Anti-tour protester tore up rugby fans’ tickets

Press, 29 May 1985, Page 12

Anti-tour protester tore up rugby fans’ tickets

PA Auckland Anti-tour protesters tore up rugby patrons’ tickets and one then punched and kicked a detective trying to help a fan put the pieces together, the District Court at Auckland was told yesterday. Guy Julian Truell, aged 18, a factory worker of Grey Lynn, admitted before Judge Bradford charges of assaulting Evan Thomas' Wheeler and of resisting a constable. The Judge fined Truell $2OO for the assault, and $75, with costs, for resisting the constable. Senior-Sergeant Don Somerville said Truell was part of a group jostling

rugby supporters and tearing up entrance tickets outside the Auckland v. England venue at Eden Park on Saturday. Mr Wheeler, a detective known to Truell, went to assist a rugby supporter who was on the ground piecing together his ticket, Senior-Sergeant Somerville said. Truell kicked Mr Wheeler in the calf and punched him in the back near the kidneys. When uniformed police tried to arrest Truell he kicked one in the face and kicked Senior-Sergeant Somerville in the groin. Truell said he did not kick Mr Wheeler .but admit; $

ted punching him. He said he thought Mr Wheeler was a rugby supporter because he and" a friend had been hanging around the demonstration pushing, shoving and hassling protesters. He thought that they were rugby supporters who were going to behave like those in Matamata who had attacked protesters. Mr Wheeler’s friend had told another protester that he would hit him so hard he would never get up again, Truell said. He said he punched Mr Wheeler after he saw him hitting people. He denied tearing up tickets. He admitted resisting arrest but said he did not kick the constable.