Duff Flabbergasted At Concocted Charges

Alan Duff has angrily rejected police evidence that he swung a policewoman into the road by her handcuffs during a roadside incident, citing one of his best-known characters - Beth Heke from Once Were Warriors - in his defence.

The author has admitted “ranting” at police officers, but took the witness stand yesterday to tell a judge that he was an advocate for women’s rights.

He said he was flabbergasted at the way police had concocted charges against him in an attempt to “put a good man down”.

Duff, 57, told Taupo District Court yesterday that police had also used emotive language to describe what took place after he was stopped for speeding on September 13. “I understand words - they are my business.”

Police say Duff abused the policewoman and calmed down only when told he would be pepper-sprayed. He was charged with failing to stop for police, failing to remain and resisting arrest. The case has gone to a defended hearing, meaning a judge will decide if he should be convicted.

Police say Duff abused the officer when he was pulled over for speeding at 112kmh. After being asked to stay by his car, he hit the police car window twice and then drove off. Police pursued him for three kilometres and pulled him over again.

He became abusive again and, as he was being put in handcuffs, he swung a policewoman into the middle of the road by her handcuffs, police say.

Duff told the court yesterday he would vigorously defend the allegations: “I will fight it with every last breath of my body.”

He said he had set the cruise control on his vehicle at 105-106kmh -”within the publicly stated tolerance levels”. He denied swinging the policewoman into the road by the handcuffs. He said that, if that were true, he would have been charged with a more serious offence.

“I cannot be more emphatic that this did not take place. She got two handcuffs on me and I turned with my back to her.

“I’m sitting here flabbergasted that all of you should want to concoct a case about me to try and put a good man down.”

He described himself as a reasonable person. “You have to have reason to create novels.”

He admitted shouting at the policewoman, but denied being aggressive. “I might have been ranting, but there is a difference between ranting and being aggressive.”

He rejected suggestions that he was angry at being pulled over by a woman police officer: “I support female rights.

“I would like to think I was reasonably well informed to be an advocate of females - I have created some who have been part of this country’s history.

“Why would I be concerned at being arrested by a woman when I created someone like Beth Heke?”

He said the allegation of striking the police car was “so preposterous it leaves me speechless”.

Judge Chris McGuire said he was concerned that Duff had been charged with resisting arrest three months after first being charged. “This should have been a nickel and dime case … Why three months later do the resisting charges pop up?