UPDATE: A TASMANIAN logging contractor admitted he “went on a rampage” when protesters blocked a forestry road, a court has heard.
Rodney Arthur Howells, 51, of Orford, told police in a video-recorded interview that he used a sledgehammer to smash up an old car while two protesters were inside the vehicle which blocked a road in the Upper Florentine Valley.
“Something must’ve just clicked . . . I just f…ing went off,” Mr Howells told police in the interview, which was played in the Hobart Magistrates Court yesterday.
Mr Howells and two of his employees, Jeremy Leigh Eiszele and Terrence Michael Pearce, have pleaded not guilty to assaulting Nishant Datt and Miranda Gibson on October 21, 2008.
Mr Datt, 23, and Ms Gibson, 28, had attached themselves to the interior of a wrecked Commodore, which they were using to block access to a logging coupe.
The court was shown video footage of the incident taken by a fellow protester who was hiding nearby.
A man can be heard repeatedly screaming abuse while smashing windows of the protest vehicle.
“Get out of my f…ing way you bastards,” the man screamed on the tape.
Another man was seen on the tape kicking in the car windows while a female protester told the men: “They’re getting out.”
The footage made headlines around Australia when it was posted on the internet.
Mr Howells told police in the recorded interview he did not initially realise anyone was in the car.
Garry Stannus
March 29, 2010 at 11:54
And did I not hear on the ABC news that the forest defenders are themselves facing charges – trespass I think I heard? With a trial in progress, I think it’s required that public comment on questions of guilt and innocence are put on hold … let’s say, however, that there is an amount of interest in the case.
Geraldine Robertson
March 29, 2010 at 14:55
This is the first time I have watched the video and was disgusted. It was like watching a scene out of the movie “Deliverance” or to that equivalent!!
Jack Nimble
March 29, 2010 at 17:16
Re # 2,
Your right, it also reminded me of deliverance, different country, same mentality.
Freddi Mazoudier
March 29, 2010 at 19:54
I viewed the video… Forestry neanderthals in Hi Vis vests, with a vocabulary of what would seem have two words, F..k and Cu.t Screaming and bellowing in an uncontrollable animalistic frenzy.. sub human I’d call it… What a pack of hero’s they are ?
Attacking two peaceful people who were,in a State forest, and due to forestry’s stuff up were not in any restricted zone, Is there is any thing like a restricted zone in a state forest?? I thought they belonged to all Tasmanian’s to enjoy???
James Forme
March 29, 2010 at 21:00
The video is most revealing and defines REDNECK in its purest form. This video should be broadcast uncut to the masses in order for them to truly understand the REDNECK mentality which underlines Tasmanian society from the uneducated cretins in the back-blocks to corporate suck-holes in parliament.
William Boeder
March 29, 2010 at 21:15
Freddi, there are many citizens in Tasmania that are in accord with your comments.
Bad enough that this frenzied attack has had a GBE acting in a associated support role with its inexact and or indecisive boundary rulings.
Let us all trust that the relevant State ministers that are so pro the forestry activities as they are currently exercised?
Garry Stannus
March 29, 2010 at 21:48
For those who hadn’t seen it before, somewhere in there was a FT officer, who did nothing to stop what happened, but moved away. As I remember it, there was a little more at the start of the film, and I think you got a view to that FT guy and of a group of men walking up up to the car. Is my memory playing me tricks?
Tony Saddington
March 29, 2010 at 22:16
That’s how I remember it being reported, Garry.
Perhaps Nick can introduce this video as part of the upcoming ‘Going Bush’ episodes. Your friendly foresters at work.
Sure these guys are frustrated. Having been encouraged to throw money into this dead end industry and presumably locked into a ‘us and them’ mentality, but their frustrations should have been directed to those that represent them for allowing things to get this way.
Latham had it right. Booth has it right. Allow these guys an exit package from the industry as happens with other industries or watch them all go under.
William Boeder
March 29, 2010 at 22:59
Further to the error in my comment at #7.
The missing line of text as followes:
—as they are currently exercised,
do fully understand the severity of their gross failure to attend to ALL the people in this State?
Gary
March 29, 2010 at 23:17
Whatever side of the debate you favour, this kind of mindless thuggery is unacceptable. I wonder if their families are proud?
Freddi Mazoudier
March 30, 2010 at 00:54
We will all be watching to see the end result of this sad event… Lets hope that if possible true justice prevails and, Tasmania emerges from the stone age and rids itself of this Red Neck image.
Editor
March 30, 2010 at 10:34
Comments on this thread are now closed.
olivia Thomas
April 27, 2010 at 15:53
I Totally think people arnt being shown the full story, ive read ur comments and as his daughter im very proud of my dad for biteing back, how many times can the contractors let the greens get away with there so called peacfull protest, they stoped them from working and it was more then once, and come on, the greens where waiting for something to happen why else would they set up the video camra….. hear the whole story…
Gary
April 27, 2010 at 22:18
Olivia #14, I’m afraid the video shows quite enough. Because whatever the motivation, whatever the supposed provocation, whatever the “back-story” the kind of violent assault we saw is never, ever, acceptable, justified or warranted in our society.
If the people in the car had done some “biting back” of their own, and injured your Dad, would that be fair? of course not.
I only hope ALL the people involved will learn something, and go forward providing better role-models for their children.