'Fair Go’ team claims vehicle was rammed

Press, 1 September 1989, Page 6

'Fair Go’ team claims vehicle was rammed

PA Auckland A Takapuna man, upset by a “Fair Go” television film crew, rammed his sports car into their parked vehicle a "Fair Go” host, Philip Alpers, told the District Court at Auckland yesterday. Mr Alpers was giving evidence against Ashley Guy Rhodes, who was the subject of a “Fair Go” investigation. Rhodes, aged 31, denied charges of careless driving and failing to stop after a non-injury accident. The alleged offences occurred in Victoria Street West on October 30, 1987. Video film of the incident, screened on “Fair Go” was played before Judge Kerr. Rhodes said he had been harrassed by the “Fair Go” team for up to. 10 days in

relation to his publishing business. “They ruined my business,” he told the Court. Mr Alpers, he said, had climbed through the passenger window of his car with a camera. “I didn’t want to talk to him at all,” he said. He did not consider the contact between the two vehicles to be an accident. He had been deliberately boxed in by the film crew so he could not leave. “It was an act by me to leave the parking place.” ' The defendant said he had stopped about 40 or 50 metres along the road to pick up his, lawyer, who checked to see no-one had been injured. Judge Kerr reserved his decision.