Scene likened to American movie

Press, 9 April 1981, Page 5

Scene likened to American movie

A resident near the Mongrel Mob gang headquarters said in evidence in the District Court yesterday that an Jncident on the’ evening of ■January 29 was like watching an American movie, with a tremendous amount of noise, screams, shouting, throwing of bottles, and people running over rooftops. It was “quite frightening.’’ The witness was giving evidence on the second day of a defended hearing against 11 Mongrel Mob members of a joint charge against each of taking part -in a riot, on or about January 30, in that they were members of an unlawful assembly which disturbed the peace tumultuously. Several defendants also face other related charges. _ Prosecution evidence continued yesterday, and Judge Fraser adjourned the hearing until today.

The defendants are: Frederick Walter Bellas, aged 24, unemployed (Mr C. D. Eason); Marty Fleming Brandt, aged 21, unemployed (Mr T. M. Abbott): Kenneth Joseph Crown, aged 26. unemployed (Mr D. C. Fitzgibbon); Noel John Walter Kelly, aged 23, a scrub cutter (Mr M. J. Knowles); George Moanaroa Kidwell, aged 21, unemployed (Mr P. B. McMenamin); Andrew John Morgan, aged 21, unemployed (Mrs J. Rotherham); John Kama Morgan, aged 23. a railway surfaceman (Mr N. P. Chapman); George Muru, aged 27, a scrub cutter (Mr T. Sissons); Aarius Stuart

Rutledge, aged 17, unemployed (Mr R. J._ Murfitt); Danny Rorlrakena ':Thompson, aged 21, unemployed (Mr ■G. M.’ Brodie): and a youth, aged 16, represented by Mr P. H. B. Hall. In addition to the joint charge of unlawful assembly Bellas faces a charge of assaulting Constable M. T. Taylor in the execution of his duty; Brandt, Kelly, and Kidwell face charges of disorderly behaviour, and Muru disorderly behaviour and wilful damage of $B7 to a police vehicle. Brandt also faces charges of reckless driving and dangerous driving. ‘ • Sergeant J. A. Ell is prosecuting. Evidence on the first day was that the incident began after a team police patrol followed a car, considered to be speeding, and which stopped at the gang headquarters. Constable M. T. Taylor gave evidence yesterday that, after the police car stopped behind the car at the Mongrel Mob headquarters, he and Sergeant G. W. Campbell alighted to talk to the driver about his excessive speed in Salisbury and Manchester Streets. They were immediately subjected to abuse from members, and objects were thrown at them. As the constable walked around the front of the car, Brandt wound up the window and re-vved the car and drove it towards him.

“I jumped out of the way. If I had not jumped it would have run me over,” the constable said. Constable Taylor said that ! as he jumped the baton in his hand , hit the car’s windscreen, breaking it, due to his reflex- action and the vehicle’s momentum. Pieces of wood and other objects were thrown over the fence and landed around the police officers. About eight or nine gangmembers, including several defendants, then came out of the property. Bellas carried a piece of pipe from a roof rack and from 20 yards away threw it at the constable, hitting him on the side of the face and causing a cut. He_ was then hit on an arm with' a beer bottle., ’ . . The police party retreated to the patrol car under a constant barrage of bottles and pieces of wood. A resident of the area said’ he was concerned and frightened and his elderly mother was terrified in their house, at the activity outside in ■which violent language was being used towards the police: people were running over rooftops. John Albert Gordon, a manufacturer’s representative. said he awakened late on the evening of January 29 to a fantastic amount of noise surrounding his house. He saw police cars' in Colombo Street and Bealey Avenue, and the avenue was cordoned off.