Teenagers plead not guilty to Merryweather assault

As the State started its case, a security patrol officer testified that one of the accused had asked him whether he (the officer) ‘wanted more’ on the night Merryweather was injured, leaving him partially paralysed. After the accused, all aged 18, pleaded not guilty before magistrate Jackie Redelinghuis, senior counsel Dirk Uijs, representing Samuel Davidson, told the court his client would exercise his right to remain silent, except to say he had nothing to do with the assault, says the Cape Argus. Attorney William Booth, acting for the other six accused, Michael Enslin, Dane Killian, Justin Maxwell, Joel Thackwray, Liam Hechter and Olivier Scholtz, had no submissions ‘at this stage’. The accused also face a charge of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm in connection with a related attack on Merryweather\'s brother, Nicholas (20), who was with him. Merryweather was drunk at the time (2am) of the attack, according to the testimony of petrol attendant Alfred Tolibadi, who was on duty at Vineyard Motors on September 9 when Merryweather was attacked. An argument had started between Merryweather and the boys before he was attacked and left slumped against a wall. First Cape Argus report