Trio Attacked Man In His Flats (Press, 29 November 1984)

In the District Court on 29 November 1984, three men were convicted of assaulting Richard James Derry, following a belief that a homosexual rape had been perpetrated against one of the attacker's younger brothers. The defendants, Andrew David Thomas (20), Michael James Williams (24), and David Allan Williams (22), admitted to the assault which took place on 4 November. They caused an estimated $400 worth of damage to Derry's property and physically assaulted him, resulting in serious injuries that required hospital treatment. Each defendant was remanded for probation reports and sentencing, with bail set at $2,000. Separately, a seaman, Edward Francis Karaitiana, was sentenced to four months in jail for violently disciplining his de facto wife's five-year-old son. Karaitiana admitted to striking the child with a hearth brush and a cord and also assaulted the child's mother when she reported him. Judge Bisphan strongly condemned Karaitiana's actions, stating the community was fed up with violence and the punishment the child received was excessively brutal. Further cases included Steven Charles McLintock, a 20-year-old roofer, who was convicted of perjury after lying in a traffic case to protect a friend. He was committed to the High Court for sentencing, with bail set at $1,500. Two others, Darryl John Munro and Gordon Ashford Moulder, also faced perjury charges stemming from the same case and were remanded on bail. Charges against 24-year-old Kevin Anthony Alan Longstaffe were withdrawn by police, as he was serving an eight-year sentence in Australia for armed robbery after escaping from a New Zealand remand prison. In another case, a 28-year-old housewife, Angeline Tamati Rangiuaia, was fined $75 for cultivating 25 cannabis plants in her glasshouse. She claimed to have grown the plants to alleviate her depression, which she discussed with police. Lastly, John Te Waititi Kupa, aged 34, admitted to assaulting a witness connected to a serious upcoming court case. After confronting the witness at his workplace, Kupa punched him but was restrained by the complainant’s colleagues. Due to previous breaches of bail conditions, Kupa was remanded in custody for a probation report and sentencing. Desmond Walter Chittenden, a fitter and turner, faces charges for assaulting an 11-year-old girl, with the case remanded without plea. The incident reportedly occurred on 25 November.

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