Bomb-making described

Press, 12 November 1981, Page 2

Bomb-making described

PA Masterton The production of a homemade bomb was described in the District Court at Masterton when a young man appeared on charges connected with a fire in the historic wooden Government Building in Wellington on Guy Fawkes night. Gerard Martin MacPhail aged 20, an unemployed labourer of Carterton, was charged with aiding and

abetting a man, aged 21, to set the building on fire. Sergeant W. Wright told the Court how the bomb was made and described other preparations for the event. He asked that the details of its manufacture be suppressed. The bomb was placed under the building but there was minimal damage. When MacPhail returned to Carterton on November 6 he volun-

tarily told the Carteton police of the offence, Sergeant Wright said. MacPhail was remanded by Judge Gilbert to appear in the High Court at Wellington on November 23. He did not plead to the charge. He was released on bail, the terms of which were suppressed. Defence counsel, Mr C. J. Hodson, said MacPhail was a first offender.