Defence puts case over Addington riot

Press, 18 March 1989, Page 15

Defence puts case over Addington riot

Seven witnesses were called yesterday in defence of two men accused of taking part in last October’s Addington Remand Prison riot.

Judge Hattaway and a District Court jury have heard how inmates allegedly barricaded themselves in the adult remand recreation room.

They broke out and in the riot that followed fires were lit and missiles thrown from the prison’s upper landing on to prison officers, some in riot gear.

Arthur Melvin Harris, aged 20 (Mr Mervyn Glue), and George William Murray, aged 22 (Mr Douglas Taffs), have both denied charges of rioting. Ten Addington inmates were charged over the riot. Eight pleaded guilty after a preliminary hearing at Paparua Prison, and have been sentenced. Five witnesses — four prisoners and a police officer — were called in defence of Murray. Detective Sergeant Phil Parsons said he was a police negotiator at the riot scene. He said he did not see Murray do anything other than ask to be released. From that point Murray acted as a go-between.

The four others gave evidence they were Addington inmates at the time. None were charged over the riot. Evidence was given that Murray suffered an electrical shock while dragging an iron bar out of his way. The bar had been protruding from an electrical fitting. Murray was treated in a cell before he went to seek medical attention. The defence maintains he then acted as a gobetween. Two witnesses were called in defence of Harris. Harris is alleged by the Crown, represented by Mr Raoul Neave, to have directed a fire hose at a prison officer. Elte Gareth Brown told the Court he had pleaded guilty to rioting. He maintained he was the person who sprayed a prison officer and not Harris. Harris told jurors he used a fire hose to put out a fire in the recreation room but denied directing it at a prison officer. Harris maintained Brown had sprayed a prison officer using another hose. Proceeding