First court appearances for Gillen brawlers; Police say curfew call ‘a matter for the executive’

A police senior sergeant says they don’t think locking down Alice Springs under the new curfew laws over recent unrest is the correct use of the legislation, while the first of 11 arrested over the incidents fronted the judge.

Alice Springs Law Courts. (AAP Image/David Mariuz)

The first of 11 people arrested for suburban brawls in Alice Springs have fronted the judge, while a police senior sergeant says they’re “not sure” how the new curfew laws could have been utilised without locking down the whole town.

Two of the people arrested over the alleged incidents faced the Alice Springs Local Court this week in relation to a street brawl on Carruthers Crescent in Gillen on Sunday, May 26, with one on remand and another sentenced to time in prison.

Judge David Bamber sentenced 20-year-old Shelton White to six months in prison on Tuesday, May 28, after he was convicted for taking part in a riot and going armed in public.

Alvin White, 45, also fronted the local court on Tuesday, also charged with taking part in a riot and going armed in public.

A vehicle with a damaged windscreen on Carruthers Crescent, Alice Springs.

He has not entered a plea, and was placed on remand with his matter adjourned to July 4.

Speaking to ABC Radio on Tuesday, Detective Senior Sergeant Marcus Becker said he believed one of the injured from the weekend’s unrest had now been taken to Adelaide for surgery.

The injury occured Saturday night, May 25, in another fight which broke out on Lyndavale Drive in Larapinta.

Speaking to NT News, one Larapinta resident believed were the new curfews laws enacted the situation could have been calmed sooner.

But when questioned, Mr Becker said enacting a curfew was a matter for the executive.

“The curfew that happened recently that was specific to an area around the CBD,” he said.

“Given the nature of the incidents over the weekend; Larapinta, Gillen, possibly south from The Gap, I’m not sure how that legislation would work with locking down the whole town.

“I don’t think it’s supposed to work that way.”