Self-defence in the News - No. 83

Knife used in self-defence

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/344550/no-charges-over-self-defence-stabbing

No charges over 'self-defence' stabbing

Wed, 3 Jun 2015

 

Charges have not been laid against a man who stabbed a 40-year-old Mount Manganui man in the chest during a confrontation.

A coroners report has found building contractor, David Cunningham, died after becoming involved in an altercation with another man, David Broiles, who stabbed him in "self-defence".

The incident occurred after Mr Cunningham left the house where he was staying to go and buy cigarettes around 11pm on the night of August 26, 2012. He was then seen on Ararimu road, at around 2am on August 27, where he entered a property.

Mr Cunningham proceeded to a sleep out where a person living on the property was sleeping.

Mr Broiles heard Mr Cunningham's approach, armed himself with a knife and torch believeing the person was an intruder. He confronted Mr Cunningham at the door and a fight ensued.

Mr Cunningham was stabbed several times. He died at the scene.

The report found Mr Cunningham's death was caused by Mr Broiles and no other people were involved in the events of that night. Despite acknowledging this fact, the man said he used the force he did in self-defence.

Police were unable to establish the reason Mr Cunningham was on the property at Ararimu road and no evidence was found to conclude he had gone onto the property with any criminal intent.

A blood test found Mr Cunningham's blood alcohol level was almost three times over the legal driving limit. The limit has since been lowered.

No criminal charges were laid in relation to the death of Mr Cunningham.

- by Regan Schoultz

Self-defence in the News - No. 82

Grandmother plays possum to survive violent home invasion

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/68889043/porirua-grandmother-played-possum-to-survive-violent-home-invasion 

May 29 2015

NEIL RATLEY

KEVIN STENT/Dominion Post

A Porirua grandmother was beaten and throttled in her own home for half a packet of cigarettes and an iPad.

Linda McElwee played possum to survive the attack, which left her with scars and bruises to her face, chest and shoulder.

"He tried to strangle me and then started bashing me with his fists and then an object. I knew I wasn't going to win a fight against him, so I played unconscious," the 63-year-old said this week.

But despite her ordeal, in the early hours of May 21, she says she feels "a bit sorry" for her attacker and wants to see him rehabilitated.

The sanctuary of McElwee's home in a quiet, bushy dead-end street in Ranui Heights was shattered when she awoke to find a stranger in the house.

She thinks the deadbolt from the seldom-used sliding door in the lounge might not have been fully put back the last time it was used.  

"I had fallen asleep on my couch under a big fur blanket. The lights were on, the TV was on."

The invader opened the sliding door and circled the couch, probably not spotting the sleeping McElwee, burrowed into her blanket.

A packet of Winfield Blue 25s, holding 12 cigarettes and a lighter, and an iPad were taken from the coffee table. The burglar then headed for a small table at the foot of the couch, where a laptop was charging.

"I woke facing the window and I noticed the curtain open. I made a slight move and he jumped me," McElwee said.

"He came right down with his hands and then slammed his leg across the top of my shoulder and my chest, trying to pin me down. Then he got his hands around my throat.

"I knew then this was for real. I started trying to protect myself and then he came on with his fists.  

"He must have thought the thumping wasn't doing any damage, so he picked up something solid and started bashing me around the face.

"I realised this is getting serious and went limp."

The invader made a run for it out of the door and into the darkness.

McElwee's 83-year-old mother, who lives with her, slept through the entire episode.

"Thankfully mum is deaf and slept right through it. I can only imagine what could have happened to her if she had wandered in while I was being attacked," McElwee said.

Her mother said it was horrific to be woken by her daughter, her face covered in blood.

"I thought I was dreaming when she woke me up and said, 'Mum, I've attacked.' Part of me feels guilty I slept right through it."

McElwee, with blood pouring from her face and dripping on to the cream carpet, picked up the phone and called the police. Despite a good cleaning, the carpet is still visibly stained.

Police were soon on the scene with the dogs, and McElwee said they tracked down a suspect just a few blocks away, having a smoke.

A 17-year-old is due to appear in court on June 12.

McElwee said: "I realise there are people struggling out there. It's sad to think they believe they have to resort to these kind of things.

"This young person must have no self-worth, no self-respect and no pride. Hopefully the system can help give him these things."
     

 - Stuff

Monday, 25 May

Class cancelled due to the state of the roads.

See you Wednesday.

Self-defence in the News - No. 81

Sex attacker choked-out by female kickboxer

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/68725133/Sex-attacker-choked-by-female-kickboxer 

May 21 2015

 Sex offender "bit off slightly more than he could chew" when he attacked a female kickboxer.

 

Sex attacker Mark Willis dragged a woman over a wall and tried to get on top of her, but five minutes later he was unconscious.

The female had two years of kickboxing under her belt and put her attacker in a triangle choke, Metro reported.

The move involves wrapping your legs around the neck of the other person to cut off the blood flow to their brain, and puts them to sleep.

Willis, 39, was not prepared for his attack to go all so wrong.

He had targeted the woman who was walking alone through a town in Gloucestershire, England at 2am (local time).

Wallis grabbed her and punched her several times, then forced her into a garden and got on top of her. He told her to be quiet, do as he said and she wouldn't get hurt.

"I swore at him," said the woman.

"My legs were still free so I lifted my left leg up onto his shoulder and around the back of his neck. I crossed my right leg over and squeezed together as hard as I could.

"I closed my eyes and held it for as long as I could hoping he would pass out in a few seconds. Then I felt his body go limp. I thought he had lost consciousness or run out of air. I flipped him off, rolled over and crawled through the bushes to the door of the house."

Later Willis was quickly arrested, identified by the woman, and convicted of sexual assault, despite his denial.

He is yet to be sentenced.

The woman received a £500 reward from the presiding judge, as a token of the court's appreciation of what she has done to catch Willis.

"He bit off slightly more than he could chew with this young lady," Judge Hart said.

"Not everyone could do what she did and not everyone could even sensibly try to do what she did."

 - Stuff

Self-defence in the News - No. 80

Woman fights off attacker during attempted assault in Rotorua 

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/68227815/woman-fights-off-attacker-during-attempted-assault-in-rotorua.html 

May 3 2015

A woman  fought off her attacker during what is thought to be an attempted sexual assault in Rotorua.

Police are appealing for any information about the alleged assault, which took place on Wharenui Rd, between Te Ngae and Reeves roads, on Saturday night.

Some time between 6.30pm and 6.50pm a woman in her 30s was grabbed from behind and pushed to the ground, a police spokeswoman said.

"She blacked out briefly, but then fought her attacker and screamed, causing him to run off."

The alleged offender is thought to be a male Maori aged in his mid-to-late teens. He has a skinny build with a long, thin face and no facial hair, police said.

"He is likely to have a scratch or injury to his face as a result of the victim fighting back."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Rotorua Police on (07) 348 0099.

 - Stuff

Visit from Ben / Saturday training

My kung-fu brother Ben from Invercargill dropped in for Saturday training today...

Left to right: Brent, Ben, Hadrian, Pete, Sohail.

Ben and Anthony

Self-defence in the News - No. 79

Young woman fights off two knife-wielding robbers

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/hutt-valley/67678072/Lower-Hutt-woman-threatened-with-knife-in-aggravated-robbery

April 10 2015


A young woman has fended off two knife-wielding teenagers in the latest of a spate of aggravated robberies in Lower Hutt.

The 22-year-old woman resisted two male teenagers who threatened to "stab her" if she did not hand over her cell phone.

Inspector Kevin Riordan, of Central Police Communications, said the attack happened between 8pm and 8:25pm on Thursday on the stop bank or river bank near Hutt Valley High School.

"The offenders have approached the female and produced a knife and threatened that they would stab her if she did not hand over her cell phone," Riordan said.

"The victim has refused and a subsequent struggle has ensued between the three."

It is believed the woman was not injured and the two teenagers took off from the scene.

The offenders have been described as two teenage males of unknown ethnicity.

One was wearing long shorts and a black and white top while the other was wearing a dark coloured hooded sweatshirt with an emblem on the front with the hood pulled up over his head. He is also wearing a tan coloured pair of trousers.

Police were also looking to speak to two females who were walking in the same direction at the time of the robbery and could possibly know the males involved, Riordan said.

The seriousness of the crime and because it was the third crime of this nature in the Hutt Valley in recent days was a concern, he said.

Police were determined to catch those responsible and anyone who had information that may help police should contact the Wellington District Command Centre or Wellington District Crime Squad on 04 3812077.

- Stuff

Self-defence in the News - No. 78

Young female nurse fights off attacker with a punch to the groin

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/world/australia/337557/dashcam-appeal-sydney-nurse-attack

Fri, 27 Mar 2015

AAP

An unsuspecting motorist with a dashboard camera might provide detectives with a vital clue as they investigate an attempted abduction in Sydney's north.

A nurse, 27, was walking home along Falcon Street at Crows Nest on Wednesday night when a man grabbed her.

The North Shore Private Hospital nurse told police the man put his hand over her mouth and tried to put her in the boot of his grey or silver sedan.

She punched the man in the groin before he drove away up Sophia Street.

She sought help from the nearby Caltex service station and was treated in hospital for bruises, grazes and swelling.

Detectives are hoping motorists with dashcams that were in the area between 10-11pm may be able to help with the investigation.

"These days many drivers, including motorcycle riders, have dashcams on their vehicles," Harbourside police Detective Inspector Michael Birley said on Friday.

"An unsuspecting motorist who was in the vicinity of the Pacific Highway or Sophia Street on Wednesday night may have captured footage of interest to our investigation."

Det Insp Birley said the nurse was still emotionally traumatised from the terrifying attack.

Investigators are after a man described as of Middle Eastern or Indian appearance, aged in his 30s, about 175cm tall with a stocky build and short dark hair.

kung-fu brothers

Left to right: Raph, Dave, Anthony

Left to right: Dave, Brent, Anthony

Brent and Anthony

Photos by Ange (Jan. 2015)

Monday 9th of March

I'm away on Monday.

Hadrian is in charge on that day, and he will run the class -- so be good and I'll see you on the Wednesday.

Anthony