Woman threw explosive device

Press, 18 June 1982, Page 3

Woman threw explosive device

PA Whangarei A High Court jury at Whangarei yesterday found an Auckland woman guilty of throwing an explosive device during the Waitangi Day protests at‘Waitangi: Hariata May Ropata, aged 30, a solo mother, of Mount Eden, was convicted by Mr Justice Moller and remanded to the High Court at Auckland for sentence on July 2. His Honour asked .that the Probation Service investigate the possibility of a community service sentence and released the accused on $lOOO bail, with a $lOOO surety. Ropata had denied a charge of placing an explosive device with reckless disregard for the safety of others, near the Hobson Memorial on February 6.

The jury took just under two hours to reach its verdict. In his summing-up to the jury, his Honour referred to Wednesday’s dismissal of a second charge . against the accused.. The T , Wednesday charge, which was denied, of placing an injurious substance near the memorial on Waitangi Day had been dismissed because the substance, a mixture of sugar and potassium nitrate, had not been shown .to be injurious in itself, he said, 'i;. His Honour contrasted the mixture with acid, which he said was a substance that was injurious in itself. The Crown Prosecutor was Mr Phillip Smith. Dr Rodney Harrison) appeared for the accused.