Man accused of chopping dog

Press, 2 December 1980, Page 22

Man accused of chopping dog

PA Wellington A man who said he had been told he would “get it” if he did not alter evidence he was to give in court, later found his dog chopped to pieces, the District Court at Wellington has been told. Before the Court was Ainsley Brent Anderson, aged 21, an unemployed labourer, who at the end of the hearing denied a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice by attempting to coerce William Frederick Buist into giving false evidence.

He was remanded on bail by Mr J. A. Young and Mrs B. P. Wood, Justices of the Peace, to appear in the High Court on December 8. Mr Buist said in evidence that Anderson, a former employee of hfe, who was alleged to have obtained petrol by falsely charging it to Mr Buist’s account, had telephoned him on September 28. He said Anderson had told him that he wanted him to say in evidence in court the next day that the defendant had permission to charge the petrol to the account. Witness told Anderson he would not perjure himself, to which Anderson replied that if he did not, “things could get very sticky.” Mr Buist said he agreed to

see Anderson at his home the next morning, and when he did Anderson asked him “outside to talk privately.” Witness said he refused, to which Anderson had responded by heading for the door, saying “something like, ‘don’t worry, it’s all been planned — you’ll get it’.” Witness said he left for the District Court about 10 a.m. and when he returned three hours later, found his dog dead. “It had been chopped to pieces. I also found the axe with bloodstains on it,” he said.

He told the police prosecutor, Sergeant I. E. Carmichael, he had reacted with “worry and fear for me and my family” at the morning meeting with Anderson. Mr Buist said he had discussed the meeting with the police when he went to give evidence against Anderson, and on their advice, did'not mention it at the hearing. Constable B. G. Donald said in evidence that Anderson told him he had wanted to establish from Mr Buist whether he or the petrol station laid charges against him. When asked if he had told Mr Buist he would “get it,” Anderson had replied, "No way, man,” Constable Donald said.