Kidnap case enters third day

Press, 10 April 1980, Page 4

Kidnap case enters third day

A witness in the District Court yesterday said he climbed a fence and took off when Robert John Spicer and a carload of people pulled up at his friend’s driveway, because he knew Spicer wanted him for having taken out Spicer’s wife. Ronnie Paul Brunt, aged 20, was giving evidence for the prosecution in a depositions hearing of 26 charges against four young men. They include unlawful assembly, intimidation, wilful damage, and unlawfully carrying off a young man. The defendants, who have elected trial by jury on all charges, are Spicer, aged 25, a welder (Mr M. J. Glue), Kerry John Wildermoth, aged 19, a spring maker (Mr C; D. Eason), Robert Francis Lindsay James, aged 19, unemployed (Mr M. J. Knowles), and a youth, aged 19, (Mr J. Halls), who was granted interim suppression of his name. Yesterday was the second day of the case, which was adjourned to today for completion. Sixteen of the 23 prose-

cution witnesses have given evidence.

The charges which the defendants face are: unlawfully carrying off Gary Michael Hawthorne without his consent, with intent to cause him to be confined or imprisoned; damaging a dwelling in Clarence Street with intent to intimidate Mr Hawthorne; alarming Christine Anne McKean in a dwelling with intent to intimidate by acts of violence and threats; wilful damage of vehicles belonging to Mr Hawthorne, and to James McArthur; and being members of an unlawful assembly in that, with intent to carry out an attack on a property and occupants at 112 Olliviers Road, they caused neighbours to fear that they would use violence against persons or property in the neighbourhood.

Wildermoth also faces charges of assaulting Yvonne Anne Arrowsmith, and wilful damage of $l7O to a television set owned by Miss Arrowsmith. Messrs F. A. Gunn and H. A. R. Tullett, Justices of the Peace, are on the Bench. Sergeant M. J. South is prosecuting. Earlier prosecution evidence was that two sisters, Sharon Nicholls and Coral Spicer (wife of Robert Spicer) had stayed overnight with Gary Hawthorne and Ronnie Brunt.

The next evening Spicer and Wildermoth, accompanied by others in Spicer’s car, went to Mr Hawthorn’s flat He was held by the hair and, taken to the car, and asked where Sharon and Coral were. Mr Hawthorne was then taken to various addresses in a search for the girls, being dragged by the hair at times, according to evidence.

He was then taken to Spicer’s house, being told he would be kept there until Coral turned up. Several witnesses gave evidence yesterday of Spicer’s car, with passengers, visiting addresses in Montreal Street and Olliviers Road.

Three occupants of different flats at 112 Olliviers Road gave evidence of holding fears for their safety when a car pulled up and nosed into a concrete block wall and two occupants, holding a third man by the hair, went to one flat and called out for “Ronnie.” They were heard to say they would “get Ronnie,” and that, he had to come home some time.

Mr Brunt gave evidence of his and Gary Hawthorne’s meeting and accompanying Coral Spicer and Sharcn Nicholls on the evening and overnight on January 25 and 26.

He said that he and James McArthur and other friends went to a stock car meeting the next evening. Soon after arriving at Mr McArthur’s house in Olliviers Road, Spicer’s car pulled up. James McArthur went to back out of the driveway but it was blocked by Spicer’s car. A few of the occupants of Spicer’s car jumped out and began smashing windows and kicking at Mr McArthur’s vehicle.

After driving forward up the drive and being pursued by occupants of Spicer’s car, he and the others in Mr McArthur’s vehicle jumped out and made off. He said he climbed a fence and took off. He knew Spicer wanted him because he had taken Spicer’s wife out.

He was fairly scared and thought he “probably would not be here today” it he had not escaped.