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Allegations
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Teen claims senior sergeant struck him with bat A third complainant
yesterday gave evidence against a senior South Auckland policeman accused of
beating and abusing suspects. The 17-year-old, who
has permanent name suppression, told the Papakura District Court Senior
Sergeant Anthony Solomona threatened to beat him up, then assaulted him with
a bat, at the Wiri police station last March. Solomona faces five
charges of assault and one of assault with a weapon stemming from allegations
laid by the three complainants. He denies the charges. The youth said he had
been at a party in Papatoetoe when he encountered a former girlfriend. The two had a row which
degenerated to the point where he pushed her. The girl was the
daughter of a police officer in Solomona's section, and the youth received a
visit from the police a few days later. He told the court he
was taken to an interview room at the Wiri station, where he was told to
remove his shoes. He claimed he was
locked in the room for about 10 minutes before Solomona arrived. He was allegedly told
to sit on the floor in the corner of the room as Solomona sat on a chair
directly in front of him hurling abuse. Solomona demanded to
know what he was doing hitting girls. He said he was then
given two options: fight Solomona, or take the matter to court. The youth said Solomona
told him he did not like dealing with the courts, and preferred "beating
up kids like you". He was then forced to
write a letter of apology to the girl, with Solomona allegedly insisting he
use the word "punch" rather than "push". As he wrote, Solomona
is alleged to have stood over him wielding a bat. "I stood up and
then he was just right in my face talking, and he actually jabbed me over
here, in the chest." After delivering a jab
with a closed fist, Solomona allegedly told the boy: "Do you feel that?
That could happen to you anytime, when you are asleep, at school, stuff like
that." The youth also claimed
to have been hit in the chest, chin and lip while being threatened with the
bat. He was also forced to pose for a photograph holding a sign saying,
"I belong to Senior Sergeant Solomona." The youth was never
arrested, or given his rights or caution. He was fingerprinted. But the youth's story
came under attack during cross-examination by John Haigh, QC. He accused the
complainant of fabricating evidence about aspects of the alleged assault,
including the force of the punch and whether the injuries inflicted with the
bat left any marks. Mr Haigh was also
curious about why none of the injuries drew blood. "I suggest it
didn't bleed because it never happened." The hearing, before
Judge Bruce Davidson, is expected to finish next week. |
