TWO TRIALS ADJOURNED

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27799, 26 October 1955, Page 11

TWO TRIALS ADJOURNED

APPLICATIONS MADE BY COUNSEL

Two trials did not proceed in the Supreme Court yesterday. One was set down for this morning and the other for Monday. When Richard Stanley Wratten, aged 33, a carpenter, was indicted on charges of breaking and entering, being in possession of instruments of housebreaking by night, and with depositing a suitcase containing dangerous goods m the left luggage department of the Christchurch railway station without notifying the officer in charge of the station, his counsel (Mr B. McClelland) asked Mr Justice McGregor for an order severing the last count from the others. He submitted that it was not related in any way to the first two counts and it could be prejudicial to the accused on the first counts. The Crown Prosecutor (Mr A. W. Brown) said he had no objection to a severance of the counts. The third count was a separate matter and it might be prejudicial to the accused. His Honour made an order for a separate trial on the third count. Wratten was then charged on the first two counts and pleaded not guilty to both.

,Mr McClelland asked for an adjournment. The depositions were taken on Thursday and were not available until Friday morning. Since then Wratten had been in prison on remand and it had been difficult to see him and prepare his defence. There had been considerable publicity in the newspapers, not so much to Wratten but to another case, but Wratten’s name had been mentioned several times in it. His Honour asked how that would affect an adjournment. “Just that it would be a bit further away,” said Mr McClelland. That did not seem to affect it, said his Honour. The jury would be directed to deal with the case on the evidence alone. He could see that there had not been a great deal of time since the depositions were taken but it seemed a fairly simple case. He was not inclined to grant an adjournment but in the interests of justice he would be prepared to grant a short adjournment. The Crown Prosecutor (Mr A. W. Brown) said he could not see any reason for an adjournment but, if Mr McClelland felt his case would be prejudiced, he would agree to an adjournment. “I would feel happier if I had another day in which to see Wratten,” said Mr McClelland in reply to his Honour’s question whether he felt he would be prejudiced if he had to proceed with the case. , “Very well, I will direct that the trial proceed at 10 a.m. tomorrow,” said his Honour. Plea of Not Guilty Clifford Fox, aged 33, a carpenter, pleaded not guilty to alternative charges of breaking and entering, theft • of £6s< and receiving stolen money 1 and not guilty to a charge of escaping from lawful custody. Mr L. G. Holder, who appeared for 1 Fox, said he wished to make an appli- '• cation in chambers. He said he was • nowhere near ready to go on with the 1 case and was going to ask for an ■ adjournment for a week.

After his Honour had seen the Crown Prosecutor and counsel for the accused in chambers, it was stated that the trial had been set down for Monday.