Men convicted for assault at party in flat

Press, 19 September 1980, Page 7

Men convicted for assault at party in flat

Three men were convicted in the District Court yesterday on 3 separate charges of assault with intent to injure, which arose from one of them finding his de facto wife in bed with the complainant at a party. The principal offender then returned with a baseball bat and with the other two for “back-ups” in case others at the flat, where the party was held, intervened. Brent John Ramage, aged 18, an apprentice radiator fixer, was convicted and fined $250 and had his driving licence cancelled for six months on a charge of assaulting Stephen Andrew Laughton with intent to injure him. On similar charges Paul Steven Ramage, aged 24, a mechanic, and James Warren Naylor, aged 20, an unemployed printer, were each fined $2OO. All three pleaded not guilty, and were represented by Mr M. J. Glue. Sergeant M; P. Caldwell prosecuted. In convicting the three Judge Frampton said that there could be no more clear-cut case of assault with intent to injure than

that against Brent Ramage. Although the two others took no part in the assault they were quite clearly parties to the offence. Evidence showed that they were well aware that Brent Ramage was going to the flat to assault the complainant, that he had a baseball bat, and that they were prepared to assist him if others in the house attacked. Sergeant Caldwell said in asking that a deterrent penalty should be imposed, that this type of offence was becoming very common throughout New Zealand, with people taking the law into their own hands without justification.

Prosecution evidence was given that a party was held in a Riccarton flat to celebrate Mr Laughton’s return from Australia.

During the night Mr Laughton, and a girl, who had been living with Brent Ramage for two months, went to a bedroom.

Brent Ramage later called at the flat looking for his girl-friend and found her in bed with Mr Laughton. He then went away and nicked up the other two

[defendants, saying he was going to sort the matter out and required the others for a “back-up” in case others at the party intervened. They entered the flat and went to the bedroom, with Brent Ramage carrying a baseball bat. Mr Laughton said the first thing he remembered was that there were three men in the room and he was being hit. One person was on the bed punching him in the mouth. He was also hit with a baseball bat. He received a cut above the eye which required three stitches, and bruising on a leg and his back, and was in hospital for a day and a half.

In a statement to police Brent Ramage allegedly said he took the baseball bat because he wanted to hit Mr Laughton properly and teach him a lesson. In evidence he said he just wanted to hit him across the back with the bat, and to punch him to teach him a lesson. He said he hit Mr Laughton 12 to 18 times with his fist. He did not intend to use the bat as a weapon but to wake up

Mr Laughton, and then use his fists. He said the others had just gone along in case others at the party intervened. The two other defendants gave similar evidence of their being asked to go to the flat with Brent Ramage, but not to take part in the assault unless they were needed. (Before Judge Bisphan) BURGLARY CHARGE Two young men charged with burglary and with converting a 17ft (5.182 m fibreglass boat were remanded without pleas to September 25.

They are: Kevin James Melhopt, aged 20, unemployed, and Wayne Stanley Odering, aged 21, a footwear worker. Both defendants are charged with breaking and entering the training ship Cornwall, at Redcliffs, and with converting a $5OOO boat, the property of T. S. Cornwall. Each man was allowed bail.

The charges arise out of an incident in which two youths rowed a boat out in

the Estuary on Wednesday where they stayed for about an hour while police using a loud hailer tried to coax them to shore. MULTIPLE CHARGES A young man facing 12 charges, involving armed robbery, kidnapping, wounding and discharging a firearm, following alleged incidents in Lincoln Road on September 10 was further remanded without pleas being taken. The defendant, who at the request of counsel (Mr N. R. W. Davidson) was granted continued interim suppression of his name, was remanded in custody to October 2 so that a psychiatric examination can be completed. The youth is alleged to have robbed a youth of a wrist watch and another of a small amount of money while armed with a .22 calibre air rifle.

He also faces charges of kidnapping nine youths, that with intent he wounded seven of them, and of discharging a firearm in a manner likely to injury or endanger the safety of others.