it —■ maybe five years.” After speaking to Wheeler, i Crump agreed to make a statement in which he said* ithat he had been drinking inj Warners Hotel where there I I had been some talk about a! girl who lived in a flat. They; went to the flat, where the! girl was in bed without clothes on. The conversation ■ got around to sex, and the' man who was sitting on the I side of the bed when they arrived said: “Leave me out of it and you can have her." He left the bedroom for a short time, and when he returned “one of the guys was having sex with the girl.” I She was not resisting or I

struggling, and did not scream or cry out for help. A second had sex with the girl, and then Crump said he t did. They all left the flat by the back fire escape after someone said that the police | were there. Later, they returned to the flat and someone hit the old man 1 who was sitting up in bed.' 'The bedroom was in darkness. He went into the lounge for a time and then returned to the bedroom where he had intercourse ! with the girl. In his opinion the girl was a willing party land did not object. To Mr Murfitt. Detective Deazley said that Crump had denied every allegation of rape. There were lurid | photographs of naked ; women on the wall above I the single bed. Dr Kevin John O’Connor I said that he examined the Igirl at 1.10 a.m. on April 14. ; She had a bruised upper lip land minor abrasions on the neck and over the left side of the breast. There was no :! injury to the sexual organs. I At 11.45 a.m. on the same day he again examined the girl at the request of the police and he found no new : injuries. Dr O’Connor said. Constable Robert Grant ; I Palmer said that he inter- ’ | viewed Wheeler who after ■ I speaking to Crump, agreed!

to make a statement. In

Wheeler said that they went to the address they had been given and were admitted to the flat after asking for the girl whose name they had been given. They walked into the upstairs bedroom and found that there was a man with the girl. The man and the girl had an argument.

Wheeler said that he ordered the man to go into the lounge and the man said that he did not care what happened as long as they left him alone. He said that he talked to the other persons who lived in the flat and asked them what it was like living with a slut. They just sat there and did not say anything. At one stage he went back into the bedroom and saw the girl with her legs wrapped around Crump. She was sort of laughing. He saw one of the others having intercourse with her as well. There was no violence the first time they visited the flat.

On the second visit everyone had intercourse with the girl. At one stage someone suggested getting the other girl who lived in the flat into the room. Wheeler told the others to leave her alone as she was pregnant, the I statement said.