Tour protesters sentenced

Press, 9 March 1982, Page 9

Tour protesters sentenced

PA Wellington Two men convicted on ‘ charges arising from Spring- J bok tour protests at Nelson - have been sentenced by Mr Justice Savage in the High ’ Court at Wellington to do 60 ( hours community work. * Oliver Edward Bullmore, 1 aged 20, a student, had been ' found guilty by a jury on two * counts of throwing an explosive or injurious device with ‘ reckless disregard for the 1 safety of others. John David Bridges, aged ‘ 29. painter and decorator, { had been found guilty .by a 1 jury on. one count of throw- J ing an ; explosive and one } charge of unlawful posses- 1 sion of explosive in a public place. \ . (

Each was ordered to make a payment towai-ds the cost of the prosecution: Bullmore, $lOO. and Bridges. $2OO. His Honour said that all the charges arose out of events on the street at the entrance to the Rutherford Hotel at Nelson at which it was believed the Springbok tour team was staying. “You were, a member of an organised group of demonstrators.” he said. Police guarding the hotel formed a barrier at the entrance to the grounds of the hotel to prevent a body of demonstrators from entertain the hotel grounds or the building. “It was at night,” his Honour said. “While the body of

the demonstrators was formed facing the police barrier, articles were thrown by the demonstrators at the police.” His Honour said that in any ordered society to express protest or dissent was • acceptable, but it became utterly unacceptable when T there was a resort to violence. particularly using devices such as explosives.