July 21, 2011

'Hierloom' seized as weapon

By David Clarkson at the Christchurch Men's Prison

Methylated spirits drinker Deane Rickson Edwards has asked the police take special care of the stick they took off him when they charged him with possession of an offensive weapon.

It is a tokotoko rakau, a Maori walking stick, which Edwards says was carved in 1857.

?If possible, I would like it back, because it?s a family hierloom,? the 41-year-old with a heavily tattooed face said as he asked for bail at a Christchurch District Court session inside the men?s prison.

Edwards ran his own bid for bail, and Judge Phillip Moran thanked him in Maori after he had spoken and provided a lengthy letter to the judge.

The judge, knowing from the police that Edwards was a serious alcoholic, said he would not release him on bail but deferred the application to be heard next week when Edwards? lawyer will be present.

He has been charged with disorderly behaviour and possession of the weapon for a June 7 incident where he and his cousin were walking down the middle of Mairehau Road. He acknowledges he was drunk. The police say he was belligerent and was waving the stick and holding it in an aggressive manner.

There was another disorderly behaviour charge two days later, and Edwards faces more serious charges of aggravated assault and theft from July 13. The police allege he punched a man to the ground, cutting his mouth, and took his mountainbike.

They said he had a serious alcohol dependency and had been drinking methylated spirits when the offending occurred.

He has not pleaded to any of the charges. Police say he is unemployed but he told the court he worked six days a week.

??I know it doesn?t look very good,? Edwards said after the judge had looked at the police paperwork.

He explained that he tried to explain to the police about the walking stick when they confronted him with a tazer, and then peppersprayed him.

He pleaded to be able to get the stick back eventually.

Police prosecutor Bronwen Skea said she noted on the file about the importance of the walking stick, and Judge Moran made a note on the court?s charge sheet that Edwards wanted it to be returned.

Items seized by the police as offensive weapons are usually destroyed when a case is finished.

No-one said so in court, but perhaps the hope was that the notes taken by the judge and prosecutor would mean that another tiny piece of heritage survives in a city that has lost so much of it.