Drove Dangerously After Escape

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30957, 13 January 1966, Page 3

Drove Dangerously After Escape

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) WELLINGTON, Jan. 12. After escaping from custody in Wellington a man drove off for Masterton but was chased from near Haywards Hill. During the chase he reached 70 m.p.h., reversed into a traffic car, drove up the exit road of a roundabout, and overtook in the face of oncoming traffic.

In the Magistrate's Court today Kenneth Ross Mackay, aged 26, a carpenter, pleaded guilty to charges of escaping from custody, wilfully damaging a police van, and dangerous driving to which he had earlier pleaded not guilty. He pleaded not guilty to a charge of disorderly behaviour in the bistro bar of the Royal Oak Hotel but was later convicted by Mr J. A. Wicks, S.M., who fined him a total of £5O. He was also ordered to pay £7 10s for the damage to the van and disqualified from driving for 18 months.

Sergeant A. H. Colegrave said that after being arrested in the bistro bar on January 6. Mackay was placed in a police van outside, but he escaped after kicking open the door. He ran to where his own car was parked and drove off. A constable unsuccessfully tried to take the ignition keys from him.

Bernard John Power, manager of the Royal Oak Hotel, said Mackay had come in to the bistro bar dressed in a

black singlet and work shorts which were rolled up very high. He asked him to go to the public bar.

Power said that he did not like the way things were developing and he told the barman not to serve Mackay. Mackay then asked the barman for a drink but was refused. Mackay then threat-

ened to jump the bar to “get" him, said Power. Power said Mackay made three lunges across the top at him. When Mackay grabbed the beer hose he became scared and went into the street where he met the police who had been called. Mr J. A. Tannahill, for Mackay, suggested to Power

he had let his personal feelings interfere with his duties but this Power denied. He admitted that when he told Mackay he was incorrectly dressed, Mackay had gone out and put on a jersey, but he said he had told Mackay he was still improperly dressed.

Mackay in evidence said his shorts were not rolled up. When asked if he had pointed this out to Power, Mackay said he had, but could not remember what Power had said. He said he touched the beer hose but he did not know why. Mr Tannahill said Mackay was very annoyed after he had been arrested—wrongfully, in his opinion, and for this reason he had tried to get away. He asked for a fine only as Mackay had already been in custody for six days.