ESCAPE FROM POLICE IN 1937

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27151, 22 September 1953, Page 10

ESCAPE FROM POLICE IN 1937

MAN OF 81 ADMITS CHARGES

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. September 21. Escape from a police escort in 1937, as well as two charges of indecent assault, were admitted by Frederick Hendry, aged 81, a retired baker, before Mr H. Jenner Wily, S.M. in the Magistrate’s Court today. SeniorDetective J. B. Finlay said that Hendrv was found earlier this month. He tola the police he knew he had not long to live, and wanted to clear up the matters.

The accused was charged with indecent assault on a girl of 13 in October, 1937, indecent assault on a girl of nine in July, 1951, and escape from lawful custody while on a charge for a punishable offence on December 20, 1937. Senior-Detective Finlay said that while being interviewed at Auckland at the time of the first offence, Hendry went outside and failed to return. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and he was found at Hastings. Remanded to appear at Auckland, Hendry escaped from a police escort in Palmerston North. On September 7 this year he was found at Ashburton In 1951 he had committed a further indecent assault at Onehunga. Defence counsel said that the accused was now stone deaf and ill. It was difficult to know what to do with him.

The Magistrate agreed, and remanded him for a week for a probation officer’s report.