Grace murder trial: police give evidence

Press, 23 July 1986, Page 4

Grace murder trial: police give evidence

PA Auckland Police have given evidence in the High Court at Auckland of conversations with one of the two men accused of murdering Gibson Grace. Alistair John Barr, 34, and Richard Graham Morgan, 27, are on trial before Mr Justice Prichard and a jury, charged with the murder of Gibson Grace on April 21, 1983, at Tltirangi. Sergeant Ross Angus said that on August 25, 1983, he spoke to Morgan. Morgan said he did not know where Grace was. He had heard he was dead, but he did not know where his body was, and he did not commit any murder.

Sergeant Angus said Morgan told him that he got the impression from Barr that Grace was dead, as Barr had said Grace was “down a crevasse in Queenstown.” Morgan also told him

that a man called Bill Oldham had said Grace was no longer around and that Barr had taken care of him. 1 Sergeant Angus said Morgan had said he and Barr had picked up Grace from Invercargill and they had gone to Christchurch. Later he, Morgan, drove Grace to Auckland and took him to his house in Tltirangi. Barr came to Auckland and he took him to the house also. He left Barr and Grace at the house. When he subsequently returned Barr and Grace had gone. He thought they had returned to Christchurch. Thomas Brien said that in August, 1983, he was a detective-sergeant He too spoke to Morgan on August 25. Mr Brien said Morgan told him Grace had been at Tltirangi only a few days before Barr arrived. Morgan said he was

told by Barr when he could return to Tltirangi. Mr Brien said Morgan said that the last time he saw Grace was at Titirangi. He did not know whether Grace was shot in Auckland. The accused, said Mr Brien, said he first met Barr when he was living at Tltirangi. Oldham phoned him and told him to go to a certain motel, where he was introduced to Barr. Before that he had only heard Oldham speak of Barr. Oldham, said Morgan, told him he would be paid “a grand” for using his driver’s licence. He went to Christchurch to do so because he was “skint” He was told by Barr to drive Grace to Auckland. Morgan said Barr told him to take Grace to Tltirangi and not let anybody know where he was, Mr Brien told the Court.