A man jailed for stabbing a police officer in 1987 was yesterday convicted after using his car to repeatedly run down a local musician gathering puha near a Hastings marae.
Heta Edwards, 54, pleaded guilty in Hastings District Court to a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after the horrific incident near Ruahapia Marae on September 14. Musician Tipuna Smith, 25, was alone in a paddock next to the marae when Edwards smashed through a fence in a Landrover Discovery and attempted to run him over.
It's understood Edwards, who has a history of mental illness, mistakenly believed Smith had wronged him in the past.
After calling the musician a "f***** maggot", he tore off his own shirt, got back in the vehicle and sped towards him again. Mr Smith was struck and flew over the 4WD's roof, landing face down on the ground.
Edwards targeted him a further three times and drove through numerous fences in pursuit.
At one stage Mr Smith managed to cling to the vehicle's bullbars yet was driven straight through a tin shed full of garden tools. With his arm broken in two places, crawling and screaming for help, Edwards lined him up again.
Hearing his pleas for help, Mr Smith's mother and partner came to his aid, before his partner flung herself over him for protection. Edwards drove away.
In explanation, he told police: "I've been hunting that guy for ages but I can't get him".
On May 17, 1987, Edwards was at a Clive residence helping police with an enquiry when he picked up a knife and stabbed a Hastings constable in the chest.
He was sentenced to two years and nine months jail for the crime.
Mr Smith, who had never met Edwards, told Hawke's Bay Today he was still upset police did not lay more serious charges. "Hell yeah I'm still upset," Mr Smith said. "I did nothing to provoke this guy - I don't know why he went off in that manner.
"He may get out and do this again for all we know ... what if it's a child next time?"
The rapper said doctors attributed his survival to his 125kg frame. "The arm's still got no movement. It's pretty sore jumping around on stage with my arm in a sling, it sucks."
Edwards will be sentenced next month.
Man who hit musician had stabbed policeman
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.