Intimidation-charge trial

Press, 21 July 1988, Page 17

Intimidation-charge trial

Intimidation of a witness by threatening to burn her house down if she gave evidence for the police in an assault charge against four others was alleged in the District Court yesterday against Darryl Brendon Harris, aged 24, unemployed. After a preliminary hearing, Harris was committed for trial on a charge that last April 23 he attempted to dissuade a woman from giving evidence in the District Court by threats to damage or otherwise dispose of her home and property. This related to charges of assault laid against four others. Messrs E. S. E. Holland and A. L. Mclvor, Justices of the Peace, remanded Harris in custody pending a date for his trial by jury in the High Court. ■ Counsel, Mr J. W. Ap- - pleby, reserved the defence. s’ Sergeant K. J. Morrison prosecuted. The names of the complainant and two other prosecution witnesses were suppressed. 1 a woman gave evidence &at on April 23 Harris telephoned her and asked If she could speak to the complainant to try to talk her sut of going to

to give evidence. Witness told him she would pass the message on. She asked Harris what would happen ' if she did not accede to his request. Harris told her that if one of the defendants on the assault charge went “away” for the offence, the complainant would lose her house and other things. Harris then said he was very sorry the assault occurred and that it should not have happened. Witness telephoned the complainant to tell her of the call and the police were advised. While the police were at her house she saw two vehicles, one of which she recognised, pass by outside. Witness said she felt frightened about the incident. On May 12 Harris again telephoned her and asked if she had spoken to the complainant regarding their earlier conversation. Witness said she had not, and that she was in bed “crook.” She bade Harris goodbye, and hung up. The witness said that since then she had had occasional telephone calls at all hours of the night, the caller hanging up as soon as she answered. The complainant gav£

evidence of having been summoned by the police to be a witness in assault charges against Harris and three others. She said she was worried, and felt threatened after being told by her neighbour (the previous witness) of Harris’ telephone call and the threat to “burn down her house” if she gave evidence. She believed he was capable of implementing the threat. Since then, she had had telephone calls at all hours of the day and night, and had found a dead bird on her doorstep, the complainant said,. Cross-examined, the complainant said she had been summoned as a witness; for the court case involving the assault charges against four defendants. She was not required to give evidence. Constable G. M. Abrahams said that when questioned about the matter Harris had said he had spoken to the first witness on the telephone a few weeks before about her car being repossessed. He denied having threatened the complainant, through the first witness, and said he did not mention the complainant.