Man given life term for car murder

Press, 21 October 1987, Page 28

Man given life term for car murder

PA Napier A Wellington man was sentenced to life Imprisonment by Mr Justice Heron in the High Court at Napier after having been found guilty of one cbage of murder and two of attempted murder. George Gray, aged 30, had pleaded not guilty to a charge of the murder of a motor-cyclist, Warren Mills Friis, aged 61, on December 8. He had also denied a charge of the attempted murder of a girl, aged 15, said to be have been Gray’s girlfriend.

The charges related to incidents near Havelock North in the early evening of December 8 when the girl agreed to meet Gray near a local bridge.

It was alleged she was attacked by Gray who attempted to stab, strangle and drown her before she escpaed and was offered a ride by Mr Fills. The motor-cycle was soon afterwards struck by a car driven by the accused.

Defence counsel, Mr Michael Bungay, said Gray came up behind Mr Frlls’ motor-cycle too fast, braked and skidded into

the machine. He had no Intention to kill, it was submitted.

Gray chased the motorcycle to stop it and talk to the girl who was riding pillion, Mr Bungay said. “I am not asking for this man to go free. He committed a very serious crime. But that crime was manslaughter, not murder.”

Mr Bungay said the accused had ample opportunity to kill the girl, whose name was suppressed, but did not He surrendered the knife to the girl, he did not drown her when he had the opportunity, and there were no bruises on her neck although he was accused of attempted strangulation, Mr Bungay said.

The Crown prosecutor, Mr Geoff Rea, said Gray deliberately rammed the motor-cycle because he was trying to kill the girl.

“He didn’t do It to frighten her — he meant to kill her,” Mr Rea said. “He gets In a car, makes no secret of it; he is out to get her and he goes very fast indeed. “He must have known the sort of collision that would result would cause death.

“And, If anything ever spelt out Intent, he came back to finish the Job.” After the collision Gray made two u-turns, going past the accident scene twice.

“It is the clearest case of murder you could possibly imagine. “It comes down to guilty of murder and guilty of attempted murder on two occasions.”