DISCHARGER BUT-!

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 184, 6 August 1925, Page 14

DISCHARGER BUT-!

THE ACT OF A BLACKGUARD. ACCUSED CENSURED -BY JURY. ' ~ ~~~~ | "Your act was the act of a black- ' guard," said Mr. Justice Eeed in the ' Supreme Court yesterday afternoon, in ' discharging Norman Angus (Mr. Finlay and Mr. Terry), who was charged ' with rape. The jury found accused not ] guilty, being unable to give credence to ] the girl's story that the offence took ■ place where it did, and that she offered j resistance. At the same time, the fore- : man said many of the jurymen were : men with families, and they wished for , a strong criticism of accused's conduct. \ They believed that accused lied to the . detective when lie denied impropriety, and they wished his Honor to inform accused that he would not be in this position if he had been a man, and not a social blackguard. Complainant, aged 20, a nurse girl, stated that accused accosted her when -- she was leaving the reserve at the bottom of St. Stephen's Avenue, where she had taken an infant in a pram. Accused '< suggested that they should go into the park, and she declined. He then asked her to be his little girl. When they were passing a motor garage, near Gladstone Road, accused caught . the pram and pushed it into the garage, drawing the girl in with him. The girl said she resisted, but the offence took place. j Dr. A. Kinder said the girl appeared ; to be simple minded. j Detective Knight and Chief Detective ! Cummings gave evidence concerning accused's denials of impropriety. He had admitted kissing the girl, but said there were no improper advances. I After retiring to consider whether it was necessary to hear the defence, the j jury returned, and the foreman said j that it was decided that the impropriety was not marked by force. How- | ever, the girl was not of loose character. \ The circumstances made it incredible that there had been resistance. j His Honor said he thought so him- | self. The only way to prove the charge [ would be to,establish that she was an imbecile, and she was not that. His Honor said he entirely agreed with the jury's finding of not guilty, and their reference to accused being a ! social blackguard. "Prisoner, you will be discharged* Your act was the act of I a blackguard, and you took advantage of the girl, who is inclined to be a little soft. You cannot be punished in this Court, but your conduct will be remem- j bered, and I hope it will be a warning I jto you." ° j