Court bails couple in Ashburton bomb case

Press, 30 August 1989, Page 7

Court bails couple in Ashburton bomb case

Bail was granted in the High Court at Christchurch to a couple charged with putting an explosive device on the Ashburton home of a witness involved in a case in the Timaru High Court.

This information was given in the District Court yesterday when Malcolm Oliver Nicholson, aged 32, a shearer, and Kylie Diana Southon, aged 19, a waitress, appeared before Judge Fogarty. Nicholson, represented by Mr A. J. Davies, and Southon, by Mr Tony Garrett, were further remanded on bail to September 12.

They are jointly charged with attempting to dissuade a witness from giving evidence at a Timaru High Court hearing by activating an explosive device — two sticks of gelignite, a detonator, and a length of safety fuse — at his Ashburton home on August 20. They are also jointly charged with threatening to do grievous bodily harm to the witness by putting the explosive device on his home, and by their action showing

reckless disregard for the safety of others. STABBING CHARGE An incident in Cathedral Square in which a stabbed and bleeding man made his way to the Police kiosk on Monday led to the appearance in the dock of Steven Lyndsay Tennant. Tennant, aged 27, unemployed, is charged with attempting to murder David James Mcllroy. He was remanded in custody to Friday. ROBBERY CHARGE Two youths accused of robbing a 69-year-old woman of her handbag in Woolston on August 21 were remanded to September 26 for a pre-de-positions hearing. Although previously held in custody Mark Brendon Dungey and Nicholas Michael Edwards, both aged 18 and unemployed, were allowed bail yesterday. The Judge ordered the pair, as a condition of bail, to live at home with their parents, and to observe a nightly residential curfew.

The pair were remanded to the same date next month on a joint charge of intentionally damaging two windows, the property of Dr John Buchan, on August 15. Dungey is also charged with being found without reasonable excuse at the Woolston Fruit Supply the same day. Dungey is represented by Mr Colin Eason, and Edwards by Mr Wolfgang Rosenburg. RECEIVING CHARGES A man facing four charges of burglary and four charges of receiving property to the value of $15,000 was further remanded to September 19 without plea. Michaael Douglas Dawson, aged 29, unemployed (Mr Stan Barker), is also charged with possessing cannabis for sale or supply, having a .38 calibre revolver except for a lawful purpose, and driving while disqualified. UNLICENSED DEALER A fine of $5OO was imposed on a man convicted of being a secondhand motor vehicle dealer while not the holder of a licence to operate as such.

Nigel Thomas Wood, aged 25, a managing director, admitted the offence which occurred between September 30, 1987, and January 13 this year. Sergeant Brian Roswell said the defendant took over the Bath Street business in August, 1987. The dealer’s licence was not sold with the stock. As a result of a complaint to the Licensed Motor Vehicle Dealers Association, it was established that Wood had entered into 50 hire-pur-chase agreements with buyers. Wood, a first offender, said he had been trading in an endeavour to eventually buy a licence. In a 16-month period he said his business made a profit of $25,000 of which he lost $15,000 in bad debts. CHARGE DENIED/c A charge of selling a Stirling model .22 Magnum 70 an unlicensed person was denied by Gun City, Ltd. The police allege the offence took place on May 30.

A defended hearing was set down for September