Attempted murder alleged

Press, 14 October 1986, Page 14

Attempted murder alleged

' A man charged in the District Court yesterday with the attempted murder of a girl, aged 11, had told a friend on several occasions that he wanted to "do away” with himself, the girl; and two other persons whom he named. Statements of evidence disclosing this were produced for the preliminary hearing of charges against the man of attempting to murder the girl, and sending a letter to Detective Sergeant D. M. Quested, with a threat to kill him.

The alleged offences were said to have occurred on or about July 27.

After statements of evidence of 30 prosecution witnesses had been heard, Messrs J. B. Andersen and J. B. Graham, Justices of the Peace, committed the defendant for trial by jury in the High Court, on both charges. They remanded him in custody pending a date for his trial.

The Justices granted a defence request for continued interim suppression of the name of the defendant, and of details leading to the girl’s and some other persons’ identities.

Mr G. A. Howley, of Auckland, and Miss J. L. Pengelly appeared for the defendant. A Crown prosecutor, Mr B. M. Stan-

away, appeared for the police.

Prosecution statements were submitted without these having to be read to the Court.

Mr Stanaway said the defence had filed a notice accepting, for the purposes of the preliminary hearing, that the evidence could be tendered in written statement; and accepting that there was a case to answer to both charges. Among exhibits produced in the case were a .22 calibre 15-shot repeating rifle, a .22 calibre bullet, a spent cartridge case, and bottles of tablets.

Prosecution evidence was that the girl, who had gone to bed on the evening of July 26, awoke the next morning in pain, and bleeding from the chest and back.

She had slept soundly all night and had no recollection of sustaining any injury during the night.

The girl was taken to hospital, where it was confirmed that a bullet of about .22 calibre had passed through her body, entering through the left chest above the heart, and exiting through the back. Later that day, the defendant arrived at a friend’s house, having also sustained a similar bullet wound to his left chest. When the defendant

was found by the police, a .22 calibre rifle was recovered from the boot of his car. A spent cartridge was found in the breech of the weapon. The defendant admitted to a friend that he had shot himself, according to evidence.

Further police inquiries showed that the defendant had left at his home a letter addressed to Detective Sergeant Quested, containing a threat to his life, it was alleged. When interviewed by a detective, the defendant said the shot which hit the girl was accidental.

The rifle which fired the shot was the same one he had used later to shoot himself. Evidence of a friend of the defendant was that the defendant had spoken about wanting to do away with himself and others. He did not take the defendant seriously until June 20, when the defendant was “obsessed” with taking their lives. He made the defendant swear that he would not take their lives. Later, the defendant had said he felt the same way, but not so strongly, and that he might sell up and fly off somewhere. A month before the shooting, the defendant had mentioned Detective Sergeant Quested’s having called at his place. He

used bad, descriptive language when referring to the detective. In a statement to a detective, the defendant allegedly said that the shooting was accidental, and he had later shot himself with the same rifle.

After the defendant’s committal for trial, Mr Howley sought bail for the remand period.

He said the defendant was no longer in Sunnyside Hospital or suffering a disability.

There was no medical reason for a remand in custody, and no suggestion that he would not answer to his bail.

Mr Stanaway successfully opposed bail. He said bail was not usually granted to a person committed for trial on charges of this type.

He said that there also must be some real concern over the defendant’s mental state and wellbeing, even at this stage; and concern for the safety of others involved.