POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 306, 27 December 1922, Page 5

POLICE COURT.

■ ■ (Before Messrs. J. H. Fray and E. G. Twohill, JiP.'s.). JOHNSTON GOES TO GAOL. A mv of middle age, named Gilbert John Johnston, who some time ago was the complainant in a case in which Constable Uargreaves was tried and acquitted by a jury on a charge ot assault causing actual bodily harm, was before the Court this morning to answer charges of being drunk whilst in charge of a motor truck, assaulting Constables' Robertson and Bolt, obscene language and tresspassing on Ellerslie racecourse. He admitted the first charge, but said in answer to the others that he was so drunk that he could not remember what had happened. Constable George Robertson gave evidence that a few minutes after six yesterday he saw the accused in the paddock at the racecourse. He had a motor truck, but he was so drunk that he could not start the engine and another man did so for him. He was about to drive away when Sergeant Flanagan told him that if he attempted to drive in his drunfcen condition he would be arrested. Johnston defied the police and, grabbing the wheel, started to move off. The witness then jumped into the vehicle and stopped the engine. He was followed l by Constable Holt, and they arrested Johnston. Later on, when on the road to town, tie engine stopped and the accused tried to jump out. He was then handcuffed', but despite this ho managed to'kick witness on the leg. and he had to be held down by the constables whilst the man's mate drove. There was another stop in the Remuera Koad, and this time the truck could be persuaded to go no further, so a taxi was stopped and they transferred to that. ■When the accused was being put in he aimed a kick at Constable Holt, catching •him In the groin, and he resisted and used vile language all the*way to the police station, threatening to murder several constables against whom he apparently had a grudge. Johnston had been convicted of assault and robbery. He was a racecourse undesirable and he knew hehad no right to be on the course. corroborative evidence having been supplied by Constable Holt, the accused who had nothing to say, save that he did not remember, was convicted and ordered to pay 7/3 cab hire on the charge of drunkenness, fined £5 for the obscene language, and sentenced to one month's imprisonment on each of the other three charges, the sentences to be accumulative. BLUEJACKET AND POLICE. There was a wild scene at Devonport yeßterday afternoon, when a bluejacket from the Chatham played up with the police and used his physical powers with such effect that it took a sergeant and three constables to arrest him. When he was charged this morning with having used obscene language and with having resisted Sergeant Miller and Constables Cannon and Headland in the execution of their duty, the accused, William Hewitt, said he had no recollection of what had occurred. Sergeant Millar stated that yesterday afternoon he saw some sailorS and a civilian quarrelling at Devonport and he went up and dispersed the crowd. However, Hewitt refused to go away and asked witness what right he had to interfere, to which he replied that he was a police sergeant. "Well, 'sergeant, you'll stop one," said Hewitt, who thereupon struck the officer a blow which took nim off his feet and landed him heavily on his hip on the kerb. Constables Headland and Cannon came along and caught hold of the accused, who resisted violently all the way to the police station and tore the tunic of the latter. "1 don't remember it, sergeant," said Hewitt. "Well, I do," retorted the sergeant, feeling his hip, which he declared to be very sore as the result of his fall. (Laughter.) In answer to a question from the Bench as to whether the accused would be punished on his return to his ship, an officer from the Chatham said that the man was on leave until January 4, but could be dealt with on the expiration of his leave. Hewitt was fined f 3 for the language, and ordered to pay £5 for damages to the constables' uniform. On the other charges the Bench merely recorded a conviction, observing that the accused would most probably be dealt with by the naval authorities on his return to the ship. OTHER CASES Charlotte Sharp, for whom Mr. Allan Moody appeared, was remanded to 30th inst. "on a charge of having stolen the sum of £120 from the person of Ivan Veza. It was stated by the Chief Detective that the money had been recovered, and the accused was released on her own bond of £100. Eugene Albert John Draffin and Thomas McCaffery were each fined £1 for street fighting. 'Daniel Ilinogue (55) was drunk in Queen Street yesterday, and he violently resisted arrest when Constable Harrison sought to take him to the lock-up. As Daniel had a bad list, he was not accorded seasonable sympathy, but was sent to gaol for a month. Arthur Stanley Baker (35) was fined £3 for an indecent act in the street. George Cowan (65) was convicted and discharged for having solicited alms In a public place.