Allegations not sustained

Press, 26 February 1982, Page 4

Allegations not sustained

Allegations made in the District Court at Dunedin last Friday that policemen had severely beaten an Invercargill’man at the Australia versus New Zealand cricket match at Carisbrook cannot be sustained, according to Deputy Police Commissioner E. J. Trappitt. The allegations were made when Brian Laurence Bartlett, aged 27, a line foreman, pleaded guilty to charges of disorderly behaviour and assaulting a constable during the one-d’ay cricket match on February 17. Judge Seeman had expressed disquiet at the allegations and urged that an inquiry be carried out.

However, in a statement, Mr Trappitt said Judge Seeman had confirmed to him that he envisaged the inquiry should be carried out under normal police procedures. Mr Trappitt said this had been done as a matter of standard procedure. On the evidence, the allegations of a severe beating could not be sustained. He said the defendant and two of his associates were arrested at the match for alleged disorderly behaviour late in the afternoon. A serious melee developed when the defendant made a concerted effort to resist arrest. Both the defendant and the arresting policeman fell to

the ground more than once, and he said it seemed clear that the defendant suffered all or most of his injuries at the point of arrest on the embankment — not, as alleged, behind the grandstand while he was handcuffed. He continued to struggle violently as he was taken to the police van behind the main stand, and did so right up to the point of being put in the van.

Mr Trappitt said the police absolutely denied that the defendant was beaten as alleged, and the evidence confirmed that the only force used was that sufficient to overcome defendant’s fierce

resistance, and was. therefore, lawfully applied. While the police had accepted the allegations made in court as a complaint, Mr Trappitt said it should be emphasised that the defendant had declined to make a complaint or wished the police to see him again about the matter. It was further reported that he expressed regret to the police for his behaviour before his court appearance. Mr Trappitt said he had conveyed his initial findings to Judge Seeman and that these would be confirmed when the inquiry was completed.