Fatal beating described

Press, 20 October 1980, Page 25

Fatal beating described

PA Rotorua . A man was beaten, to death because he ,was believed to have been “mucking round,” with another man’s “missus,” a witness has said in the District Court at Taupo. Mason.Turanganui Marama

i aged 23, a bushihan of Taupo, is., charged with the murder i of Alan David Turrier, of Toki oroa, on August 16. The pol- ’ ice allege that Mr Turner was I beaten to death and his body i thrown off a footbridge over the Huka Falls. ( : II Charged with being acces-

sories after the fact are Paul Patterson, aged 21, a bush contractor, of Whakatane; Adrian Ngamotu, 17, a post cutter, of Taupo; and Alan JOhn Heagney, aged 17, unemployed, of Tokoroa.

Leonard Edwards, a riiillHand, of Taupo, has said iri depositions evidence thrif he saw. Mr Turner bleeding and frothing at the mouth while he was being punchedagainst a wail gt the Taupo municipal camping ground. Marariia was hitting Mr Turner because he believed Mr Turner had been “mucking round with his missus,” he said.

Mr Turner had been punched in the face about a dozen times and beaten about the shoulders and head with a broom.

... Marariia had booted Mr Tufrief several times and the defendant, Heagney, also had hit him.

. .“Marama kept on punching him,” said Mr Edwards. Marama had said: “You are supposed to behave yourself here — you have to pay the consequences,” said witness, i Mr, Turner sounded as though he had asthma. “I did not try to stop the fight. I did not think it was that bad,” said Mr Edwards. He said that Maria (Tui) Simmonds, Marama’s girlfriendi had yelled at Marama to stop fighting. Mr Turner was taken into a cabin where he was thrown into a chair, and Mardma had punched him twice more. , “Tiii Simmonds again told him to stop, but by this time Mr Turner .iyas pretty weak,” said witness. She had given Mr Turner mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. '■ “We were going to call the police and say we had found him unconscious,” said Mr Edwards. “Then it was decided to throw him over the falls.” : .. It was suggested that he be buried. , ■ !> Mr Edwards , said he was asked to help btiry Mr Turner., blit refused* . ; : Ngamatu and Patterson had helped to put the body irt the car which Heagney was driving. That was the last time he had seen Mr Turner, witness said. The next morning Marama had told everyone that they had thrown the body over the falls. They had bdeh taring to work up. a stdty but could not work one out, said witness. '