P.D. for kill threat and police assault

Press, 12 May 1984, Page 4

P.D. for kill threat and police assault

Periodic detention for nine months was the sentence given by Judge Frampton to a man who appeared before him in the District Court yesterday on charges of threatening to kill, assaulting three policemen with intent to injure them, intentional damage, and burglary. The Judge told Michael Lewis Edwards, aged 33, a wool presser (Miss C. M. Risk), that initially his only concern on sentencing was to have been the length of the prison term he intended to impose. Since hearing counsel’s submissions he had changed that view. “If there is hope, however slight, that you will respond to treatment for your addiction then you should be given the opportunity,” he said. In addition to periodic detention Edwards was put on probation for two years during which period he was to live and work where directed, and undertake treatment and/or counselling as directed. “Some may criticise the course of action I’m taking today. I hope, Mr Edwards, you will prove them wrong,” said the Judge. Miss Risk said all the eight offences arose out of a domestic situation. Edwards’ recollection of the events was unclear being compounded by his use of drugs on the day and a fall from a walnut tree. Edwards, she said, was a complex, intelligent, man who had a dependency problem with both drugs and alcohol. Violence was not part of his past offending pattern. Miss Risk submitted that periodic detention coupled with probation, and assistance through the programme of the Salisbury Street Foundation, could be an appropriate sentence. As a result of the offending, which took place overnight on April 25 and 26, two policemen were beaten with a police baton, one was bitten in the upper arm, a sergeant was hit in the neck by an iron thrown through a

window, and a woman was beaten and dragged about a flat by her hair. AU four victims were treated at the hospital for lacerations and bruising. The flat was extensively damaged. Edwards, in explanation, told the police he had been annoyed at his de facto partner leaving him. Miss Risk told the Judge yesterday that the woman was prepared to stand by Edwards. CUSTODY After a hearing in Chambers a sickness beneficiary, aged 39, facing charges of unlawfully taking two girls from their parents, enticing a third girl from her mother, and having sexual intercourse with her, was remanded in custody to May 25. Clifford Frederick Ward is charged with enticing the girl, aged 14, from her mother in October, 1982, and with having had sexual intercourse with her between then and November, last year. The charges relating to the unlawful taking of two other 14-year-old girls from their parents are said by police to have taken place about May 3 this year. Bail was sought on behalf of Ward by Mr Woolley. It was opposed by Sergeant G. C. Jones. After the hearing in Chambers the Judge said the defendant should not be left in the community until a medical and psychiatric report had been obtained. INDECENCY CHARGE A psychiatric report is to be obtained on a man, aged 40, charged with committing an indecency with a calf on the West Coast on April 22. Because of the nature of the charge a duty solicitor (Mr P. D. Woolley), sought, and was granted, interim suppression of the name of the defendant. Sergeant Jones said it would be in the defendant’s interest that a psychiatric report be obtained during the remand period. The defendant was remanded at large, without plea, to May 25.