STRUCK HIS WIFE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 281, 28 November 1938, Page 9

STRUCK HIS WIFE.

HOSPITAL PATIENT. INCIDENT IN WARD. HUSBAND BEFORE COURT. I ' An assault committed on his wife, who | is a hospital patient, resulted in the , arrest on Saturday and the appearance in the Police Court to-day of Alec Glen Rei<l Cole (•'!!•), a labourer. There was a further charge of procuring liquor wliile prohibited. Cole, for whom Mr. Aekins appeared, pleaded guilty to both charges. [ Sub-Inspector Fox said accused's wife was a tuberculosis patient at the hospital, where she had been for about six i months. On Saturday night, about 7.30, Cole visited her in the ward. Cole, although not drunk, had taken liqtKir. and as a result he was troublesome. He ! asked his wife to go out for a walk with him, but she refused, whereupon he struck her on the face. He was : detained until the arrival of a constable, who arrested him oil the charges. ' "Although the assault itself was not serious, no harm being done to Mrs. Cole, accused's conduct had the effect of upset- ' ting his wife and other patients," said . Mr. F ox. "Cole has a list of previous 1 convictions, including one for assault in ' 1933,' and other convictions since and i before." i The magistrate. Mr. W. R. McKean, ■ said that if Cole was intoxicated his condition should have been discovered i and admission to the ward refused, r Mr. Fox stated that during ordinary visiting hours there was no check on visitors, while special latitude was shown patients in the tuberculosis wards and their visitors. On Cole's behalf, Mr. Aekins said Cole was extremely sorry for the trouble he * had caused. However, he had no recollection of hitting his wife. "He says i that she had her hand up over her face and that he merely pulled it away," ; counsel added. "He is maintaining his wife and child and I would ask that i he be given another chance." i "To enter a hospital and strike your ; wife is something I hope you would scarcely do if you were quite sober," the magistrate told Cole in fining him I £1 10/, or seven days' imprisonment on the first charge, and £1, or two days', , on the second.