Traffic officers beat up man, Court told

Press, 30 August 1984, Page 4

Traffic officers beat up man, Court told

PA Auckland An Auckland City Council traffic officer held a man on the ground while other officers kicked him, a woman told the District Court at Auckland. Mrs Isobel Innes told a preliminary hearing that a traffic officer, David William Bradbury, “flew” at a man, knocking him to the ground outside the Auckland City Council offices. While Bradbury pinned the man to the. ground, other officers kicked him about the body, she said. Bradbury aged 31, now a labourer, of Albany, and a traffidjrfficer, David Frank GerardSJohnson, aged 25, of Northcfe, are charged with

assaulting Clinton Charles Blundell with intent to injure him and causing grievous bodily harm on December 22. Another witness, Mrs Mary Pavlovich, said that Bradbury jumped on the man, put his arm around his neck, and lay on him on the ground. While they were on the ground the man was kicked by several officers wearing boots. “There were legs flying in all directions,” she said. Bradbury also twisted the man’s face with his hands while he was on top of him, she said. The officers later pitted up the man and took wpi into: the: Auckland ffty

Council foyer. “His face was a purply colour, his longue was protruding from his face, and his eyes were closed. I was afraid he was in the last stages of strangulation,” said Mrs Pavlovich. A Green Lane Hospital consultant surgeon had earlier told the court that Mr Blundell had needed three lots of surgery after the alleged assault. Mr Blundell said he had gone to the Auckland City Council building to try to find out whether his car had been towed away. He said the alleged assault occurred after he refused to leave the building when Bradbury said he did not know where the car was.