Man on trial for tomahawk attack

Press, 7 October 1988, Page 14

Man on trial for tomahawk attack

A man will face trial by jury in the District Court on charges arising from another man at the same party he was attending being found with injuries allegedly inflicted with a tomahawk which had been in a wood box in the house. After a preliminary hearing in the District Court yesterday, Messrs C. W. Crawford and C. Fisk, Justices of the Peace, committed Michael Edward Norman, aged 26, a labourer, for trial on charges of injuring Jason Houston King with intent, last September 11, and possessing an offensive weapon, an axe, in circumstances which showed, on the face of it, an intention to use it to commit an offence involving bodily injury. Norman was remanded pending a date for his trial. Sergeant J. E. Dwyer prosecuted and Mr S. C. Barker appeared for Norman. The prosecution evidence was that Norman

had spoken to Mr King during the party about gangs. Norman had said he was from the North Island, and was a prospective member of the Mongrel Mob. The complainant did not remember if it was a friendly discussion. It was not an argument. Later, he went to sleep in the lounge and remembered nothing else until he awoke in an ambulance. He was taken to hospital and treated for a cut head, in which stitches were inserted. He also received a cut to the top of his head and lacerations on his back. Mr King agreed in cross-examination that he went into a drunken sleep. He had no idea how the injuries were received. He said he did not do anything to get the injuries. Other evidence was given of Norman being seen with the tomahawk in his hand in the early morning, and Mr King then being found injured.