TV3 News

Monday, 16 July 2001, 6:26 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

Lundy Murders – Tourists Attacked – Abortion Attack – Family Violence At The Rugby – Plane Struck By Lightning – National Missile Defence x 2 - Charles Upham Sold – Mongrel Mob

LUNDY MURDERS: A court hearing depositions from witnesses in Palmerston North has begun hearing about the double murder of Christine and Amber Lundy in Palmerston North. Christine Lundy’s life was insured for a million dollars. A witness described finding Amber and Christine Lundy’s dead bodies in the family house. Gregory, Christine’s brother, said that the day before the murder Christine and Mark appeared to be getting on well. Police allege that Amber Lundy was killed after she saw the attack on her mother. Mark Lundy has been holding his hands over his face for much of the trial so far.

TOURISTS ATTACKED: Tourists kidnapped, and one possibly killed, by an attacker in the Australian outback near Alice Springs at Barrow Creek, have sparked a massive manhunt. A woman miraculously escaped the attacker raising the alarm, but her partner is feared dead.

ABORTION ATTACK: Police in Melbourne believe members of the public may have prevented a massacre at an abortion clinic. A gunman who shot a security guard at the clinic was wrestled to the ground by the members of the public.

FAMILY VIOLENCE AT THE RUGBY: A woman who attacked and injured her younger brother for not playing on during a rugby match, has been sentenced to periodic detention and banned from attending rugby matches.

PLANE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING: Freedom Air has examined a plane struck by lightning and says it is okay.

NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENCE: A Greenpeace campaigner with ties to NZ has been effectively tied to the main island in the Marshall Islands. He has been ordered not to visit an island where tests are being carried out on the US’s National Missile Defence programme.

NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENCE: Meanwhile the successful test of a National Missile Defence plan missile has bouyed supporters of George Bush’s controversial NMD plan. Last night’s test drew another warning from Moscow about an arms race. In the test an ICBM was destroyed in space by an interceptor missile.

CHARLES UPHAM SOLD: The NZ Defence Force’s biggest lemon has been sold for $8.6 million. The Charles Upham was bought 10 years ago by the then National Government for $14 million. It proved unsatisfactory as a landing ship as it rolled too much in heavy seas. National’s Max Bradford said he would have spent money on upgrading the ship. ACT is also critical of the sale saying that NZ cannot be sure of getting a ship to move equipment in time of war.

MONGREL MOB: Police in Christchurch are enforcing a seldom used law to clamp down on the Mongrel Mob. Police say the Mongrel Mob are behind standover tactics leading to people to moving out of their houses in the suburb of Shirley. A law that says people are not allowed to associate with members of the gang is being used, and people, mainly Maori, are being served with papers telling them not to visit the gang. Accusations of racism have been made against the campaign. Police say the campaign is the first in a citywide campaign against all gangs.

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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