06-08-2019
Training a fantastic bunch of people in simple, effective, quick-to-learn self-defence, geared to their roles as professional security staff.
Showing posts with label self-defence. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self-defence. Show all posts
09 August, 2019
01 May, 2014
Self-defence in the News - No. 62
Intended victim fought back
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/300594/intruder-stabbed-home-invasion
Police said the 45-year-old woman got up about 6.40am yesterday at her Opiki property to investigate a noise she thought might have been her partner returning from milking.
Instead, she was confronted by a man armed with a knife.
The owner of a number of farms in the area, including the property where the attack took place, Helen McAloon, said she and her husband Michael rushed to the victim's aid after receiving a call from her partner.
"He was milking the cows and he had to race home ... he just informed us that there'd been a home invasion and his partner was hurt.
"She was a little bit hurt and obviously very distressed.''
The two men broke in demanding drugs, Mrs McAloon said.
"She put up a bit of a fight and they took off.
"She just said that two guys had broken their way in. I think they must have gone through a back door. She said she [had] locked it, but some of those old houses, the locks aren't as good as they should be,'' Mrs McAloon said.
"She fended them off with a pair of scissors, they're still in their gut ... [Police] will be trying to comb the hospitals to see if someone came in.''
Mrs McAloon said it was the first time she had heard of drugs-related offending in the area, and the attack had shaken up the close-knit community.
Palmerston North Detective Sergeant David Thompson said the attack escalated when the woman couldn't comply with her attacker's demands.
"We understand that during this time he [the attacker] has received a wound to the stomach with scissors,'' he said.
Following the attack, the offenders fled in a vehicle and the injured woman barricaded herself in her room and called police.
The victim was being treated at Palmerston North Hospital for her injuries.
The offenders were still on the run. Police wanted to speak to anyone who saw a vehicle speeding and driving dangerously in the Opiki area between 6.50am and 7.15am.
The first offender is described as Maori, with a noticeable missing tooth. He was wearing dark clothing. The second man was described as Pakeha with blond hair.
Anyone with information was asked to contact Constable Nick Parlane on 06 215 4962. Alternatively information can be provided anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/300594/intruder-stabbed-home-invasion
Intruder stabbed in home invasion
Thu, 1 May 2014
by Brendan Manning
A man who broke into a rural Manawatu property demanding drugs left with a pair of scissors embedded in his stomach after his intended victim fought back, a local farmer said.
Police said the 45-year-old woman got up about 6.40am yesterday at her Opiki property to investigate a noise she thought might have been her partner returning from milking.
Instead, she was confronted by a man armed with a knife.
The owner of a number of farms in the area, including the property where the attack took place, Helen McAloon, said she and her husband Michael rushed to the victim's aid after receiving a call from her partner.
"He was milking the cows and he had to race home ... he just informed us that there'd been a home invasion and his partner was hurt.
"She was a little bit hurt and obviously very distressed.''
The two men broke in demanding drugs, Mrs McAloon said.
"She put up a bit of a fight and they took off.
"She just said that two guys had broken their way in. I think they must have gone through a back door. She said she [had] locked it, but some of those old houses, the locks aren't as good as they should be,'' Mrs McAloon said.
"She fended them off with a pair of scissors, they're still in their gut ... [Police] will be trying to comb the hospitals to see if someone came in.''
Mrs McAloon said it was the first time she had heard of drugs-related offending in the area, and the attack had shaken up the close-knit community.
Palmerston North Detective Sergeant David Thompson said the attack escalated when the woman couldn't comply with her attacker's demands.
"We understand that during this time he [the attacker] has received a wound to the stomach with scissors,'' he said.
Following the attack, the offenders fled in a vehicle and the injured woman barricaded herself in her room and called police.
The victim was being treated at Palmerston North Hospital for her injuries.
The offenders were still on the run. Police wanted to speak to anyone who saw a vehicle speeding and driving dangerously in the Opiki area between 6.50am and 7.15am.
The first offender is described as Maori, with a noticeable missing tooth. He was wearing dark clothing. The second man was described as Pakeha with blond hair.
Anyone with information was asked to contact Constable Nick Parlane on 06 215 4962. Alternatively information can be provided anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
28 March, 2014
Self-defence in the News - No. 61
Hero warden saves assault victim
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11227620
Bay of Plenty Times
Thursday Mar 27, 2014
A Tauranga parking warden ran to the aid of an assault victim in ACC yesterday and held the offender until police arrived.
The parking warden, who wanted to be known only by his first name Peter, was patrolling past ACC on Grey Street when a woman ran out calling for help.
Peter entered the building and saw a man who was obviously out of control.
Peter said he helped an ACC staff member to restrain the offender and called police.
The man, who was accused of punching an ACC staff member and pushing computers and equipment off desks, was arrested.
Peter wanted to praise the actions of the staff member who, despite being assaulted, managed to get the offender into a headlock as Peter arrived to assist and helped to restrain his arms.
A third person then helped to restrain the man until police arrived. Peter said they had to hold the man for about 10 minutes.
All other ACC staff had retreated behind locked doors by the time police arrived.
13 March, 2014
Self-defence in the News - No. 60
Woman escapes attempted attack
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11218456&ref=rss
A woman escaped an attempted attack after being grabbed from behind while jogging through Auckland Botanic Gardens this morning, police say.
The 44-year-old was jogging through the park around 8.30am when she was grabbed by an unknown man who attempted to pull her off the path.
She managed to get away, and the man made off towards the east side of the gardens, near Katote Close.
He is described as being around 5"11 tall and of skinny build with dark skin, wearing a turquoise coloured hoodie and long black pants. He was wearing socks but no shoes.
Police advised people to avoid dark or isolated places while running or walking alone, and to keep cellphones close by. If possible stay within view of traffic or pedestrians.
Anyone who can identify the man, or who witnessed the incident, is asked to contact Counties Manukau crime squad on 09 261 1321 or anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11218456&ref=rss
Man sought over attempted attack at Auckland Botanic Gardens
Mar 12, 2014
Photo / NZ police
A woman escaped an attempted attack after being grabbed from behind while jogging through Auckland Botanic Gardens this morning, police say.
The 44-year-old was jogging through the park around 8.30am when she was grabbed by an unknown man who attempted to pull her off the path.
She managed to get away, and the man made off towards the east side of the gardens, near Katote Close.
He is described as being around 5"11 tall and of skinny build with dark skin, wearing a turquoise coloured hoodie and long black pants. He was wearing socks but no shoes.
Police advised people to avoid dark or isolated places while running or walking alone, and to keep cellphones close by. If possible stay within view of traffic or pedestrians.
Anyone who can identify the man, or who witnessed the incident, is asked to contact Counties Manukau crime squad on 09 261 1321 or anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
02 March, 2014
Self-defence in the News - No. 59
"He fought for his life."
http://news.msn.co.nz/worldnews/8805623/bible-in-us-drivers-pocket-stops-bullets
"There was obviously some kind of intervention involved in this incident because he probably should not be here," Sergeant Michael Pauley of the Dayton, Ohio police told reporters on Tuesday.
Rickey Wagoner, 49, had stopped his bus to fix a problem in the early hours of Monday morning when he was approached by three teenagers in what appears to be gang-initiation attack, WCPO news reported.
"He heard one of the suspects say it was time to kill a polar bear to get into a club," Pauley said.
"He fought for his life."
Wagoner was shot twice in the chest but managed to stay standing and struggled to wrestle the gun away from his attackers.
"I had a book in my pocket," Wagoner told a police dispatcher in a call released to local media.
"At first I thought it went through. It just feels like I've been hit with a sledgehammer in the chest."
One of the teenagers slashed him in the arm with a knife while he fought for the gun, which went off during the struggle and shot him in the leg. But he managed to get both weapons away.
"I stabbed one in the leg with my pen," Wagoner said in the 911 call.
"He hollered and that's when they all ran."
Wagoner picked up the dropped gun and shot after the fleeing teens but told the dispatcher he didn't think he hit them.
© AFP 2014
http://news.msn.co.nz/worldnews/8805623/bible-in-us-drivers-pocket-stops-bullets
Bible in US driver's pocket stops bullets
Wed Feb 26 2014
The Bible that a US bus driver kept in his pocket saved his life after it stopped two bullets from piercing his chest, stunned police say.
Rickey Wagoner (Ohio RTA)
"There was obviously some kind of intervention involved in this incident because he probably should not be here," Sergeant Michael Pauley of the Dayton, Ohio police told reporters on Tuesday.
Rickey Wagoner, 49, had stopped his bus to fix a problem in the early hours of Monday morning when he was approached by three teenagers in what appears to be gang-initiation attack, WCPO news reported.
"He heard one of the suspects say it was time to kill a polar bear to get into a club," Pauley said.
"He fought for his life."
Wagoner was shot twice in the chest but managed to stay standing and struggled to wrestle the gun away from his attackers.
"I had a book in my pocket," Wagoner told a police dispatcher in a call released to local media.
"At first I thought it went through. It just feels like I've been hit with a sledgehammer in the chest."
One of the teenagers slashed him in the arm with a knife while he fought for the gun, which went off during the struggle and shot him in the leg. But he managed to get both weapons away.
"I stabbed one in the leg with my pen," Wagoner said in the 911 call.
"He hollered and that's when they all ran."
Wagoner picked up the dropped gun and shot after the fleeing teens but told the dispatcher he didn't think he hit them.
© AFP 2014
09 February, 2014
Self-defence in the News - No. 58
Surfer punches shark in the face
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9700256/Bitten-surfer-punched-shark
The 28-year-old man was on his board about 50m out from Porpoise Bay Beach, near Curio Bay, about 8.30 last night when the attack happened, police said.
Nick Smart was surfing about 100 metres away and witnessed the incident.
"He was sitting on his surfboard and the shark came up from nowhere and hit him.
"He struggled for a bit and then punched the shark and it let him go."
The man then made his own way to shore before being assisted by a doctor and a nurse, who just happened to be at the beach, Smart said.
They applied a tourniquet and gave him first aid and blankets while they waited for an ambulance to arrive.
The man was surprisingly calm throughout the entire ordeal, Smart said.
"He was totally coherent and talking.
"He was definitely in a bit of pain but he handled it really well.
"His partner was on the beach and she was right there as well so he had a lot of support."
The man's friends believed it to be a sevengill shark, although they couldn't be sure of that, and thought it was about two to three metres in length, Smart said.
An ambulance arrived about 40 minutes after the attack and transported the man to Southland Hospital, where he remained in a stable condition today.
The man was bitten three times from his thigh to his calf and there was "lots of blood", a police spokesman said.
The attack was a real shock to everyone in the Catlins area, Smart said.
"Mate, it's the first time there has ever been a shark attack in the Catlins and there has never been a shark attack in this bay.
"There's been so many dolphins in the bay over the last few days as well.
"I've spent thousands of hours in this shore break and the thought [of a shark attack] doesn't even cross my mind ... but it does now."
The attack would not put surfers off from returning to the water, with some already saying they were keen to get back out there, Smart said.
"There is no-one out there at the moment but there is people wanting to go out and there will be people out there later today."
Darren Mills
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9700256/Bitten-surfer-punched-shark
Bitten surfer punched shark
LIAM HYSLOP
08/02/2014
A surfer being attacked by a shark in a Southland bay punched it in the face to free himself from its grip.
The 28-year-old man was on his board about 50m out from Porpoise Bay Beach, near Curio Bay, about 8.30 last night when the attack happened, police said.
Nick Smart was surfing about 100 metres away and witnessed the incident.
"He was sitting on his surfboard and the shark came up from nowhere and hit him.
"He struggled for a bit and then punched the shark and it let him go."
The man then made his own way to shore before being assisted by a doctor and a nurse, who just happened to be at the beach, Smart said.
They applied a tourniquet and gave him first aid and blankets while they waited for an ambulance to arrive.
The man was surprisingly calm throughout the entire ordeal, Smart said.
"He was totally coherent and talking.
"He was definitely in a bit of pain but he handled it really well.
"His partner was on the beach and she was right there as well so he had a lot of support."
The man's friends believed it to be a sevengill shark, although they couldn't be sure of that, and thought it was about two to three metres in length, Smart said.
An ambulance arrived about 40 minutes after the attack and transported the man to Southland Hospital, where he remained in a stable condition today.
The man was bitten three times from his thigh to his calf and there was "lots of blood", a police spokesman said.
The attack was a real shock to everyone in the Catlins area, Smart said.
"Mate, it's the first time there has ever been a shark attack in the Catlins and there has never been a shark attack in this bay.
"There's been so many dolphins in the bay over the last few days as well.
"I've spent thousands of hours in this shore break and the thought [of a shark attack] doesn't even cross my mind ... but it does now."
The attack would not put surfers off from returning to the water, with some already saying they were keen to get back out there, Smart said.
"There is no-one out there at the moment but there is people wanting to go out and there will be people out there later today."
05 February, 2014
Self-defence in the News - No. 57
Late night attack: 'I really am so angry'
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11196659
By Rebecca Quilliam
Tuesday Feb 4, 2014
Frank and Barbara Watene standing outside boarded
up windows at their Naenae home.
Photo / Rebecca Quilliam
Barbara Watene is mad as hell at the four men who left her 71-year-old husband lying in a heap on the ground bruised and with a fractured collarbone.
"Do I want to face those guys? Oh yes. I am so angry, I really am so angry."
Frank Watene knows he's lucky to be alive after he was set upon by the group at 3am on Sunday outside his Naenae home in the Hutt Valley.
"If they'd found my hammer hanging up outside, I'd probably be dead."
The couple who have lived on Bush Street for 33 years are refusing to be intimidated by the incident and said there was no way they would leave their home.
"Why should we let p****s like that chase us out?" Mrs Watene said.
Their cosy house has also been home to 300 to 400 foster children - many of whom are pictured in frames covering the walls.
Two of those children, a 14-year-old boy and girl, were in the house during the incident.
"He did so well. He did what he needed to do."
The attack happened after Mrs Watene opened the door to one of the men - but was able to push him back by closing it quickly. The other men then set about smashing the couple's windows.
Mr Watene, described by his wife as a "Maori warrior", confronted the men and was able to land a punch to one of them before being viciously attacked.
"I wasn't thinking of myself. I was thinking of the kids," he said.
Neighbours quickly gathered at the home after hearing the commotion and the appearance of one may have frightened the men off, Mrs Watene said.
The attack had left Mr Watene "aching all over" and unable to sleep.
The pair have been left bewildered as to why the attack happened to them.
"I've gone back..in my memory to see if there was someone I had attacked...then it would make sense. But I haven't. It's a mystery," Mr Watene said.
Mrs Watene said it might have been a case of mistaken identity.
"Because we've done nothing."
Police were seeking sightings of a dark-coloured four-wheel-drive, possibly a Nissan Terrano or Pathfinder.
Anyone with information was asked to contact police on 04 560 2600 or through Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
- APNZ
04 February, 2014
Self-defence in the News - No. 56
Hamilton teen escapes attempted abduction
http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/9679615/Hamilton-teen-escapes-attempted-abduction
03/02/2014
The attempted abduction of a teenage girl in Hamilton could be linked to a similar incident on the same day, police say.
A 16-year-old girl walking along Edgecumbe St was approached by a man driving a silver saloon about 11am yesterday.
"The man has pulled up alongside the girl, called out to her offering her a lift before getting out of his car,'' acting Detective Sergeant Nick O'Brien said.
"He has then approached her, taken her hand and upon her pulling away grabbed her waist. The girl has kicked out at her attacker and run to a nearby address to raise the alarm."
The man was described as a dark skinned male aged in his 40s to 50s, of lean muscular build with short dark hair.
He was said to be wearing a black coloured t-shirt with a white design on the chest, dark coloured knee length shorts and black, red and white coloured sneakers with white laces.
"We would like to hear from anyone who recalls seeing the incident, who saw a silver coloured saloon in the area about the time of the attack or anyone who may know the identity of the attacker,'' Mr O'Brien said.
Police are considering whether this incident is related to a similar incident reported on Hamilton's Hood St about 6am.
Anyone with any information on yesterday's incident is asked to contact the Hamilton Central Police Station on 07 858 6200.Alternatively, information can be left anonymously with the independent organisation Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
- © Fairfax NZ News
23 January, 2014
Self-defence in the News - No. 55
'Courageous' supermarket staff praised
http://www.odt.co.nz/regions/north-otago/289002/courageous-supermarket-staff-praised
By David Bruce on Thu, 23 Jan 2014
The Regions: North Otago
Oamaru New World in south Oamaru was open for business as
usual after four staff were confronted by an armed burglar
early yesterday. Photo by David Bruce.
Four staff of the Oamaru New World supermarket were ''very courageous'' when they tried to calm a burglar armed with a firearm, knife and hammer early yesterday while awaiting the arrival of police.
After about an hour and a-half of negotiations with two police officers, the man laid down his weapons and was arrested.
He was charged yesterday in the Dunedin District Court with aggravated burglary, presenting a firearm to avoid arrest, three separate charges of presenting a firearm and possession of an offensive weapon (the knife). He was remanded in custody until tomorrow.
The 62-year-old Oamaru man allegedly broke into the supermarket about 4am by smashing a front door with the hammer. He then confronted a baker and cleaner who were the only staff in the building at the time, Sergeant Blair Wilkinson, of Oamaru, said.
They were joined about 30 minutes later by another cleaner and baker - making a total of two men and two women.
The last two arrivals contacted police.
''They made the very courageous decision not to escape, staying with him [the alleged offender] to de-escalate the situation by talking to him calmly and also to avoid anybody arriving at work and not knowing what they were walking into.
''The staff were very levelheaded,'' Sgt Wilkinson said.
Asked if staff were being held hostage or could leave, he said that was still unclear and inquiries were continuing. There was no clear direction they could not leave.
However, the man did not face charges relating to detaining people against their will.
Eight Oamaru officers, all armed, were involved from 4.39am. A portion of State Highway 1 outside the supermarket was closed. The Dunedin Armed Offenders Squad was activated, but was stood down before arriving in Oamaru.
Two officers started negotiating with the offender and the four staff were able to leave.
Sgt Wilkinson said the man laid down his weapons at 6.05am. No-one was injured.
The supermarket opened at its usual time of 7am, although bread production was delayed because of the involvement of two of the bakers, New World owner-operator Justin Smith said in a statement. He praised the quick action of his staff who discovered the man and called the police.
Mr Smith and the staff involved declined to be interviewed.
- david.bruce@odt.co.nz
16 January, 2014
Self-defence in the News - No. 54
Cop's judo skills come in handy
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/9614743/Cops-judo-skills-come-in-handy
MATT BOWEN
16/01/2014
DONNA WALSH/Fairfax NZ
BLACK BELT: Sean Choi has form as a judo champ. In 2011 he won a gold
medal at the Oceania Championships while fellow Metro Judo Club member
Shawnee Felton, right, won a couple of bronzes.
Witnesses said members of an unruly mob taunted him, calling him Jackie Chan. They didn't know who they were dealing with.
Constable Sean Choi was on the beat outside synthetic cannabis dealer U njoY during a tense and violent morning in Hamilton East on Tuesday.
Police said a member of the group approached Choi and tried to pick a fight. The antagonist gave up on the first attempt yet returned minutes later and tried again.
The man was arrested but another man allegedly joined the fray and jumped on the officer's back.
Choi has been a member of the Metro Judo Club since he arrived in New Zealand from South Korea as a teenager.
Head coach Terry Steenson said the alleged attacker was destined to take flight: "We move in close. Where most people would back away it is in our nature to move forward. We fight in their face. We fight inside their arms and legs and a lot of our stuff is throws. Most guys wouldn't know how to land from a throw or wouldn't know what's hit them when they started flying through the air . . . it wouldn't have been pleasant."
A shop owner, who asked to remain anonymous, saw Choi in action.
She said the policeman "dropped" a "huge, big guy".
"He picked him up, pepper-sprayed him and dropped him," she said.
"I looked at it and went, ‘holy s . . . '.
Choi does that kind of thing for fun. In fact, he gets his kicks from lifting up and throwing men much bigger than he is, some up 130kg, to the ground.
He's a third dan black belt, a former New Zealand champion, an Oceania Champion and he was close to qualifying for the Olympics when he dislocated an elbow a few years ago.
Mr Steenson said police work takes up a lot of Choi's time now, but he still trains and helps children at the club improve their technique.
He's a good role model, Mr Steenson said.
"He's very humble - an awesome bloke. He's reserved, but when it comes to his passions, judo and family, he's very passionate."
- © Fairfax NZ News
15 January, 2014
Self-defence in the News - No. 53
Karate black belt rescues police officer
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11186784
Black belt saves police officer in trouble
By Cullen Smith
Wednesday Jan 15, 2014
Grant Torrance didn't hesitate when he saw a police officer in trouble.
The holder of a 3rd degree black belt in karate, the 54-year-old senior manager for Hawkins Construction spotted a police officer backing away during a violent confrontation with a young man on Main North Rd in Papanui last week.
"Out of the corner of my eye I saw the policeman back-pedalling with this guy all over him," Mr Torrance said.
He stopped, leapt out and asked the officer if he needed a hand.
Constable Grant Stewart gave the okay and Mr Torrance used his karate skills to help subdue the aggressive offender.
"There was a bit of a scuffle," he said. "I locked him up and basically pinned him to the ground so he couldn't do much. He was pretty well contained."
Police said Constable Stewart had used pepper spray in an unsuccessful attempt to subdue the man, but had been unable to use his radio to call for back-up because the handset had been dislodged during the tussle.
"He was a big guy about 6ft and solidly built and he was
cranking ... really wound up," Mr Torrance said. "You could see the
pepper spraycan on the ground. I didn't think about what I was going to
do, I just wanted the guy to stop."
Mr Torrance said he'd done something similar about 15 years ago when he stepped in between two people fighting, but was modest about his latest success.
"I was just Johnny on the spot. I stopped and gave a hand without thinking too much. It was the right thing to do.
"It's not the sort of thing you expect on the street at 7.15 in the morning."
He was uninjured in the fracas, but admitted "feeling pretty sore" the following day.
Mr Torrance said he was "delighted" to receive a letter from police a few days later thanking him for his efforts.
"It was great, but they didn't need to do that."
Inspector Derek Erasmus said police were "very appreciative" of Mr Torrance's help.
A 21-year-old was charged with disorderly behaviour, resisting arrest. Assaulting a police officer and possessing a knife.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11186784
Black belt saves police officer in trouble
By Cullen Smith
Wednesday Jan 15, 2014
Photo / Thinkstock
Grant Torrance didn't hesitate when he saw a police officer in trouble.
The holder of a 3rd degree black belt in karate, the 54-year-old senior manager for Hawkins Construction spotted a police officer backing away during a violent confrontation with a young man on Main North Rd in Papanui last week.
"Out of the corner of my eye I saw the policeman back-pedalling with this guy all over him," Mr Torrance said.
He stopped, leapt out and asked the officer if he needed a hand.
Constable Grant Stewart gave the okay and Mr Torrance used his karate skills to help subdue the aggressive offender.
"There was a bit of a scuffle," he said. "I locked him up and basically pinned him to the ground so he couldn't do much. He was pretty well contained."
Police said Constable Stewart had used pepper spray in an unsuccessful attempt to subdue the man, but had been unable to use his radio to call for back-up because the handset had been dislodged during the tussle.
Mr Torrance said he'd done something similar about 15 years ago when he stepped in between two people fighting, but was modest about his latest success.
"I was just Johnny on the spot. I stopped and gave a hand without thinking too much. It was the right thing to do.
"It's not the sort of thing you expect on the street at 7.15 in the morning."
He was uninjured in the fracas, but admitted "feeling pretty sore" the following day.
Mr Torrance said he was "delighted" to receive a letter from police a few days later thanking him for his efforts.
"It was great, but they didn't need to do that."
Inspector Derek Erasmus said police were "very appreciative" of Mr Torrance's help.
A 21-year-old was charged with disorderly behaviour, resisting arrest. Assaulting a police officer and possessing a knife.
- CHRISTCHURCH STAR
13 January, 2014
Self-defence in the News - No. 52
Elderly lady plays dead
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11183913
By Morgan Tait
Friday Jan 10, 2014
77-year-old woman plays dead to scare off knife-wielding attacker
Her arms bound and with a bedsheet tied over her head, a 77-year-old woman played dead to scare off a masked man who attacked and robbed her at knifepoint in a brazen daylight home invasion.
Police are hunting the man who barged through the backdoor of the woman's Papatoetoe home as she went outside to get her laundry at 1pm on Wednesday.
The elderly woman, who moved to New Zealand from Fiji 20 years ago, was bruised and in shock after the ordeal and her family yesterday appealed to the public to help identify the "sick" assailant.
"I want that guy to be caught. If he's done it to her he'll do it to someone else," her son said last night.
Her son, who the Herald has chosen not to name to protect the victim, described his mother's terror and bravery as she fought against the burly intruder.
"She hardly opens the front door. It was at the back and as she opened the door he grabbed her, he had a knife in his hand."
He said the large man, dressed in black and wearing a balaclava, gripped his mother by her arms and pushed her into the nearest room, her bedroom, and used an Indian silk scarf to bind her hands behind her back. He also covered her face.
"The cover sheet from the bed, he put it on her head. There are bruises on her face. The knots were so tight on her neck.
"She's really tough, she fought everything. He tried to do everything and she was yelling at him, 'no, no, no'. After that he tried to pull her from the bed and [he] dropped her on the ground and pulled her down the corridor.
"She stopped her breath so he thought she was dead. That's when he left."
The woman lives with her son and his wife, who regularly make telephone checks on her when they are not home. On Wednesday, her son phoned about 3pm and became worried when she did not answer.
"The first call she didn't pick up, so I rang again in 10 to 15 minutes and she'd pulled her hand from the scarf knot and was crying on the phone."
He dialled 111 and sped home from his Manukau workplace, arriving at the same time as police. "I helped the police untie her."
His mother was taken to Middlemore Hospital where she stayed overnight for full body x-rays and a CT scan. She returned home yesterday morning with extensive bruising to her arms, neck and face, her son said.
The intruder stole cash, ripped the woman's valuable gold necklace from her neck and pulled thick gold bangles off her wrists.
But laptop computers and other valuables were left untouched.
The family are worried about their mother's welfare and want to move to another neighbourhood.
"We were talking about the fear ... and I am just thinking, 'How is she bearing this'?"
Police were dismayed by the attack, the latest in a spate of crimes targeting the elderly.
Detective Sergeant Simon Beal of Counties Manukau CIB said: "We are appalled at the violent nature of this crime during broad daylight."
He appealed for anyone who saw suspicious behaviour in the area of Huia Rd, Stonex Rd, Bernard St and Kimpton Rd to contact police.
In November, a man faced charges after another 77-year-old Papatoetoe woman was sexually assaulted in her home. The attack came only days after a brutal home invasion in Pukekohe where an elderly couple were assaulted and tied up and the sexual assault of an 87-year-old Hastings grandmother who was dragged into her lounge while checking her mail.
• Contact: Call Detective Sergeant Simon Beal of the Counties Manukau CIB on 09 261 1321 or speak anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11183913
By Morgan Tait
Friday Jan 10, 2014
77-year-old woman plays dead to scare off knife-wielding attacker
Police were yesterday patrolling nearby streets to the Papatoetoe woman's home.
Photo / Greg Bowker
Her arms bound and with a bedsheet tied over her head, a 77-year-old woman played dead to scare off a masked man who attacked and robbed her at knifepoint in a brazen daylight home invasion.
Police are hunting the man who barged through the backdoor of the woman's Papatoetoe home as she went outside to get her laundry at 1pm on Wednesday.
The elderly woman, who moved to New Zealand from Fiji 20 years ago, was bruised and in shock after the ordeal and her family yesterday appealed to the public to help identify the "sick" assailant.
"I want that guy to be caught. If he's done it to her he'll do it to someone else," her son said last night.
Her son, who the Herald has chosen not to name to protect the victim, described his mother's terror and bravery as she fought against the burly intruder.
He said the large man, dressed in black and wearing a balaclava, gripped his mother by her arms and pushed her into the nearest room, her bedroom, and used an Indian silk scarf to bind her hands behind her back. He also covered her face.
"The cover sheet from the bed, he put it on her head. There are bruises on her face. The knots were so tight on her neck.
"She's really tough, she fought everything. He tried to do everything and she was yelling at him, 'no, no, no'. After that he tried to pull her from the bed and [he] dropped her on the ground and pulled her down the corridor.
"She stopped her breath so he thought she was dead. That's when he left."
The woman lives with her son and his wife, who regularly make telephone checks on her when they are not home. On Wednesday, her son phoned about 3pm and became worried when she did not answer.
"The first call she didn't pick up, so I rang again in 10 to 15 minutes and she'd pulled her hand from the scarf knot and was crying on the phone."
He dialled 111 and sped home from his Manukau workplace, arriving at the same time as police. "I helped the police untie her."
His mother was taken to Middlemore Hospital where she stayed overnight for full body x-rays and a CT scan. She returned home yesterday morning with extensive bruising to her arms, neck and face, her son said.
The intruder stole cash, ripped the woman's valuable gold necklace from her neck and pulled thick gold bangles off her wrists.
But laptop computers and other valuables were left untouched.
The family are worried about their mother's welfare and want to move to another neighbourhood.
"We were talking about the fear ... and I am just thinking, 'How is she bearing this'?"
Police were dismayed by the attack, the latest in a spate of crimes targeting the elderly.
Detective Sergeant Simon Beal of Counties Manukau CIB said: "We are appalled at the violent nature of this crime during broad daylight."
He appealed for anyone who saw suspicious behaviour in the area of Huia Rd, Stonex Rd, Bernard St and Kimpton Rd to contact police.
In November, a man faced charges after another 77-year-old Papatoetoe woman was sexually assaulted in her home. The attack came only days after a brutal home invasion in Pukekohe where an elderly couple were assaulted and tied up and the sexual assault of an 87-year-old Hastings grandmother who was dragged into her lounge while checking her mail.
• Contact: Call Detective Sergeant Simon Beal of the Counties Manukau CIB on 09 261 1321 or speak anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
07 January, 2014
Self-defence in the News - No. 51
MMA fighter kills home invader
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/9581170/MMA-fighter-kills-home-invader
SIOBHAN DOWNES
06/01/2014
Joe Torrez killed one of the four men who broke into
his house, and put another in the hospital.
A trained mixed marital artist repelled four armed men who attempted to invade his New Mexico home, killing one of them, US authorities say.
The attackers had a knife and shank with them, but Joe Torrez, a 70kg lightwweight fighter with a 1-5 record, managed to gain the upper hand.
"He was fighting for his life," his lawyer, CJ McElhinney, told the Las Cruces Sun-News.
It's not clear what sparked the New Year's Day attack at Torrez' mobile home in Las Cruces, which left another man hospitalised and two more running away in fear.
Before the 2am attack another of the men, Leonard Calvillo, allegedly called ahead to threaten Torrez, telling him, "I'm big Eastside. I'll kill you and your family ... I will go to your house."
Torrez's fiancee and toddler were home at the time, authorities said. The men tossed furniture and attacked Torrez, according to an arrest affidavit, KFOX-TV reported.
A man identified as Sal Garces was found dead at the scene from beating and stab wounds and another received severe facial injuries.
Torrez only endured minor injuries, according to his lawyer.
The remaining two men, who fled the scene, have been arrested on charges of conspiracy, property damage, and aggravated battery.
Torrez could also face charges in the death of the attacker.
02 November, 2013
Self-defence in the News - No. 50
100 Years Ago
The more things change.....
Reprinted in Otago Daily Times, 1 November 2013.
Original article 1 November 1913.
The more things change.....
Reprinted in Otago Daily Times, 1 November 2013.
Original article 1 November 1913.
29 October, 2013
Self-defence in the News - No. 49
"My instinct was limbs, kick, scream, punch, everything."
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/278699/help-get-person-street-victim
The victim of an attempted abduction in Dunedin hopes the public will recognise a police sketch of the man ''to help get this person get off the street''.
Yesterday police released a sketch of the man based on a description supplied by the 25-year-old Dunedin woman. Last Saturday night, the woman was walking home from the Octagon after being unable to get a taxi due to the long lines of people waiting for them after the All Blacks v Australia test.
In Princes St, she began talking to a ''normal, young, friendly sober dude'' near the Oval and opposite the bus depot.
''There was nothing bizarre about the conversation; we spoke for 10 to 15 minutes ... just about the rugby and weather, basically.''
The pair parted ways when they got to Hillside Rd and she continued walking down the street.
''I didn't think he was there. I thought I was walking on my own.''
The man then yelled an offensive comment and as she made her way to the road to text someone, he rushed at her, grabbed her and lifted her some 10m into some bushes at Bathgate Park.
''My instinct was limbs, kick, scream, punch, everything.
''I made enough commotion for him to give up, drop me and run away.''
The man was last seen running across Bathgate Park in the direction of Helena St and Macandrew Rd.
Stunned, the woman made her way back to the road and flagged down a taxi, which took her home, where she contacted the police.
She said it was hard helping police to make the sketch, as ''it was a difficult memory bank to tap into''.
''But I want to do everything I can do to help get this person get off the street ... I had a lucky escape so I want to help them out.''
She said police involved in the case had been ''amazing''.
''They have real sympathy and compassion.''
When she looked at the sketch of her offender, she felt sadness for society, as ''you just can't be free and walk around and do what you want because, unfortunately, there are people out there like this''.
However, she felt Dunedin was a safe city and ''this was just an unfortunate event''.
Detective Sergeant Rob Hanna, of Dunedin, said anyone with information about the offender should contact Dunedin police on 471-4800 or the anonymous tip-off line Crimestoppers, 0800 555 111.
Police did not believe the attack was linked to an attempted abduction hours earlier in Vogel St. Sightings of the ''home-sprayed'' silver van by members of the public had been confirmed in South Dunedin and the inner city, Detective Regan Boucher said. He urged anyone who had spotted that vehicle on Saturday night or Sunday night to contact police.
Two men jointly charged with abducting a woman with the intention of raping her were remanded in custody by consent. One was later granted bail.
- hamish.mcneilly@odt.co.nz
Wanted
• Caucasian, early to mid-20s
• Between 167cm-175cm in height
• Medium build with broad shoulders
• Short light brown or fair hair, and wispy facial hair
• He was wearing a white cap and possibly a dark hoodie
SUPPLIED: NEW ZEALAND POLICE
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/278699/help-get-person-street-victim
Help get this person off the street: victim
By Hamish McNeilly on Sat, 26 Oct 2013
A police sketch of the man who allegedly attacked a 25-year-old woman in Dunedin on Saturday night.
The victim of an attempted abduction in Dunedin hopes the public will recognise a police sketch of the man ''to help get this person get off the street''.
Yesterday police released a sketch of the man based on a description supplied by the 25-year-old Dunedin woman. Last Saturday night, the woman was walking home from the Octagon after being unable to get a taxi due to the long lines of people waiting for them after the All Blacks v Australia test.
In Princes St, she began talking to a ''normal, young, friendly sober dude'' near the Oval and opposite the bus depot.
''There was nothing bizarre about the conversation; we spoke for 10 to 15 minutes ... just about the rugby and weather, basically.''
The pair parted ways when they got to Hillside Rd and she continued walking down the street.
''I didn't think he was there. I thought I was walking on my own.''
The man then yelled an offensive comment and as she made her way to the road to text someone, he rushed at her, grabbed her and lifted her some 10m into some bushes at Bathgate Park.
''My instinct was limbs, kick, scream, punch, everything.
''I made enough commotion for him to give up, drop me and run away.''
The man was last seen running across Bathgate Park in the direction of Helena St and Macandrew Rd.
Stunned, the woman made her way back to the road and flagged down a taxi, which took her home, where she contacted the police.
She said it was hard helping police to make the sketch, as ''it was a difficult memory bank to tap into''.
''But I want to do everything I can do to help get this person get off the street ... I had a lucky escape so I want to help them out.''
She said police involved in the case had been ''amazing''.
''They have real sympathy and compassion.''
When she looked at the sketch of her offender, she felt sadness for society, as ''you just can't be free and walk around and do what you want because, unfortunately, there are people out there like this''.
However, she felt Dunedin was a safe city and ''this was just an unfortunate event''.
Detective Sergeant Rob Hanna, of Dunedin, said anyone with information about the offender should contact Dunedin police on 471-4800 or the anonymous tip-off line Crimestoppers, 0800 555 111.
Police did not believe the attack was linked to an attempted abduction hours earlier in Vogel St. Sightings of the ''home-sprayed'' silver van by members of the public had been confirmed in South Dunedin and the inner city, Detective Regan Boucher said. He urged anyone who had spotted that vehicle on Saturday night or Sunday night to contact police.
Two men jointly charged with abducting a woman with the intention of raping her were remanded in custody by consent. One was later granted bail.
- hamish.mcneilly@odt.co.nz
Wanted
• Caucasian, early to mid-20s
• Between 167cm-175cm in height
• Medium build with broad shoulders
• Short light brown or fair hair, and wispy facial hair
• He was wearing a white cap and possibly a dark hoodie
SUPPLIED: NEW ZEALAND POLICE
22 October, 2013
Self-defence in the News - No. 48
Attacker clawed in the face
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/9313048/Attacker-clawed-in-the-face
22/10/2013
A Christchurch woman was pushed to the ground, headbutted and punched in the face by a man who then tried to sexually assault her.
She managed to get away though, fending off the attacker by clawing at his face.
The attack, in Nunweek Park in the Christchurch suburb of Harewood, happened at about 2.30am yesterday.
Police this afternoon appealed for anyone with information about the attack to come forward.
Police Detective Sergeant Richard Quested said the woman, aged in her 20s, parked her car in Wooldridge Rd before trying to use the toilets in the park.
However, they were locked and as she returned to the car she was attacked from behind.
"The woman was pushed to the ground, headbutted and hit in the face. While on the ground her attacker has attempted to sexually assault the woman, but was disturbed by a passing street sweeping machine," Quested said.
"The woman clawed at the man's face and pushed him off, and was able to run back to her car and drive away."
She suffered cuts and bruises and was fortunate not to be seriously injured.
The attacker was described as between 1.67 metres and 1.77m tall, of medium build with a "beer belly" and a moustache. He was believed to be wearing a black cap with a black hoodie pulled up over the cap, Quested said.
"If anyone has seen a man of this description, or any other suspicious people or activity around the park, we urge them to contact police as soon as possible."
Anyone with information is asked to contact Constable Pamela Cox on 03 372 5710, Christchurch police on 03 363 7400 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
- © Fairfax NZ News
08 September, 2013
Self-defence in the News - No. 47
Gutsy woman who fought off attacker says court sentence is disappointing
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11121323
A gutsy woman who fought off an attacker after he followed her from a
train into a walkway is disappointed with his sentence - the equivalent
of being grounded for three months.
Last November, Noreen Roudon suffered a black eye when she was attacked by Jonathan Ray Lole, 27, who followed her from the Sunnyvale rail station in West Auckland and grabbed her as she walked home.
It was early evening, still daylight, and Roudon fought back.
She told the Herald on Sunday shortly after the incident that she was not usually a confrontational person.
"But I turned around and saw him. I knew that I was fighting for my life. If he had a weapon, I didn't know. I just started punching, screaming, fighting and swearing."
On Friday, Roudon, 27, was in Auckland District Court for Lole's sentencing.
He will serve nine months' supervision and three months' community detention, during which time he must remain at his Henderson address from 7.30pm to 7.30am weeknights and 8.30pm to 7.30am on weekends.
Community detention is effectively a curfew, a sentence which
restricts an offender's movements during specified times. It requires an
offender to remain at an approved residence at times set down by the
court.
This week, Roudon told the Herald on Sunday: "It was a bit of a slap in the face. I was disappointed."
She had reluctantly moved out of her parents' house and in with her partner because she no longer wanted to walk from the train - and partly because Lole lived nearby.
"I'm not scared, but I don't walk as much."
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11121323
Penalty 'slap in the face'
By Kathryn Powley
Sep 8, 2013
Noreen Roudon at the place near the Sunnyvale station where she was assaulted.
Photo / Doug Sherring
Last November, Noreen Roudon suffered a black eye when she was attacked by Jonathan Ray Lole, 27, who followed her from the Sunnyvale rail station in West Auckland and grabbed her as she walked home.
It was early evening, still daylight, and Roudon fought back.
She told the Herald on Sunday shortly after the incident that she was not usually a confrontational person.
"But I turned around and saw him. I knew that I was fighting for my life. If he had a weapon, I didn't know. I just started punching, screaming, fighting and swearing."
On Friday, Roudon, 27, was in Auckland District Court for Lole's sentencing.
He will serve nine months' supervision and three months' community detention, during which time he must remain at his Henderson address from 7.30pm to 7.30am weeknights and 8.30pm to 7.30am on weekends.
This week, Roudon told the Herald on Sunday: "It was a bit of a slap in the face. I was disappointed."
She had reluctantly moved out of her parents' house and in with her partner because she no longer wanted to walk from the train - and partly because Lole lived nearby.
"I'm not scared, but I don't walk as much."
24 June, 2013
Self-defence in the News - No. 46
Shopkeeper punched as she fights back during robbery
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10892494
By Morgan Tait
Monday Jun 24, 2013
A middle-aged woman was punched in the face when she fought back against two armed females trying to steal money and cigarettes from her Auckland dairy yesterday.
The woman's husband, who was afraid to be identified, told the Herald it was the second time their business, Puhinui Superette, had been robbed since the pair bought it in late 2010.
He had briefly left the store on Puhinui Rd, Papatoetoe, to do some shopping when two women entered about 2.20pm yesterday, he said.
"It's very awful, they came into the shop and one of them produced a gun. One of them she [threatened] my wife and other one got into the counter and took some money and cigarettes." He said his wife tried to stop the women from getting away.
"My wife got punched in the face - her lip was bleeding from where it hit her teeth and she has got some cuts. She chased them out and tried to stop them escaping. My wife is really brave."
He said she was left shaken and afraid after the incident.
Police say they are now looking for the second woman, described as Polynesian, about 20, with dark brown hair, who ran away with more than $200 of cash and cigarettes.
The store was also robbed two years ago, and it left the couple - who are both aged over 50 and moved to New Zealand from China 10 years ago - feeling vulnerable.
"We never feel really safe in this isolated place, we have to rely on our luck not to get killed or injured and nothing can really be done about it.
"We have had one of these incidents before and this time she fought back really strongly."
St John Ambulance staff treated the shopkeeper for her facial injuries.
18 June, 2013
Self-defence in the News - No. 45
Daughter, 18, cuts off her father's head after he rapes her
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2342526/Daughter-18-cuts-fathers-head-raped-Papua-New-Guinea-village-home.html
"Daughter, 18, cuts off her father's head after he raped her in their Papua New Guinea village home."
By Richard Shears
Protective ring: Villagers in the remote western highlands of Papua New
Guinea say they will not let police talk to the 18 year old rape victim
(file image)
A teenage girl chopped her father's head clean off with a bush knife after he raped her in their home in the highlands of Papua New Guinea.
Now residents of the village have formed a protective ring around the 18-year-old, refusing to hand her over to the police because they agreed her 'evil' father deserved to die.
A local church leader, Pastor Lucas Kumi from the village of Rang in the Western Highlands, said the entire community would refuse to allow the girl to be subjected to any official investigation.
'The people and leaders in our area went and saw the headless body of the father after the girl reported the incident to them and explained why she had killed her father,' said Pastor Kumi.
He told the Post Courier newspaper that the father, in his mid-40s, raped his daughter when they were alone in their house after the mother and two other children from the family went to visit relatives for the night.
'The father went to his daughter's room in the night and raped her repeatedly.
'The father wanted to rape his daughter again in the morning and that was when the young girl picked up the bush knife and chopped her father's head off,' said Pastor Kumi.
'We've all agreed that she is free to stay in the community because the father deserved to die.
'The daughter did what she did because of the trauma and the evil actions of her father, so that is why we have all agreed that she remains in the community.'
He said a ring of
protection had been placed around the girl, who will be kept away from
any official investigation.
'The community have also agreed not to conduct any formal burial service for the father.'
09 June, 2013
Self-defence in the News - No. 44
Woman fights armed invader
http://www.northernadvocate.co.nz/news/woman-fights-armed-invader/1900229/
10am UPDATE: Police have arrested a teenager after a woman fought off an attacker in her Ruakaka home early yesterday morning.
Detective Seargeant Shane Pilmer said a 17-year-old had been arrested last night and would appear on the Whangarei District Court today.
* * * * * * * * * *
A 40-year-old Northland woman needed surgery for a deep gash to her hand after she fended off a knife-wielding intruder who had climbed through her bedroom window.
Police detectives were yesterday interviewing Ruakaka residents near Wahanui Walkway after the early-morning attack on the woman, whose young child was sleeping in another room.
The incident comes two weeks after a man tried to sexually assault a 15-year-old girl in her Marsden Point Rd home.
The man struggled with the girl but he was scared off by a neighbour leaving home next door.
No arrest has been made in that case.
Head of both investigations Detective Sergeant Shane Pilmer was not linking the two attacks but said they had similarities and that was concerning. Police were unsure of the motive behind the latest attack.
The woman had been woken by a noise outside her window about 4am yesterday. She had got up to see what was happening and found a man with a bandanna around his face climbing through the bedroom window.
Mr Pilmer said a struggle ensued on the bedroom floor when the man produced a knife. Both the woman's hands were cut and surgery for a deep cut on one hand had been scheduled at Whangarei Hospital yesterday.
The woman managed to fend off the attacker, who had fled out the bedroom window.
The woman had then raised the alarm.
"She was very shaken up and very distraught. This could easily have been a lot worse. During the scuffle, she could easily have been fatally stabbed," Mr Pilmer said.
A police dog and handler were called but were unable to find a trail. St John ambulance officers were called to the house and transferred the woman to hospital.
The attacker has been described as a male Maori, of slim build with short hair, aged in his 20s or possibly younger. At the time, he was wearing a white T-shirt, black jeans and fawn-coloured shoes.
He also had a brown or fawn-coloured bandanna around his face.
Mr Pilmer said detectives were determined to track down the man to ensure there were no further attacks.
In the meantime, he urged home owners in the Ruakaka area to make sure windows and doors were securely locked at night.
He called on anyone who may have noticed anyone acting suspiciously in the Wahanui Walkway area late on Thursday or early on Friday to contact police.
On June 22, a man, described as a male Maori in his 30s, walked down the driveway of a Marsden Point Rd house, knocked on the door and spoke to a girl about 9.45am.
After speaking to him, the girl closed the door and turned to walk back inside the house. But the man pulled the door open and entered the house.
Mr Pilmer said there was a struggle between the girl and the man - the girl ending up on the ground.
The man had then tried to sexually assault the teenager but someone had left a neighbouring property and disturbed the attacker.
The girl had raised the alarm with a friend who rang police. She had sustained cuts and bruising and was seen by ambulance staff at a nearby house.
If you can help call Mr Pilmer directly on 09 4304589 or anonymously on 0800 Crimestoppers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)