Man put bomb under car 'to get even’

Press, 5 December 1978, Page 13

Man put bomb under car 'to get even’

PA Auckland A Mount Eden man had exploded a bomb under an associate’s van because he wanted to “get back at him,” the Magistrate’s court at Auckland was told. Shane Leslie Byers, aged 26, a self-employed painter, pleaded guilty before Mr J. R. Aubin, S.M., to a charge of unlawfully damaging by explosion a 1970 Holden van valued at $5OOO. Sergeant T. J. Hughes said that on August 29 a van owned by the complainant had been extensively damaged by explosives. One side of it had been demolished, the rear wheel and tyre assembly had been damaged, and the interior had been shredded by disintegrating metal.

Nearby houses had been , hit by debris, windows ; had been shattered, and pictures had fallen out 1 from walls. Byers had told the police that in 1976 while ; he had been in prison the ; complainant had formed a I relationship with Byers’ ; common-law wife. The ; complainant had “eaten i into his guts and really i twisted him up mentally.” ; Byers had also believed j that the complainant had ’ introduced his wife to ' heroin. After he had been released from prison last May he had decided to “get back” at the complainant. He had used gelignite and a detonator to make the bomb. Byers was convicted and remanded to Oakley i Hospital to December 22 I for a report and sentence.