Police bitten in brawl

Press, 30 December 1988, Page 6

Police bitten in brawl

PA Wellington A constable and a police college recruit were attacked and bitten in a Wellington hotel on Wednesday. The two men went into the Tramway Hotel’s public bar just before 7 p.m. to talk to the driver of a car they had seen earlier being driven dangerously. Inspector Tom Stenhouse said the driver was being reasonably cooperative, but when she spoke with the officer, some of her colleagues “became obstructive.” Without warning, a man attacked the constable and others joined in. The policeman suffered a bad bite on the head. The recruit, who had called for assistance before going into the bar,

was also attacked and was bitten on the upper thigh. Inspector Stenhouse said the fight probably lasted five minutes. Other police were nearby and, in all, 15 went to the hotel. Four people were arrested and appeared in the District Court in Wellington yesterday, charged with wounding, assault, and obstructing four police officers. Tui Edmund Poutu, aged 24, unemployed of Wellington, was remanded in custody on charges of wounding Neil Earnshaw and David Hollander with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He was also charged with assaulting Paul Berry with intent to injure, and possessing a weapon, a set of keys, while assaulting

Constable Berry. Taurawhero Poutu, aged 22, unemployed of Wellington, was charged with assaulting Constable Berry and Paul Gregory McLaughlan. Marina Dale Paewhenua, aged 22, unemployed of Hamilton, was also charged with assaulting Constable Berry. Tipi Rimene, aged 18, presser of Masterton, was charged with intentionally obstructing Constable Berry and possessing a weapon, a spanner, in circumstances that showed an intention to commit an offence involving bodily injury. Paewhenua, Rimene and Taurawhero Poutu were remanded without plea to January 13.