Mamfredos cleared by jury

Press, 29 September 1988, Page 12

Mamfredos cleared by jury

PA New Plymouth A District Court jury yesterday acquitted George Socrates Mamfredos of abducting his son from Social Welfare custody. Mr Mamfredos, aged 41, on trial in the District Court at New Plymouth, had denied abducting Antonios Sharif Mamfredos, a person under 16 in the care of the Director General of Social Welfare, on October 30 last year. The jury took 50 minutes to reach a verdict. Earlier, Judge Dalmer said whether the directorgeneral had lawful care of Tony was for the jury to decide. However, the Crown asked him to direct that department officers did have charge of Tony with consent of his mother. “The Crown says how could it be said that they had the boy unlawfully,” the judge said.

Mamfredos told the court that when he came

to Taranaki in October, police told him Tony was in Social Welfare custody. Until then he thought Tony was still with his mother and had made several unsuccessful attempts to see him. At their meeting he found Tony was very unhappy in his foster homes. “Most of the foster children that he had to mix with had criminal records,” Mamfredos said. “He asked me to take him away. “I was convinced that he was at very high risk,” he said. “I told Tony that if he was still of the same frame of mind in the morning I certainly would be around to help him.” He said he went to the "Taranaki Herald” to let someone know where Tony was. “And also to prevent any misreporting by the police, to avoid sensationalism.” Mamfredos said when a subsequent car chase

started in Auckland he did not stop when signalled because of false reports in Auckland papers that he and Tony were armed and dangerous. "We were generally scared that the police would physically abuse both myself and my son. We naturally did not want to be separated.” Mamfredos said the police who stopped them had guns. “The gentleman pointed a gun at the boy’s head while he was on his knees on the ground.” Mamfredos subsequently won custody of Tony at a court case in Auckland. Mamfredos said the boy’s welfare was his priority. “My immediate intention was to protect him from the damage that he was suffering ... I had no other intentions.” Social Welfare Department foster parent Mr Toby Francis Hikaka, said Mamfredos came to visit Tony on October 24. After he brought him home

late, they chatted. Mamfredos asked if he could have Tony for the week-end, Mr Hikaka said. “I said as far as we were concerned it would be okay, but it was up to the department to give the authority to take Tony out of the home.” The next morning Tony left for school as usual, but did not return. Mr Hikaka said Tony did not mix with the other children. He thought Tony did not like his father. “Taranaki Herald” reporter Julie Gifford said she saw Mamfredos and Tony for about four hours on October 30. She said Mamfredos told her he had taken his son and he was not happy with Social Welfare. “He just said that he was taking Tony somewhere where they would be safe until Tony was 16 and then he could stay with his father,” she said. "He said that he just wanted the authorities to leave him alone so that he could be with his son. He said that if they wanted to

tiy and separate him and his son they would have to kill Mr Mamfredos and Tony first.” Tony Mamfredos told the court he was very unhappy in the foster home. The visit with his father on October 29 was the first time he had seen him for six months. “I asked him to take me away from it to live with him,” he said. Later they were caught after a road chase in Auckland and he was returned to Social Welfare custody. Detective Constable James Cunningham said the armed offenders squad was present during the car chase because police believed Mamfredos was armed. Other police were armed in the normal course of duty. He said Tony was handcuffed and taken into custody on suspicion. He did not say what he was suspected of. After interview, he was returned to Social Welfare.