TWO MEN FINED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 301, 20 December 1937, Page 10

TWO MEN FINED.

ACTED LIKE "PESTS."

OUTRAGEOUS CONDUCT. INCIDENT ON COMMON. Allegations that two men of "highly respectable position" had acted like street pests, and bad attempted to "pick up" women on Wimbledon Common, were made in the Wimbledon Police Court. Mr. Augustus Xeville Spriggs, aged 37, an under manager, and Mr. William Robert Dickson, aged 42, were charged with obstructing a police-sergeant during the execution of his duty at Parkside, Wimbledon Common. Air. (.'. (!. L. du Cnnn, for the prosecution, said that one of the men was the under manager of an aircraft company, and the other chief engineer of a similar firm. "It is usual for this kind of thing to be attributed to adolescents and street pests when women are accosted and importuned by men—men who seem to think that the possession of a car allows them to do these things," said Mr. du Cann. Car's Horn Sounded. At 0.15 on the evening of September 28, he continued, Police-Sergeant Wesson, who was on duty at Parkside, saw a stationary motor car at the side of the road. Two young women were walking along Parkside when the hooter of the car was sounded twice, and some one in the car shouted a remark.

As the officer walked up to the car the hooter was sounded three more times.

Later two other women were posting letters, when the driver of the car, who was not before the court, put his head out of the window and shouted: "Are you coming for a ride?" The police sergeant walked up to the car, and the driver told him: "I did not say anything to the ladies. It was one of my friends." Pulled off Bicycle. The officer was riding away, continued Mr. Du Cann, when Spriggs—who was a passenger in the car with Dickson—ran after him and pulled him off hie bicycle, saying: "I want you, and I am going to have 1 you." He refused to let go, and was tokl that he would be arrested. Sergeant Wesson managed to drag Spriggs to the police box, and was just able to shout down the telephone for help, when Dickson came up and tried to pull Spriggs away from him, shouting. "It is a disgrace. You are trying to get some more stripes." "A police car arrived, and the two men taken to Wimbledon Police Station," added Mr. Du Cann. Mr. Spriggs and Mr. Dickson, in evidence, said they were returning home from an engineering exhibition at Olvmpia and were both going to meet their wives. Spriggs denied that ho had pulled the officer off his bicycle, saying that he had only placed a hand on his arm. Neither of them had given any attention to women or tried to "pick tliem tip." Six Children. Mr. E. Copping, defending, asked Mr. Dixon* if he were married, and he replied, "Yesi with six children." "Well, that answers the question of women," said Mr. Oopping. Mr. Du Cann: Oh, does iit?

Mr. Copping: Well, I'm a married man, I know what would happen if I ran after other women. (Laughter.)

Mr. Copping later remarked: It was just one of those unfortunate misunderstandings; that sometimes take place between the public and police.

Jdr. E. Trim, presiding magistrate, said the case was proved, and that the Bench looked upon it as outrageous conduct for men in their position.

The two men were each fined two guineas, and ordered to pay 5/ costs.