Dr Morgan Fahey Pleads Guilty - Fiji Coup - DPS Members To Fiji - Petrol Prices - Russell Coutts - Sue Bradford Cleared
- Barbara Cartland
DR MORGAN FAHEY PLEADS GUILTY: Dr Morgan Fahey pleads guilty to 13 sex charges in High Court in Christchurch. The most
serious charge one of rape. He also plead guilty to 11 charges of indecent assault. Earlier Dr Fahey denied the charges
in an interview with 20/20 reporter. Rape Crisis says that the victims feel elation. The most compelling piece of
evidence against Fahey was a secret recording made by one of his victims and broadcast on TV. After the allegations
24,000 people voted for him in the race for the Christchurch mayoralty. The judge rejected an application for bail.
FIJI COUP: The next turning point in Fiji's coup is expected tomorrow with a meeting of the Great Council of Chiefs.
Shots have been fired. Moments of real tension today. A masked gunman tells a camera crew to leave and then lets off a
shot. The President has upped the stakes and says Speight has threatened to kill the hostages. Speight however says he
guarantees the hostages safety. Some reporters were allowed into the compound. Police are searching lots of vehicles and
are arresting some people believed to be supporters of the coup leaders. Later these were taken to the Parliamentary
compound with a police escort. The cordon around the compound was breached at one point and Speight said the lives of
those in the compound - including media - would be threatened if security was breached again. All Fiji now awaits the
outcome of a meeting of the GCC tomorrow morning. Sitiveni Rambuka expects division. Even Rambuka has said he agrees
with some of the aspirations of Speight.
DPS MEMBERS TO FIJI: Two members of the Diplomatic Protection Squad have been despatched to Fiji to protect the High
Commission. Phil Goff says that George Speight is a crook and that Fiji will become an international pariah if his
government is acknowledged.
PETROL PRICES: Petrol prices up another 4 cents. Less than a week after a 5 cent rise. Caltex and Shell have increased
prices. BP has held off so far. Consumers Institute concedes the price increase is reasonable.
RUSSELL COUTTS: Team New Zealand Americas Cup skipper Russell Coutts holds a press conference to announce his decision
to quit the team and join a Swiss syndicate. More defections may also be imminent. The Royal NZ yacht squadron says
sponsors have been confirmed and that contracts will be on the table this week to secure team members. Coutts said he
couldn't accept conditions advanced under the Team NZ
SUE BRADFORD CLEARED: Charges against Green MP Sue Bradford have been thrown out by the District Court in Wellington.
Bradford says it has always been ironic that she has been on bail on charges of trespass of Parliament even though she
is now an MP. Some witnesses could not be found.
BARBARA CARTLAND: Dame Barbara Cartland dies aged 98 after 723 novels. She claims she never repeated a plot. Never a
prude she once said she would look great photographed in the nude, when she was 95.