Man punched, kicked Nelson traffic officer

Press, 23 April 1980, Page 7

Man punched, kicked Nelson traffic officer

.A member of a Nelson motor-cycle gang who as-J saulted a traffic officer so severely, that he spent thr£e days in hospital was remanded in custody for sen-; fence when he appeared be-! fore Judge Headifen in the District Court at Nelson yesterday. Judge Headifen told Michael Leonard Webb, aged--22, a painter, that if it were not for the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act Which' required him to get a proba-i tion report, lie would sentence him straight away. He had also contemplated send-' ing Webb to the High Court for sentence, he said. Webbs?pleaded" guilty to two charges — assaulting Traffic Officer G. B. Know-: les on April 12, and causing' damage to a Ministry of; Transport car to the value! of $248; Sergeant P. D. ■ Grooby said that at 12.35 p.m. a truck in which the defendant was a passenger was in-; volved in an accident in; Hardy Street, Nelson, almost opposite where Traffic Officer Knowles sat in his parked car. The traffic officer followed the truck when it drove off and entered a car park. The traffic officer pulled up behind the truck in the

car park and Mr Knowles (was about to get out of the; door when the defendant, i jumped out of the truck and: • rushed over to the traffic; •;car. Webb then punched Mr ! Knowles through the open car Window, twice on the nose and once in the mouth, said Sergeant Grooby. . I The dazed traffic officer tried to open the door but the defendant kicked it shut and then kicked both doors I causing damage to the value •I of $248. As the traffic officer tried : to leave the car, Webb kickbed him on the shins, bring-! : ing him to his hands and: knees. Webb then hit him ini , the face before returning tpi

the truck which drove off. The truck was pursued : ( and when the defendant was Lspoken to by the police he nsaid, “it’s been coming for a ■llong time. I mean he’s really i been giving the guys a hard ! time and it was just his atti- , tude.” I As a result of the assault • Traffic Officer Knowles had : suffered bruising arid lacert ations to the face, a split lip ; and fractured nose. He was ! admitted to hospital for three days and received surI gery for his injuries, said ■ Sergeant Grooby. ■j Mr J. R. F. Fardell, who for Webb, asked i(for bail but this was refused.