Instructor ‘choked, spat on’ soldier

Press, 21 April 1979, Page 1

Instructor ‘choked, spat on’ soldier

PA Auckland A Special Air Service instructor twisted a rope lanyard tightly around a soldier’s neck and spat in his face at close range, a court-martial at Papakura Military' Camp heard yesterday. Before the court-mar-tial’s president, Major T. N. Culley, and its members, Captain D. F. Pollard and Captain H. H. Tobias, was Corporal Christopher James Butler, aged 28, who has pleaded not guilty to 22 charges of striking and using violence to superiors, striking a fellow officer, and striking and ill-treating soldiers.

The court-martial had previously heard that Butler had either punched, burned, or beaten with a broom-handle 10 students at a selection course on March 9. Private A. F. White, a witness, said that- Butler had kicked him in the groin while he was crawling on his stomach. Another witness. Private D. M. Gardiner, said that during an inspection Butler had held a cigarette lighter under his chin for a few seconds.

“He punched me on the chin when I moved away. I fell on to the bed and then picked myself up and stood at attention,” Pri-

vate Gardiner said. “He tried to burn me.” Trooper K. D. Harris said that he had also had a lighter held under his chin by Butler. “I stood there for a couple of seconds and turned my face away. He then hit me and I went flying against a wall,” Trooper Harris said. “He told me to keep still and did the same again. They were strong blows to the side of my face. I stood at attention.” The defending officer. Captain J. N. Hunt, asked Trooper Harris if he remembered every little burn that he had suffered. “No, sir.”

"Do you remember all small things that happen to you?” “It was the first time a thing like that has happened to me.” Gunner J. W. Heta said that Butler had thrust a broom-handle into his throat several times, forcing him on to his bed. “Every time I got back up I stood at attention,” Gunner Heta said. “He put a lighter under my chin and set it aflame —- each time I turned my head away to stop it burning my chin he struck me with his fist. “There were nine punches altogether, and he just hit me in the same

place all the time — on the lip. I was standing at attention and he kept punching my mouth. I cut my bottom lip and my teeth had gone into my lip pretty deep.” Trooper G. L. Reihana said that he had been scared and had flinched slightly when Butler put a lighter under his chin for a couple of seconds. Captain Hunt: Was he intending to injure you or was he just toughening you up? Witness: I do not know, Sir.

Private J. M. McLeod said that Butler had told him that he (Butler) was “boss round here,” and

that Butler punched him in the stomach. “1 buckled over and then stood to attention again. He shoved me back down again,” Private McLeod said. “He had me by my compass rope twisted very tightly around my neck.” Private McLeod said that he was shaken backwards and forwards by the rope and suffered rope bums to the neck. “It was tight up against my throat and he then spat in my face. A large amount of spit was running down my face.” The court-martial will continue today.