"PLAYING FOOL ON ROAD"

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22307, 22 January 1938, Page 20

"PLAYING FOOL ON ROAD"

CONYICTED OF CARELESS DRIVING

"I will not have people on the road playing the fool or indulging in these practices," said Mr E. C. Levvey, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, in fining Eric Horace Mugford £5 for careless driving and 10s for assault. His licence was endorsed and suspended for three months. Police witnesses said that there had been a party at Marshland which broke up about 1.30 a.m. Four young women and three young men had gone out to an English baby car to go home, when Mugford and others had appeared and tried to upset the car. It was alleged that Mugford had hit one of the young men, Frederick Nicholl, on the nose. One of the girls had then started the car and Nicholl had had to run after it to get on board. While the car was still travelling Nicholl had changed seats with the girl driving the car. Some time later Mugford had driven up in another car and cut in quickly, causing the vehicles to collide and overturn.

Mugford maintained that he had not punched Nicholl and had not tried to upset the car. He had left the house later to get some pies from town, as there had been no supper at the party. He had caught up with the baby car, which was being driven on the wrong side of the road. This car had swerved back to the correct side to let him pass, but had suddenly swung back into the road again, causing the vehicles to collide. Dr. A. L. Haslam appeared for Mugford and Senior-Sergeant P.. C. Felton prosecuted. Mugford was ordered to pay costs in addition to the fines.