YOUNG WOMAN ON TRIAL

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27733, 10 August 1955, Page 9

YOUNG WOMAN ON TRIAL

CHARGE OF WOUNDING MAN “I am definitely not guilty/’ said Una Meha, aged 21, a wardsmaid, to each of the three counts on which she was charged in the Supreme Court yesterday. She is on trial before Mr Justice Adams and a jury on alternative charges, that on June 7 she wounded Francis Sydney Dixon with intent to do him grievous bodily harm; that she assaulted Dixon so as to cause him actual bodily harm; and that she assaulted him. The Crown case was outlined to the jury yesterday and the hearing was then adjourned to this morning when evidence will be called. The Crown Prosecutor (Mr A. W. Brown) is appearing for the Crown, and Meha is represented by Mr H. S. Thomas. The defence challenged five jurors and one was stood aside by the Crown*• The events occurred within half-an-hour- at the eastern side of; Cathedral square where Worceite’r street entered it, said Mr Brown stating the Crown case to the jury. Th# evidence would show that the accused stabbed Di±on in the arm and other parts of the bodv with a knife. Hie facts depended largelv on the story told by Dixon and the jury would hear a police officer read the statement made bv the accused. Dixon would say that he met the accused a month or so before June 7 and he suggested that he meet her and they go to a dance, said Mr Brown. Apparently she agreed and Dixon went home and changed. Later she turned him down and he felt he had been made a fool of. It seemed there had been bad blood between from then on. The accused was usually known as Gypsy Douglas and she had a sister, Frances Rewa Douglas, known as Frankie, said Mr Brown. The two sisters and a youth went to the Mayfair Theatre on the evening of June 7. Dixon was walking along Worcester street towards the Square when Frankie came out of the theatre before the others. Dixon and she were in conversation when the accused ran across the road, hit Dixon with her purse and called him names. Exasperated, he pushed her away and she fell. He began to walk away and the accused got up to go after him. Frankie tried to restrain her but she broke away, took a knife out of her bag and stabbed Dixon in the arm. The accused made a long statement in which she said she had been pestered and abused by a man for about a month and she had become scared of him. Sh*» said she thought the man mieht really do her h?r,m so she bought a knife in a shop in Cashel street and kept it in her purse. She said she just .intended to frighten Dixon, and what she did was in selfdefence. At 1 this stage the Court was adjourned to this morning.