Magistrate’s Court MAN CONVICTED ON TWO CHARGES OF ASSAULT

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28792, 13 January 1959, Page 11

Magistrate’s Court MAN CONVICTED ON TWO CHARGES OF ASSAULT

A woman cook showed the Magistrate’s Court yesterday how she said a boarder in the private hotel where she worked had “blind hit” her during an altercation by a washhouse door on Christmas Eve, after the man had complained about the meal served to him. Before the Court was Eric John Stephens, aged 36, a storeman. charged with assaulting the cook, Moni Panirau, at Manchester Private Hotel on December 24. He pleaded not guilty, but pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting Clarence William Stone, another guest at the hotel, on Christmas Day.

Convicting Stephens on both counts, Mr Raymond Ferner, S.M.. discharged him. He said the 18 days Stephens had spent in custody was sufficient punishment. Miss Panirau said Stephens came in to the hotel for his dinner at 5.30 pun. on December 24. Shortly after Stephens walked into the kitchen carrying his plate and complained about the food. Later she had gone outside and Stephens had hit her in the face. “I fell down. I had a pain in m.v eye. Both my eyes were blackened,” she said. Cross-examined by Mr G. C. Brockett, for Stephens, Miss Panirau said Christmas Eve was the only time Stephens had ever complained about the food. Agreeing that she had picked up a piece of wood during the argument, she said, “It was only a stick to protect myself.” She then showed the court how she said Stephens gave her a “blind hit" She said he punched her and then when she looked around he had gone. Stephens said he got to the hotel tor his dinner about 5.45 p.m. bn Christmas Eve. “I got my dinner, but It did not smell anywhere near fresh. 1 put it back through the hatch and said it was not fit for a dog.” He said when he was going for a shave and a wash Miss Panirau came up to him. “The stick, she says she had, was half a log of wood.” He saw her coming and tried to shut the washhouse do_r, but she stuck the piece of wood in the door to stop it closing. Mr Brockett said Stephens had been arrested the next day for assaulting Stone. He had been granted bail, but had not been able to arrange it and had been in custody for 18 days. The Magistrate said he was satisfied there had been some application of force and that Miss Panirau had suffered two black eyes in consequence. He convicted Stephens on both charges, but discharged him. BAIL OPPOSED

Bail was opposed by the police when Lyall Robert Lewis, aged 22, a truck driver, was remanded to January 19 on a charge of breaking and entering the premises of the New Zealand Coffee and Spice Company, Ltd., on December 30 last and committing theft.

Asking for bail on Lewis’s behalf, Mr G. S. Brockett said Lewis was a married man with two children and his wife was expecting a third. Mr Brockett also produced a doctor’s certificate to say that Lewis suffered from a serious nervous complaint and had attended a hospital on the evening of December 29. when he had been given some "knock-out pills,” Which he had taken on arriving home. His wife was prepared to give evidence to that effect also.

It was alleged by the police that goods identified as coming from the New Zealand Coffee and Spice Company’s warehouse had been found at Lewis’s home at 56 Bromley road, Mr Brockett said. However, he understood that the police intended to substitute a charge of receiving stolen property for the breaking and entering charge. “Lewis has to have the pills, and he says he has been suffering very seriously from having been in custody.” added Mr Brockett. The Magistrate said Lewis’s case was a tittle different from that of three men to whom he had refused bail on a similar charge. He would allow Lewis bail of £lOO, with a surety of £lOO. or two of £5O. BROKE INTO SHOP

Three men who broke and entered a shop on the Main North road and stole quantities of cigarettes and chocolate while they were on probation were sen-

tenced to corrective and Borstal training when they appeared for sentence, after pleading guilty. They were John Reginald Gray, aged 23, a freezing worker, sentenced to corrective training. Neil Albert Cumming, aged 20, a workman, sentenced to Borstal training, and Jack Godfrey White, aged 19, a seaman, also sentenced to Borstal training. Cumming had twice been convicted last year, once for theft, and once for placing an obstruction on the roadway, but fines imposed on those occasions had not been paid, and Cumming had shown himself quite unresponsive to probation, said the Magistrate.

White also had a previous conviction for a serious offence, and had shown no disposition to do better under probation, the Magistrate said. CHARGE DISMISSED

A charge of assaulting his wife during a domestic dispute against a 27-year-old man was dismissed by the Magistrate under the Criminal Justice Act. The man’s wife alleged her husband had pushed her and twisted her finger during an argument over the custody of their child. The husband denied the allegation of assault and conducted his own defence. OBSCENE LANGUAGE

For using obscene language over a telephone on December 11, Wiki George Petera, aged 28, a mill hand, who pleaded guilty, was convicted and fined £l5. REMANDED

Colin Malcolm Hardaker, aged 20, charged with theft of records valued at £lO 16s at Nelson on January 2, was remanded to January 19. On the application of Mr N. W. McGillivray, bail was renewed.

Herbert William Mclver, aged 42, charged with driving under the Influence of drink or drugs at Christchurch on December 23, was remanded to January 19. Bail was renewed in the sum of £25, with a surety of £25, Mclver to report daily to the police. Walter Francis Sparrow, aged 22, charged with driving a car while under the influence of drink or drugs on January 4, and also charged with assault on the same date, was remanded to January 19. On the application of Mr GR. Lascelles, ball was renewed. Jointly charged with breaking and entering the Victoria street shop of the Radio and Electrical Company on January 4, Reginald John Hills, aged 27. Thomas James Kerr, aged 25, and Desmond Trevor Bartram, aged 25, were again remanded until January 19. Bail was again refused after Sergeant E. S Tuck had told the Magistrate that ball had been refused a week ago when the men had appeared. Mr Brockett appeared for Hills and Bartram. Kerr was also remanded and was refused bail on charges of breaking into the shop on January 3" and breaking into a warehouse on December 30. He will appear on January 19. John Wormaid, aged 50, charged with stealing a clock worth £5, was remanded until January 19 Bail was fixed at £5O with a £5O surety. He was ordered toreport daily to the police. Mr N. W. McGillivray appeared for Wormaid. "

Leslie John Bennett, aged 26, charged with stealing a sports jacket worth £l4, was also remanded until January 19 Sergeant Tuck said there was no police objection to bail, but that if it was granted it should be substantial and there should be two sureties. The Magistrate fixed bail at £lOO with two sureties of £lOO. Bennett was ordered to report to the police daily. Tony Andrew Stratford, aged 21, charged with breaking and entering at Belfast on December 28, was remanded until January 15.

Selwyn Thomas Strange, aged 21, on a charge of being idle and disorderly in Christchurch on Saturday, was remanded until January 19. Bail was fixed at £5O with a surety of £5O.