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Family faces court over Willowra riots

Posted December 4, 2008 20:12:00

Eight members of the same family have faced the Alice Springs Magistrates Court in relation to riots at the Willowra community, 250 kilometres north-west of Alice Springs.

Four members of the Martin family have pleaded guilty to going armed in public on November 20.

The prosecutor told the court the confrontation, involving up to 60 people armed with axes, nulla-nullas and wheel braces, was part of a long dispute between two families over land.

He said it was only a matter of time before someone was seriously injured or killed.

Benjamin Martin, 27, also pleaded guilty to assaulting police.

His lawyer said her client threw a rock at an officer out of frustration because police were standing on the sidelines taking photos instead of answering calls to intervene.

Ashley Martin, 24, pleaded guilty to taking part in an earlier riot in August.

Magistrate David Bamber has remanded all eight in custody, with most to face sentencing tomorrow.

Tags: crime, courts-and-trials, nt, alice-springs-0870

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