Knife brandished at police

Press, 20 May 1981, Page 4

Knife brandished at police

A man .was convicted : of• two assaults by brandishing ,ai:sheath knife" at pdlice,off T . Jeers, arid a further charge of having, an offensive weapon, ( oh the even- " ing of March-3. The defendant, Harry James Cooper, aged 22, a steel worker (Mr E. Bedo) had denied the three offences. He was remanded on bail to June 8 for sentence, by Judge Paterson. Sergeant W. J. McCormick prosecuted, . Complainants in the assault charges, which were . laid .under the Crimes Act, were Constables S. Wilson and G. A. Rowe. Police evidence was given that Constable Wilson went to‘ the fish and chip shop in Warner’s building in Cathedral Square and spoke to the defendant. Outside, the defendant gave, his name as Cosgrove, and produced an identity card which the

constable suspected as false. When he asked to look in the defendant’s shoulder bag, . as he believed the defendant •. ’■to have:an offensive weapon, ’' the 1 defendant became increasingly fidgety. Another constable was called by radio and the. defendant asked if he handed- over the knife would he be: released. ' • , : He said he carried . the • knife as a precaution. When the other constable approached; ; the defendant grasped a sheath, knife from his bag and adopted ah attacking stance towards the constables, and lunged with the knife. The two constables retreated and the defendant ; -then ran. off . along Press Lane, with 'the constables pursuing him. At the Gloucester Street entrance he lunged at two members of the. public who were entering the lane, as he ran past. The pursuit continued along ■ several inner-city

streets, with police car patrols called in, and Constable Rowe alighted from a police car to remonstrate with' the who 'made a slash-:' ing motidh with the knife. Further along in the chase the constable threw a torch, hitting the defendant, who

was then apprehended. The defendant said in. evidence that he had gear in his shoulder' bag from a territorial ■ exercise, he had ; ! just attended., He said the knife was in : its sheath but Constable; Wilson saw it in the open bag and tried to take it.

He told the constable he could not have it, and pushed him:away. ; J During the struggle' the knife became unsheathed. The'Judge said he rejected the defendant’s denials, and found all three charges proved.