Demonstrator fined $50

Press, 26 November 1981, Page 4

Demonstrator fined $50

Lawful protest was one thing but the action of picking up a road sign, running out in the road, and throwing it at the Prime Minister's car was “the stuff that riots are made of.” said Judge Bradford in the District Court yesterday. Appearing before him was Trevor Allan Warr, aged 29, a psychiatric nurse, who had admitted a charge of behaving in a disorderly manner in Kilmore Street on November 19. He was convicted and fined $5O. Sergeant G. C. Jones said at 9.10 p.m. that day the defendant was in a demonstration outside the Town Hall where the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) was speaking at an election meeting. As Mr Muldoon was leaving the area in his car, Warr had run out, picked up a reserve parking sign, raised it above his head and threw it at the car. The sign missed the vehicle and Warr was arrested. The Judge said a strong plea had been made by the defendant’s counsel (Mr R. J. Murfitt) that a conviction ought not to be entered against his client as it was asserted that to do so would jeopardise his future employment. Judge Bradford said he was unable to accede to a discharge without conviction. The action of Warr in picking up the sign and throwiing it was not a lawful protest. Rather it was a serious act on the part of the defendant. An application by Mr Murfitt for suppression of his client’s name was refused by the Judge. Mr Murfitt, in his submissions, said Warr felt strongly about Mr Muldoon. His action had been an impulsive, spur of the moment thing. Warr, said Mr Murfitt, did not accept that he threw the sign at the car which was flanked on each side by a police sergeant. The defendant, a first offender, threw the sign in the roadway and was arrested with “speed and vigour,” he said.

If convicted, Mr Murfitt said his client’s career would

be compromised. He sought a discharge without conviction but with payment towards the cost of the prosecution. Another protestor who admitted assaulting a police officer by biting his hand was David Robert Mitchell, aged 30, a lighting technician. Mitchell, who spoke on his own behalf, said he went to the demonstration but did not intend any violence. The biting had occurred during a tense situation involving a struggle and Mitchell said he apologised to the policeman concerned. Because he said he was unable to pay a fine Mitchell was convicted and remanded to December 9 for a probation report and sentence. Seven other defendants, two of them women, also appeared on charges resulting from incidents which occurred at the same demonstration.

James Albert Bunce, aged 20, a forestry worker, was remanded without plea to December 2. Richard Mark Harrison, aged 23, a labourer, was remanded to February 8 for a defended hearing. Jillian Mary Anderson, aged 23, unemployed, was remanded without plea to December 2. All three are charged with behaving in a disorderly manner in Kilmore Street. Sharon Elizabeth Grant, aged 23. unemployed, denied a charge of assaulting a constable. She was remanded to Februaryy 12 for a defended hearing. John Eric Leach, aged 18, a sales representative, was remanded without plea to December 2 on an offensive language charge. David Jacob Jurriaan Bendien, aged 22, a student, charged with obstructing a policeman, was remanded to February 8 for a defended hearing. No pleas were entered by Robert John Davidson, aged 30, an engine driver, who faces charges of behaving in a disorderly manner and with resisting a police officer.

He was remanded 'to December 2.

All the remands were at large. $5OO FINE A factory worker convicted on a charge of cultivating cannabis was fined $5OO. Tony Longstaff, aged 21. admitted the offence as did his co-offender. Bettina Faye Sampson, aged 19, unemployed. Sampson was convicted and fined $lOO. Sergeant Jones said that when the police executed a search warrant at the defendants’ address they found 21 individually potted cannabis plants in an early stage of growth. The plants were in a hot water cylinder cupboard lined with silver paper and fitted with lights. In explanation, both defendants asserted the drug to be for their own use and that they were growing it to save them having to buy cannabis, said Sergeant Jones. TWO MONTHS JAIL

A man convicted of carrying an offensive weapon — a Molotov cocktail — and of a breach of periodic dentention, was sent to prison for a month on each charge. Augustine Rangi, aged 27, unemployed, had admitted the offences. On the offensive weapon charge, the Judge had earlier been told that Rangi, a member of an out-of-town motorcycle gang, had on October 24 walked into a Putorino shop carrying the Molotov cocktail. He had told the police he had it in the event of an attack by a rival gang. Counsel (Mr K. J. Grave) said his client denied possessing the weapon but said that the “cocktail” was used for cleaning oil leaking from the engine on to the wheel rim and tyre of his motor-cycles. The potential of such a weapon was frightening and here was the defendant carrying it into a shop, Said the Judge. He added that the explanation given counsel by the defendant lacked credulity. The two terms of imprisonment would be served cumulatively, the Judge said.