ASSAULT CHARGE

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28700, 25 September 1958, Page 11

ASSAULT CHARGE

Woman To Stand Trial

A woman had thrown hot fat over her husband’s face when he was in bed, it was alleged in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Patricia Ann Jones, aged 22, married, a machinist, was charged with assaulting Robert Edward Jones so as to cause him actual bodily harm at Sumner on July 20. She pleaded not guilty and elected trial by jury. She was committed to the next session of the Supreme Court by Messrs ! H. T. Fuller and L. C. Fulford, Justices of the Peace. Bail was granted at £5O with one surety of £5O.

Mr G. C. Spencer represented Jones and Senior DetectiveSergeant J. B. McLean prosecuted. Robert Edward Jones, aged 24, an ice-cream salesman, said he was the husband of the defendant and up to July 20 lived with her and their daughter, aged four, at 12 Paisley street, Sumner. On July 20 he got up about 9.30 a.m. and had breakfast. Later he was lying in bed in his pyjama trousers and singlet when he dozed off.

"The next thing I remember was as though a cup of cold water was thrown over my face,’’.said witness. “I put my hands to my face and felt an oiliness. My face was burning and the liquid was over the bed clothing and floor. I couldn’t see. I had my eyes closed and evei;y time I attempted to open them it was agonising. The substance had also gone ’in my right ear and I couldn’t hear much,’’ said Jones.

He had no idea, at this stage, what the substance was* and he found his way to the bathroom, Jones said. His nose was bleeding. "I threw water on to my face to get rid of the fat but the more water I threw the more agonising it was. I then tried to sponge it off with a towel and to rub some cream pn th? side of my face, but it was too painful,’’ said Jones. Jones said he got dressed and on his way to his. mother’s place in Lyttelton he spoke to a neighbour in the drive. He drove to Lyttelton by following the bumper of the car in front. His mother called the doctor. He returned to his home later that evening but his wife had left. There was a brown stain on his pillow* on the bed clothing, on top of the bed and down the wallpaper and on the floor. He identified a • small aluminium pot produced as one of those used in his home. First Degree Bohm

Dr. Alan James Simmance, of Lyttelton, said he had examined Jones and found him to be suffering from first decree burns of the face and a small area was blistering. There was some greasy substance in his hair and ear The injuries were consistent with scalding by a hot liquid. When he saw the defendant on July 20 she was very upset and was looking for her daughter, said Dudley Harry Austen, a bus driver, of Sumner. About 15 minutes later she asked him to go into her place and see how her husband was. He met Jones and he was dabbing his face with a handkerchief. He got into a car and drove away. Alice Jean Campbell, the mother of Jones, said that accused had said that it served her husband right and she (Mrs Campbell) said she would not have done it to a pig. The liquid on the bed clothes was fat, but no irritants such as pepper or other substances had been added, said Leslie Wilkinson, a senior Government chemist Detective-Sergeant F G. Pine said he told Mrs Jones that her husband alleged she had poured hot fat over him. “Was he hurt?” she asked. The detective replied “Yes.” She said: “I did it” He told her that she did not have to make a statement btit that if she did it would be taken down and used in evidence. Mrs Jones said she would rather see her solicitors first. Later the police received a statement from her solicitors.