MAGISTRATE’S COURT Man Fined £l0 For Assault In Square

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28224, 12 March 1957, Page 3

MAGISTRATE’S COURT Man Fined £l0 For Assault In Square

Newman Price, aged 35, a labourer, was fined a total of £l7 when he pleaded guilty in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday to charges of assaulting William Neilson; of wilfully damaging a pair of trousers, the property of Neilson, to the value of £2 10s; of possessing illegal lottery tickets, and of behaving in a disorderly manner while drunk, in Cathedral square, on March 9. Mr L. N. Ritchie, S.M., convicted him and fined him £lO on the first charge, £2 on the third charge and £5 on the fourth. On the charge of wilful damage, he was ordered to make restitution of £2 l()s. Price was seen very drunk in Hereford street at 6.15 p.m. on Saturday night by a man named Carrington, said Inspector C. H. Reardon. Carrington took him into the Square to get him a taxi, but he became violent, so Carrington left him. He made his way to the taxi stand opposite the Plaza Theatre and attacked Neilson from behind. He fell to the ground, then tried to pull himself up by grabbing the pocket of Neilson’s trousers, which tore. Seeing Price in trouble, Carrington again went over to him. Price attacked Carrington, but Carrington, who had apparently had enough, punched him and knocked him out. Price had three illegal “tote” tickets in his pocket, said Inspector Reardon. CHARGE DISMISSED A charge against George Radies, aged 29, a bulldozer driver, of behaving in a disorderly manner while drunk in Cathedral square, to which Radies pleaded npt guilty, was dismissed. Sergeant J. Cartmell said that he went to Cathedral square in a police van at 6.30 p.m. on Saturday. A crowd of three or four hundred had gathered outside the Plaza Theatre and the United Service. Hotel, where Price and Radies were fighting. The two men were separated before witness could get to them, but Price grabbed hold of a bystander’s shirt, waved his free hand and said something. Witness caught hold of Radies, who had been drinking, by the scruff of the neck and put him in the police van. Price was also located and put in the van. Constable Bagley, who was at the scene, told witness later that he thought Radies had been trying to quieten Price. That might have been so. The sergeant’s evidence had sown the seeds of doubt in his mind, and the charge must be dismissed, said the Magistrate. HEARING ADJOURNED Frederick Maxwell. Singer, aged 43, pleaded not guilty to a charge of riding a bicycle in Tuam street and Colombo street while he was under the influence ot alcohol, on March 9. After the police and Singer’s evidence had been taken, the case was adjourned till Thursday to allow Singer to produce medical certificates and call further evidence. Sergeant J. Cartmell said that he was in a police van with Constable Philips in Manchester street at 6.10 p.m. on Saturday. He saw Singer riding his bicycle "half on the road and half on the footpath.” Witness went round the block, and when he got back Singer was in Tuam street, weaving from side to side. Singer turned into Colombo street, still weaving about. He was stopped at the intersection with Welles street. He reeked of liquor and staggered badly when walking the five or six feet to the van. He did not seem to know where he was. Inspector C. H. Reardon said that Singer had appealed against conviction on another matter, and had been remanded on charges of driving while intoxicated and driving while disqualified. He was on bail. He would adjourn the present charge until Thursday to see the doctor’s reports and find out if Singer had been told to keep off liquor, the Magistrate said. MOTOR-CYCLE CONVERSION Errol Thomas Adam Sheehan, aged 18, a workman, pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawfully converting a motor-cycle valued at £125, on March 5. He was remanded for a week for sentence. Senior-Detective J. B. McLean said that Sheehan called at Prenderville Motors. Ltd., at 8.30 a.m. on March 5 and asked for a demonstration of a motor-cycle. The proprietor, a man named York, agreed, but said he would have to go with Sheehan. When York went inside to see his assistant he heard a motor-cycle start, and rushed outside to see Sheehan riding it down Colombo street. The motor-cycle was later found beside a garage next door to Prenderville Motors, said SeniorDetective McLean. Sheehan was allowed bail in the sum of £lOO with one surety of £lOO. He was ordered to report daily to the police. REMANDED Charged with breaking and entering the premises of Donald Hillier Stringer and committing theft, on March 9, George Albert

Nicklin, aged 35, a labourer, was remanded to March 18. Aubrey Noel Lee, aged 34, a slaughterman (Mr A. Hearn), charged with driving a motor-car on Shands road on March 9 when under the influence of drink or drugs, was remanded to March 25. j Bail was allowed in the sum of £25, and one surety of £25. CREDIT BY FRAUD Neil Welby Canty, aged 27, a freezing worker (Mr P. G. S. Penlington), pleaded guilty to a charge of obtaining credit by fraud in incurring a debt for £1 13s 6d with Herbert George Harris. He was remanded to March 18 for a Probation Officer’s report and sentence. Senior-Detective J. B. McLean said that Harris, licensee of the Excelsior Hotel, complained to the police that a man who had booked into the hotel had left without paying. INDECENT LANGUAGE Romulus Walter Lilley, aged 50, a labourer, was fined £lO for using indecent language within hearing of passers-by in Pinewood avenue at North New Brighton on March 8, and £2 for a breach of his prohibition order. Inspector C. H. Reardon said at 6.40 p.m. on Friday a complaint was made to the New Brighton police by a taxi-driver that Lilley had incurred a debt of 12s and had refused to pay. When a constable attempted to have matters rectified Lilley was drunk and abusive, and had used language which could be plainly heard on the neighbouring street. Accused had improved a good deal in the last three months, and to his credit it could be said that he was a good worker and had saved a good sum of money. The Magistrate said he had previously warned Lilley, who was becoming quite a pest. He had a good mind to send the accused to the Island, but as his wife had asked for release he would not send him to gaol. The Magistrate said he hoped he would never see Lilley again. DISORDERLY BEHAVIOUR

William Towson Lowther, aged 37, pleaded guilty to a charge of behaving in a disorderly manner while drunk in the bar of a hotel on Saturday. Inspector C. H. Reardon said that when a sergeant and constable visited the hotel at 5.40 p.m. on Saturday they saw a barman trying to evict Lowthef. He had been ejected previously when he was warned that if he did return he would be arrested. Lowther persisted, and was arrested. Inspector Reardon said accused had caused no end of trouble and when asked to leave the hotel he had offered to fight. Accused had drunk a considerable amount of liquor. In answer to the Magistrate, Lowther said he went back to the bar to get his overcoat, which he had not yet recovered. Lowther was fined £5. CONVICTED AND DISCHARGED George Watson, aged 26, a workman, appeared for sentence on two charges of indecent assault on males. Accused, who had been sentenced in the Supreme Court on other charges, was convicted and discharged. SHIP DESERTERS Derek Ernest Blackiston, aged 29, a ship’s steward, pleaded guilty to a charge of deserting from the overseas ship Mataroa at Auckland on February 22. 1953. Blackiston was ordered to be detained subject to the Shipping and Seamen’s Act and was ordered to pay solicitor’s fee of £3 3s. Michael John Collis, aged 18, a ship’s steward, pleaded guilty to a charge of deserting from the overseas ship Port Curtis at Lyttelton on March 4. Mr R. G. Penlington, for the shipping company, said that just as the Port Curtis was about to sail from Lyttelton, Collis had jumped off the ship. Collis was ordered to be detained under the Shipping and Seamen’s Act and was ordered to pay solicitor’s fee of £3 3s. GAOL FOR INDECENT ASSAULT Thomas Hindle. aged 47, a housemaster (Mr E. B. E. Taylor), appeared for sentence on 13 charges of indecent assault on males and one of common assault, to which he had pleaded guilty at a previous sitting of the Court.

Hindle was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on each charge of indecent assault, the sentences to be concurrent, and convicted and discharged on the charge of common assault. The Magistrate said he was prepared to disregard Hindle’s previous convictions for theft of 20 years ago. Accused, however, had been placed in a position of trust and he had abused that trust. He had been placed in charge of boys who were already handicapped in the battle of life, and by his behaviour he had increased that handicap. The Magistrate said he was shocked. disturbed and alarmed because of the behaviour of accused, who was to be pitied and was in need of psychiatric treatment.