Fellow inmate was ‘a nark’—claim

Press, 30 August 1986, Page 4

Fellow inmate was ‘a nark’—claim

A woman who tried to strangle another inmate in the maximum security block at the Christchurch Women’s Prison last month later told authorities she did not like Dale Frances Mulvihill because she was “a nark,” said Sergeant G. C. Jones in the District Court yesterday.

Sharlene Karen Campbell, aged 24 (Mr G. H. Nation), admitted injuring Mulvihill with intent to cause her grievous bodily harm.

This charge replaced the original charge of attempted murder, which was withdrawn on the application of the police. Campbell was convicted by Judge Anderson who remanded her in custody to September 11 for sentence.

Sergeant Jones said the offence took place in the bath-house on the night of July 26.

Before the incident, both women had been watching television in the common room.

A prison officer left the room to attend to another

matter. Mulvihill left also to go to the toilet. She was followed by Campbell, said Sergeant Jones.

As Mulvihill was washing her hands, she became aware of a nylon stocking being pulled around her neck from behind. She let out a scream.

Campbell tried to stop the screaming by putting her hand over Mulvihill’s mouth, while pulling on the stocking with her free hand.

Mulvihill managed to scream again, and this was heard by prison staff who went to her assistance, said Sergeant Jones.

Mulvihill suffered bruising around her neck caused by the pressure of the stocking. She also suffered shock.

Campbell later handed a letter to prison authorities in which she stated she had intended to kill Mulvihill. The matter was then reported to the police. When interviewed, the accused said she did not like Mulvihill because she was a “nark,” and that

she planned to “get her” during the week. The complainant’s visit to the bathroom on the Saturday night had presented Campbell with an earlier opportunity, said the sergeant. Before the attack on Mulvihill, Campbell had turned taps on to cover any noise. Campbell is serving a sentence of three years in prison for manslaughter. Mulvihill, a former civilian computer operator at the Central Police Station, and girl friend of the undercover policeman, Wayne Haussmann, is serving five years imprisonment for importing heroin. OPIUM CHARGE Vivienne Michelle Clark was remanded to September 30 for taking depositions on a charge of supplying opium. Clark, aged 32, a waitress (Mr S. L. Kaminski) is charged with committing the offence on May 10.

Bail, set in the High Court, was renewed.