Youth found guilty on wounding count

Press, 5 October 1984, Page 9

Youth found guilty on wounding count

A youth, originally charged with attempted murder arising from a stabbing incident on the roof car-park at the Riccarton Mall on a late shopping night, was found guilty by a jury on a charge of wounding with intent to injure in the High Court yesterday. Mr Justice Hardie Boys remanded Peter Anthony Jackson, aged 17, unemployed, in custody to October 12 for sentence.

The jury took 4% hours to reach its verdict.

Mr B. M. Stanaway appeared for the Crown and Miss E. H. B. Thompson for Jackson.

After the taking of depositions in the District Court the Crown elected not to proceed on the charge of attempted murder and Jackson faced alternative charges of wounding Gary Peter Ashworth, aged 18, a cook, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm or with intent to injure. He was found guilty on the lesser charge. Evidence was given that Ashworth was stabbed four times during a scuffle between two groups of youths. The wounds were inflicted by a 12cm knife in his chest and buttocks and two in the groin. He lost a great deal

of blood before he reached Christchurch Hospital where he spent a week. A doctor estimated that he lost about two litres of blood. In her final address to the jury Miss Thompson said that there was nothing in Jackson’s conduct during or after the incident which indicated that he intended to injure anyone.

There was really only one witness to the stabbing, a girl, aged 13, and she saw only one movement of the arm.

A highly significant fact which the jury should remember was that not one drop of Ashworth’s blood

was found on Jackson’s clothing, and that had been established by a detailed scientific examination.

The Crown had produced a gaggle of adolescent and pubescent youngsters in an endeavour to prop up its shaky case but the reliability of those witnesses was highly suspect because some had been drinking and smoking dope. Their testimony was worthless because it was full of conflict and contradictions, the Court was told. Their evidence could not be relied upon and Jackson should be acquitted on both charges, Miss Thompson said.