Attempted Murder Of Mother Held Proved

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31060, 16 May 1966, Page 10

Attempted Murder Of Mother Held Proved

A charge of attempting to murder her mother at Christchurch on January 28 was held to be proved against a 15-year.-old girl in a reserved decision given by Mr E. A. Lee, S.M., in the Children's Court. She was committed to the care of the Child Welfare Department. Evidence in the case was heard on April 29 and submissions made by counsel on May 6. Mr C. M. Roper appeared for the police and Mr P. G. S. Penlington for the defendant. The charge arose from the action of the defendant in stabbing her mother in the back with a carving knife. The wound was described as a serious one not without complications. In his decision the Magistrate said it was perfectly clear that after the defendant and her two sisters had discussed a proposal to talk to their mother about her growling, the plan was either abandoned, or the other two retreated from the scene because they knew the defendant was going to use the knife.

“I have no doubt that the three girls were intensely unhappy as a result of their mother’s continual growling and oppression, and having discussed their grievances decided that something should be done,” he said. “When the defendant said, according to her statement to Detective Sergeant Stokes, ‘Well, if I get hold of her I’ll put a knife through her,’ this would have appeared to the others as a satisfactory solution. Together they planned the obtaining of the knife but it was left to the defendant to carry out her threat.

Up to the stage when the defendant made her threat I have no doubt that, although born of frustration and unhappiness, it was little more than idle talk.” The Magistrate said that the depth and place of the wound and the weapon used to inflict it seemed to negative any intention other than that of getting rid of the mother by k’Ting her. “I really think that no other conclusion is possible than that the defendant thought her mother would die because of the stabbing and that by this means they would be rid of her,” he said.