Judgement postponed

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 15, Issue 693, 1 July 1997, Page 14

Judgement postponed

• In a defended case lasting nearly four hours, three defendants and four prosecution witnesses gave evidence about a series of incidents which occurred in and around the Ruapehu Hotel in Raetihi on Christmas Eve last year. The defendants were Richard Craig Taura, 23, (aggravated assault on a police constable); Pierre Ian Todd, 23, (aggravated assault on a police constable, assault with a blunt instrument and assault with intent to use a weapon) and Marion Donna Matenga, 20, (hindering a police constable in the execution of his duty). The crown's case was, as presented by the four prosecution witnesses (police constables Matthew Frost, Phillip Gillbank, Rodney Conway and Detective constable Grant Deane) that, following a call-out to a fight at the hotel in the early hours of 25 December, the public bar had been closed at 1.30am. The defendants had gone to a car across the road (Seddon Street) and when told to leave the area, where a large number of intoxicated people had gathered, they had abused and gestured at police as they left. According to police testimony the three defendants were later found in the grassed area of the hotel beside the staff accommodation wing at 3.00am. When asked to leave the property and come out to the footpath so that they could be spoken to, a confrontation developed in which Todd was claimed to have threatened police officers with a bottle and Taura grappled with Constable Frost who fell to the ground where he was punched by Taura and kicked by Todd. The defence case was, as presented by all three defendants who took the witness stand to give evidence on their owh behalf, was that they had left the area on foot when the fighting started and after the public bar had been closed 1.30am. They had walked up Seddon Street "towards the shops" and then returned to collect a dozen Steinlager stubbies. They had bought the beer earlier and hidden it in a tree next to the staff accommodation wing, returning when they remembered they had left the beer behind. They had been removing the bottles when police officers arrived. Taura denied that he had punched Constable Frost saying it was impossible for him to have done so because he was cradling several bottles to his chest. Todd denied that he had threatened Constable Frost and Detective Deane with a bottle though he did admit he had been holding one in his hand. Matenga denied she had obstructed police saying that she was only trying to separate and come between her codefendants and police officers. All three defendants denied getting into a car opposite the hotel when told that the public bar and been closed at 1.30am nor had they abused and given police "the fingers" when the vehicle left. None of the defendants were able to explain the 1 '/ hour difference between walking up Seddon Street from the hotel at 1 .30am and walking back to the hotel at 3.00am when they had turned round as they reached the shops, just 200 metres up Seddon Street. At the end of the prosecution and defence evidence (at 7.40pm) Judge Ross said the he was not intending to summarise the case and give a decision at that time of night (there was still another case to be heard) but he would remand the matter to the Wanganui District Court on 11 July when he would release an oral decision at 9.30am. Counsel for defence: Paul Brown.