Man sent for trial on stabbing charges

Press, 28 February 1980, Page 4

Man sent for trial on stabbing charges

A motor-cycle gang member who was not apprehended by police for more than four months after an alleged stabbing of a showman at the Industries Fair last Augus-t, was yesterday in the Magistrate’s Court committed to the Supreme Court for • trial • on. two charges. „ _ The defendant, Allan Hairwood, aged 23, unemployed, pleaded not guilty and elected trial by jury on charges of injuring Jarnos Matewaka Kahu Koti, a showman, arid . assaulting Murray George Pickup, a showman, at the Addington Showgrounds in the early hours of August 20. Mr Koti gave evidence at yesterday’s depositions hearing, but statements of evidence of the other 11 prosecution witnesses were admitted by consent, and read in Court.

Counsel (Mr D. C. Fitzgibbon) told Messrs W. J. Hollibon and J. M. Doody, Justices of the Peace, that he accepted there was a prima facie case to answer to the charges. The justices remanded the defendant to April 14 for trial in the Supreme Court. They granted bail of $lOOO, with two sureties of the same amount, and directed that he report daily to the police. Mr Koti and a fairgrounds employee, Douglas Jones, gave evidence of being stabbed at the showgrounds and the prosecution (Sergeant K. J. Humdell) said the defendant’s companion, described in evidence as a member of the Antarctic Angels motor-cycle gang, Invercargill, was still being sought.

. Sergeant Hurndell said it was alleged this co-offender caused the injuries to Mr Jones and if he was found the police intended that he would be prosecuted jointly. Accordingly, evidence was being given at this s-tage. Mr Koti gave evidence of being wounded in the stomach by the defendant, and in the kidney area by the defendant’s companion. Bloodstained clothing, with perforations in the areas where Mr Koti and Mr Jones alleged they had been stabbed, were produced in evidence. Prosecution evidence was that the defendant, a member of the Epitaph Riders’ gang, and his companion called at the showmen’s caravan area on Sunday evening, August 19. After drinking in a caravan with some of the employees they went outside.

Murray Pickup, a ‘‘Wall of Death” rider with whom the defendant had been speaking, followed them but in the “chair-o-plane” area the defendant said he wanted to

take a car battery he had seen in the area. The defendant then suddenly “smacked” Mr Pickup in the face, knocking him to the ground.

Another witness went for help to a caravan and Mr Koti went to the area and found the defendant carrying the battery. When Mr Koti asked what was going on the defendant punched him in the face. Mr Koti tackled the defendant and punched him.

While the defendant was on the ground with Mr Koti kneeling over the top of him, Mr Koti said he felt -the knife in his stomach. When he felt the knife he hit the defendant again, and then felt two blows in the back, in the kidney area. He rolled away from the defendant and saw it was the defendant’s friend who had stabbed him. He wen-t after the two but they jumped a fence and made off.

Cross-examined, Mr Koti was asked if he was aware of a number of “con-

frontations” which had occurred between showmen and “bikies.” He said: “In the South- Island : , maybe.” He said he had not been involved in any of these incidents. Murray George Pickup gave evidence of seeing a knife sticking out of the defendant’s • back pocket when the defendant was in the caravan. Later, he and Devon Stewart, another employee, followed the two motor-cyclists outside and it was in the chair-o-plane area that the defendant talked about wanting the car battery there, and then smacked Mr Pickup in the face. Douglas Jones gave evidence of being stabbed in the stomach by the defenant’s companion whom he had seen assisting the defendant in the struggle with Mr Koti. He did not see a knife but thought his assailant had “a bit of steel” in his hand. Detective W. D. Schwass gave evidence of locating the defendant on December 26 during inquiries into another matter. INDECENCY CHARGES The court is still waiting for a decision from the Indecent Publications Tribunal on the 1979 copy of Lincoln College Students’ Assocition capping mag. “Ram.” The case was adjourned again yesterday to March 26. The association was charged on March 16, 1979, with publishing for the purpose of sale or distribution an indecent document under the Indecent Publications Act, 1963. At that time a plea of not guilty was entered on behalf of the student body.