Man clubbed by intruder

Press, 17 July 1980, Page 4

Man clubbed by intruder

PA ’ Auckland A» Auckland businessman who Tuesday night fought for his life with a club-wielding intruder, yesterday discharged himself from hospital. Mr Eric Schroder, aged 49, of Papakura, was resting at home after treatment for a broken arm, extensive cuts and bruising, and 37 stitches in the face and scalp. He said an older person, or someone of less solid build, might hav§ been dead after an ordeal similar to the one he had faced.

A knock at his door at 10.15 p.m. got him out of bed. “I thought it was one of my yahoo mates,” Mr Schroder said. He went to investigate and as he reached the bottom of the stairs he saw the blur of a weapon coming down on his head from behind.

Instinctively he put up his arm to ward it off—but the axe handle broke his arm and, he later discovered, was itself broken in the impact.

Mr Schroder and the young intruder, about half his age, fought desperately for about 15 minutes, along the narrow hallway, and eventually out on to the patio of the house. After warding off blow after blow from the new axe handle, Mr Schroder managed to grab a riding whip arid deliver the intruder a stinging lash across the face.

Out on the patio, the older man tripped over his unlaced shoes and came crashing down. The intruder bashed him over the head with his club and raced off down the 370metre drive.

Mr Schroder staggered inside, covered in blood. He was just able to dial 111 and give his address before he collapsed. He was found a few minutes later by policemen and ambulancemen. Detectives believe robbery was the motive for the attack and last night were still seeking the attacker, whom they believe is aged about 25.