FIGHT IN COURT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 259, 19 August 1950, Page 8

FIGHT IN COURT

ACCUSED CONVICTED OF ASSAULT (P.A.) WAIHI, August 17. After being convicted and ordered to- pay £l6 costs by Mr W. H. Freeman, S.M., this morning in the Magistrate’s Court for unlawfully cutting down two totara trees in the State forest at Waitekauri, Svend Kristensen Bjerring, a farmer, of Waitekauri, assaulted Senior-Sergeant J. H. McLeod, who was. sitting in the court. Accused then attacked Constable D. I. H. Mitchell. Bjerring, a powerful man, struggled violently with the police, ap.d received bruises and abrasions. When the Magistrate asked those in court to help, Mr H. L. Boughton, a solicitor, of Waihi, Mr D. G. Sinclair, solicitor, of Paeroa, and a member of the Forestry Department went to the assistance of the police. Accused was finally overpowered, but not before Mr Sinclair had been kicked on the jaw. Accused walked quietly out of the court, but when in the passage out side he suddenly struck Mr Boughton a violent blow in' the mouth. Again a terrific struggle took place before Bjerring was handcuffed and lodged in the cells. This afternoon, Bjerring appeared handcuffed before the Court on three charges of assault, and was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment with hard labour on each charge, the sentences to be cumulative.