Naval Rating Fined £5 For Assaulting Waitress

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29138, 25 February 1960, Page 15

Naval Rating Fined £5 For Assaulting Waitress

“He hit her and she hit the deck, then he took off running.’’ said Second-class Petty Officer Julius F. Waters, of the United States cargo ship Ameb, told Messrs A. B. P. Large and R. H. Duff, J.P.’s, in the Magistrates Court at Lyttelton yesterday. Waters was describing an incident outside Revells cafe in Norwich quay on the night of February 22. Before the Court on a charge of assault was Moeke Stephens, aged 20, an ordinary seaman from H.M.N.Z.S. Royalist. He pleaded not guilty. „ , , .. Patricia Anne Maschek, waitress. told the Court she had just closed the cafe for the night when four sailors from the Royalist began banging on the door. When the sailors were told the cafe was closed for the night, one of them shouted “Bring ou ) British and American boyfriends. We will kill them.’’ The door was shut, but tne sailors returned and one of them put his foot in the do°<r when he was told to go, »id witness. When the sailorsi refused toleave once more, her mother.who was also in the cafe, went to call the sailor and several

British seamen who were in the cafe then tried to leave, but one of the sailors from the Royalist started fighting with the American. Witness said she intervened and Stephens hit her in the face. “It was a deliberate blow, his first went straight for my face.” Waters said that when he and the other seamen in the cafe attempted to leave “we went out the door and this guy hit me. The two ladies came and broke it up. Then out of the clear blue sky he hit her, and boy it was some hit.” Waters said he was sure that the blow was struck deliberately. Stephens told the Court the blow had been accidental. When asked if he had been under the influence of liquor, Stephens admitted he was. . Stephens was found guilty on the charge of assault and was fined £5. On a charge of behaving in a disorderly manner, he was fined £2. Stephens’ three companions, Walton Thomas Smith, Sandy Hounia Wi, and Toby Francis Hikaka, were also fined £2 each on charges of behaving in a disorderly manner. ’ ,