Husky Scientist Tells of his Bashing in Taxi

"From now on men passengers will sit in the front seat or not at all," he vows.

Murrell, a husky fresher science student, had been driving taxis part-time for only eight days before the assault.

Interviewed, he told Salient how the passenger had approached him at the Cambridge Terrace taxi stand at about 11pm and asked how much it would cost to Waikanae.

"I told him and then he got in," Murrell said. "Normally male passengers sit in the front, but after talking to me through the front window, he stepped into the back seat.

"I'm convinced the attack was pre-meditated."

Murrell related how his passenger had said very little during the ride io Waikanae.

He had explained that he had stayed to see the end of a picture and had missed his train.

"When we reached Porirua." Murrell said "I saw a train pulling into the station and asked if it was the one he missed.

"He made no reply, but looking through the rear-vision mirror, I could see him staring out the window.

"He obviously knew the Waikanae district well and directed me to a road near the beach. He was well spoken, very slow and careful in his manner.

"He told me to pull up at a corner, and as I reached down to turn on the light, I received a single vicious blow from behind.

"It landed on the top of my skull and the front of the instrument cut my forehead.

"As soon as I recovered myself. I was off down the road after him but he moved pretty smartly and had a start of 25 yards.

"I've never been so angry in years and immediately began to gain on him.

"He made for a nearby sand hill and by the time I reached the bottom, he was at the top.

"When I reached the summit, he had disappeared into the lupins and I wasn't game to follow him in there.

"He could have been waiting with a length of four-by-two!"

"My clothes were literally soaked through with blood and I returned to the car and tried to get the police on the radio. I couldn't, so I found a call-box and rang them.

"They arrived with dogs and fingerprint dust. At 3.30am, we were still stopping cars looking for my assailant."

Asked if he intends to carry spanners or tyre-levers as a precaution against attacks. Murrell, who later received five stitches in his forehead, merely replied: "I shall take to wearing a hat."

Footnote: Burly Murrell warns his attacker: "If I ever get my hands on you, I'll break your neck."