Children saw stabbing, Hastings Court told

Press, 5 April 1983, Page 17

Children saw stabbing, Hastings Court told

PA Hastings Two children watched from the balcony of a motel while their father stabbed their mother in a bloody struggle, it was alleged in the District Court at Hastings. The mother later died and the children’s father appeared in court charged with murdering her. Aubrey Nepia, 37, Auckland, was before the Court for the taking of depositions. Prosecuting, Mr Geoff Rea said the Nepias had been married for 16 years, but had been separated for some time. Mrs Nepia had custody of their two children and lived in Hastings, housekeeping for a retired man. Nepia had been allowed to have his children in Auckland around Christmas time and brought them back to Hastings on January 20, staying overnight at the Apple Inn. The next morning he telephoned his wife, who with a friend went to the inn to

pick up the children. The friend, Miss Vicky Leanne Poots, a laundry assistant, told the Court that when she and Mrs Nepia met Nepia at the door of his motel unit he grabbed her and pulled her inside. The children ran out. Mrs Nepia yelled, “ring the police.” Miss Poots said she took the children, a boy end a girl, upstairs to the restaurant, where the boy telephoned the police. After making the call, all three of them went to a nearby balcony, above the motel unit. Mr and Mrs Nepia were struggling outside the unit. “She had blood practically all over her,” Miss Poots said. She said she saw Nepia stabbing his wife more than once, and Mrs Nepia was saying: “Leave me alone.” Miss Poots said the children had a clear view of the struggle, and that both their parents had blood on them. Miss Poots and the children went downstairs. Miss

Poots said the boy then approached his father and she thought the boy said: “What did you do it for, Dad?” She said the daughter was crying. The hearing is continuing.