Youths Fined £10 Each For Assault In Hotel

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27470, 2 October 1954, Page 10

Youths Fined £10 Each For Assault In Hotel

When two youths were convicted in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday of assaulting a man in a hotel, Mr L. N. Fitchie, S.M., fined each £lO and ordered that half the fine in each instance be paid to the man who was assaulted.

The youths were James Thomas Rennie Grassick, aged 18, a labourer, and Desmond Leslie Smith, teged 18, a truck driver.

Grassick pleaded guilty to a charge that he assaulted Geoffrey Walter Stevens on September 30. Smith pleaded not guilty to the charge. Grassick, Smith, and Alan Robert Watts, aged 18, a labourer, pleaded guilty to a charge that they; behaved in a disorderly, manner while drunk in the bar of the Central Hotel on September 30. Each was fined £3 on this charge. Grassick, Smith, and Watts also pleaded guilty to a charge that being under 21 they purchased intoxicating liquor. Each was convicted and ordered to pay costs on this charge. Geoffrey Walter Stevens, giving evidence on the assault charge against Smith, said he went into the bar of the Central Hotel about 1.50 p.m. on Thursday to talk business with a friend who worked there. The three accused and another youth were drinking in the bar by the darts board. Smith struck Watts, and the witness told them to “cut it out.” He told the barman of the incident, and the barman went over to the youths. The four youths walked past him, and Grassick asked him to step outside. He said he was not interested and that by the look of them, they should not be in a bar. Grassick then struck him. Smith next struck him, and he fell on the floor, with two or three of the youths kicking him on the head. Grassick interjected that Stevens struck him on the head with a stool and that he had a scar to prove it. Henry John Fox, a barman, and Christopher Kilner, a barman, corroborated the evidence given by Stevens.

Smith called Grassick as a witness. The latter said that the fight was between Stevens and himself. When Stevens lifted a stool, Smith stepped in and seized it. That was all the part Smith took. He, Grassick, had asked his companions to see that he “got a fair go.” Smith gave similar evidence, and said he did not strike Stevens. The Magistrate said he would convict Smith. Man’s Nose Broken Senior-Sergeant A. B. Collinge, who grosecuted, said that the three youths efore the Court, and another aged 16, who would be dealt with in the Children’s Court, went to the hotel about 11 a.m., and were drinking and playing darts until about 1.45 p.m. They had a scuffle among themselves and were advised to leave the bar. Then the assault took place. Stevens received rough treatment and his nose was broken. Grassick and Smith were charged with assault, but the other two stood by and said that if anyone interfered they would be dealt with. Watts was recently before the Court in Wellington for drunkenness, but nothing was known against the others. “This was an unprovoked assault. Conduct such as this will not be tolerated in any circumstances,” said the Magistrate. “These youths acted as hooligans. One has only to look at Stevens to see what a beating he got.” Grassick was fined £lO on the assault charge and the Magistrate ordered that half the fine go to Stevens. Smith also was fined £lO and an order made that half the fine go to Stevens. “I sincerely trust this will be a lesson to you,” said the Magistrate. “Excuse me. How long have we got to pay!” asked Smith.

“You will pay right away,” said the Magistrate. SHIP DESERTER Walter Booth, aged 26, a driver (Mr B. J. Drake), appeared on a charge that he deserted from the overseas ship Elm Hill at Lyttelton on December 22, 1950, he having already served one month’s detention. Mr R. W. Edgley, for the shipping company, said that a passage had been obtained to take Booth out of the country, but representations had been made to the Minister of Justice to permit Booth to stay in New Zealand, so the passage had to be cancelled. Mr Drake said that an application had been made to the Minister, and was being Investigated. Booth bore an excellent character, and the Court might release him on probation, subject to his being placed on board a ship if his application to the Minister failed. Booth was released on probation for two years, subject to the provisions of the terms of the Shipping and Seamen Act. DRUNKENNESS Beatrice May Passells, aged 66, was fined £2 on a charge of being found drunk in Cathedral square on September 30, she having been once previously convicted of a similar offence within the last six months. REMANDED James Robert Ashworth, aged 45, a dental mechanic (Mr N. Hattaway), was remanded on bail to October 8 on a charge that while under the influence of drink he drove ’ a motor-car on the Main North road on September 30. Stanley Alfred Brookes, aged 42, a boilerman (Mr A. Hearn), was remanded on bail to October 7 on a charge that while under the influence of drink he drove a motor-car in Oxford terrace on September 30.

TRAFFIC OFFENCES The following persons were prosecuted by the police for breaches of the traffic regulations and penalties were imposed as stated:— Failing to give way: Dorothy Ada Atkinson, £1; Thomas Borland, £2; lan Arthur Frater, £2; Donald Greig, £2; Leonard Herbert Hurrell, £2: James Neil Johnstone. £2; Lawrence Glanville Jury, £2; Andrew Lay, £2; Mary Helena Mellish, £2 (no driver’s licence, £1); Barbara Anne MacFarlane, £1 (no driver’s licence, 10s); David Keith Sutherland, £2; lan Charles Trask, £2. Driving without due care: Rowland Baxter, £1 (no warrant of fitness. 10s); Trevor Thomas Kilkelly, £2; Quentin Manners MacFarlane, £1 (no warrant of fitness, costs only; no driver’s licence, costs only); John Slack, £2; Alfred Edwin Wiltshire, £1 (no warrant of fitness, 10s).

Driving without due consideration: Eric Newcombe Truscott, £2. Unable to stop within required distance: Maurice David Dacombe, £2. Failing to stop after accident: Noel Charles Dear, £5 (failing to give way,

Using unlighted motor-cycle: Ceci] Henderson, £1 (no driver’s licence, £1: no warrant of fitness, costs only). No warrant of fitness: Alan Basil Kennedy, £l.

CHARGE DISMISSED Margaret Guy, for whom Mr B. J. Drake appeared, defended a charge of failing to give way. The charge was dismissed. JUDGMENT NOT GIVEN The claim against William Hamilton Noonan by G. J. Roud and Sons, Ltd., for £7 12s 9d, was adjourned in the Magistrate’s Court on Thursday. The case was called early and defendant did not appear, having been directed to the wrong Court. The adjournment -wai given later in the day. t