WOMAN VICTIM

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 34, 10 February 1939, Page 8

WOMAN VICTIM

ATTACKED AT HOME. AIiIiEGED DEMAND FDR £2. ST7SPECT BEFORE COUB.T. On five counts involving alleged demanding of money with menaces arid alleged assault, George Cecil Horry, a tailor, aged 31, appeared in the Supreme Court to-day before Mr. Justice Callnri. He was represented by Mr. Sullivan, while Mr. V. 1!. Meredith prosecuted. The offences were alleged to have taken place in Auckland on December 20. The charges were: .Demanding with menaces the sum of £2, with intent to steal that sum; attempting to steal the £2; assault with intent to commit a crime; assault so as to cause actual bodily harm; and assault. Mr. Meredith, in outlining the case to the jury, said that the most serious charge was -that which related to the alleged attempt to extort 7noney. Mrs. Eva Kathleen Hendry would say iri evidence that at 10.2.1 a.m. she was working ill the kitchen of her house when someone who said he was an inspector of the PoWcr Board knocked, at the back door. He asked if he could look at the meter. He did so, and subsequently, as she was going from the front of tile house to the back, two bands clutched lier across the face and the nose. She struggled and both she and her assailant fell to the floor. "Keep quiet and I'll tell you what I want—£2 for Christinas," lie said. Started to Scream.' Mrs. Hendry said she would give it to him if bo would let lier up,-continued Mr. Meredith. On the pretence of - get-1 ting a drink of water,, she slipped out of the back dopr and-started to scream. The man did not follow her then, and made bis way out of the front of the bouse and, down the street. Subsequently, at the police station, Mrs. Hendry identified her assailant as the accused. v-.-' • - The police saw Horry in the evening. and he denied having "had anything to do with the affair. ' < "I just bad time to give one scream, when' his bands closed," said Mrs. Hendry, in giving evidence describing the attack on her. She was told that it was money her assailant wanted, and that if she made one sound lie would kill' her. Feeling faint, she leaned against the 1 wall to recover, and all the time, she could see two bauds ready to clutch her if she made a sound. She described her request for a drink of water. It was only when site begun to scream that the man did not follow her. Witness said she got as far as half-way round the side of the bouse outside, and felt too faint to go further. From there she saw her •assailant run down the footpath. She was bleeding at the mouth and was injured on the throat. He arm was skinned. .. - ~ To Mr. Sullivan, witness said that a large book of photographs bad been opened for her. perusal by detectives. The'photograph of her assailant was not on the first page, but it was on the next page. Speaking of the identification parade at the police station, witness said she would not be sure if the accused was the only one who had a blue serge suit on. She thought the other men, too, had blue serge suits on. She added that her assailant would not have been in her house more than live or six minutes. '."

(Proceeding.)