Pauline Cullen appears in the High Court at Auckland. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Pauline Cullen appears in the High Court at Auckland. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Pauline Cullen was having a bad day and she took her anger out on someone who didn’t deserve it.
That is what the 28-year-old former manslaughter defendant told police last year after the beating of well-known West Auckland personality Andre Wickliffe resulted in the 65-year-old’s hospitalisation with broken ribs and a punctured lung.
Wickliffe would die 11 days later from pneumonia that authorities said was caused by his injuries, resulting in Cullen’s initial charge of common assault being upgraded to manslaughter.
But prosecutors dropped the manslaughter charge today after Cullen agreed to plead guilty to the original assault charge.
“Thank you, Your Honour,” she said loudly to Justice Sally Fitzgerald as she stepped out of the dock in the High Court at Auckland to await sentencing while on bail.
The case will be moved back to the District Court for sentencing as common assault cases aren’t often heard in the High Court, Justice Fitzgerald decided.
Cullen now faces a sentence of up to one year of imprisonment. Manslaughter would have carried a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. A date for her sentencing has not yet been set.
Popular Glen Eden identity Andre Wickliffe, who died after intervening in an altercation between two women last month. Photo / Supplied
In court documents released to the Herald today, Wickliffe was described by authorities as “a well-known local to the Glen Eden area” who frequently socialised with Glenmall retailers.
According to the agreed summary of facts, Wickliffe was at A1 Groceries in Glenmall about 9.30pm on September 24 when Cullen and two other women parked outside the store. The other two women went inside nearby West Liquor while Cullen stayed behind in the car.
“The defendant was angry about an earlier altercation,” court documents state.
“She was yelling and swearing at people inside the A1 Groceries store, from inside the vehicle.
“She yelled at a female inside the store: ‘What the f*** are you looking at!’ She got out of the vehicle and approached the female in an intimidating manner. She yelled again, ‘What the f*** are you looking at!’ in the female’s face.”
Trying to act as a peacemaker, Wickliffe stepped between the two women.
Cullen responded by punching him in the face and walking away.
Wickliffe then pulled her back towards him by her hair, causing her to lose her balance, according to court documents.
Regaining her balance, Cullen grabbed the 65-year-old’s clothing and pushed her hands against his face. The two grappled as Wickliffe was pushed against the front of the shop and both fell to the ground.
“The defendant was on top of the victim when he landed on the concreted footpath,” documents state. “Whilst on top of the victim on the ground, the defendant punched the victim several times with her fists.”
Cullen fled after her friends pulled her off Wickliffe, who was left on the ground with a bloody nose, a scratched face and struggling to breathe.
Cullen would later talk to police about the incident.
“In explanation, the defendant stated she was already angry about something else from earlier in the night,” documents state. “When she got there, she took her anger out on someone who didn’t deserve it.”
An A1 Groceries worker who witnessed the incident told the Herald last year that Wickliffe had a strong bond with the owners and staff of the family-run dairy.
He described Wickliffe as having been “quite famous in Glen Eden” for several decades. He was known for his friendliness and generosity, even though his own circumstances weren’t always ideal. Wickliffe had previously lived out of his car in the area before securing a state house.
“If he saw somebody who was needy, he would give money and whatever help they need,” the worker said. “He was a really good man.”
