Attempted Murder Charge

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31716, 27 June 1968, Page 6

Attempted Murder Charge

David Stanley Small, aged 26, an airman, who is alleged to have stabbed his 25-year-old pregnant wife, Doreen Evelyn Small, 14 times, elected trial by jury when the hearing of charges against him began in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. Small is charged that at 9 Beilina Place, on April 27, he attempted to murder his wife and. alternatively, that he assaulted her with intent to injure. The hearing, before Messrs R H. Harris and W. H. Small, Justices of the Peace, was adjourned part-heard till today. Mr J. G. Leggat, with him Mr D. M. Palmer, appeared for Small. Mr N. W. Williamson appeared for the Crown. Mrs Small said thaf on Friday, April 26. her husband had had a day off from his work as a radio serviceman at Wigram. About 6.20 p.m. he had gone to town. About midnight her husband came into the house and she had heard him coughing

as if he was being sick. She got up and he had told her not to look so frightened. She thought he had had a lot to drink. Went To Garage Mrs Small said she had gone back to bed where she lay awake till about 2 a.tn. She heard her husband go out to their garage several times. At 2 a.m. she got up and went to the lounge where her husband was lying on a sofa drinking coffee. “I asked him if he had had a good night out and he said something about ‘this New Zealand beer’.” She had gone back to bed and about 10 minutes later had heard her husband come into the bedroom. He fumbled in a drawer where she knew there was a little gun. She now knew it was a starting pistol. He had said there was someone in the garage and handid her the gun. He had told her to go out the back door and he would go out the front. He would scare the person in the

garage and if she saw someone running ,he should pull the trigger. She did not think there was anyone in the garage as she knew from his manner that be was going to do something to her. They went down the passage, he punched her in the stomach and she slumped to protect her baby. There were more attacks, she said. In the washhouse she realised he had a knife with which he hit her. Mrs Small said that she called for help. Her husband started to make desperate lunges at her throat and chest and back with the knife. She did not remember feeling any pain but she was desperate and fought. She said she threw the pistol away to have her hands free. She got out of the washhouse and at the end of the hall there was another scuffle. She began to weaken and she felt blood. Said He Was Sorry

In the lounge her husband had suddenly stopped struggling. He had said he was sorry. As he tried to put his arms round her she told him to drop the knife, which he threw toward the fireplace. She asked him to get her a glass of water. Mrs Small said she went to the home of neighbours. While she was there her husband came into the kitchen, said he was sorry and asked her not to let him go out again. She thought he meant his Friday nights. Mrs Small said she did not know why her husband had attacked her but thought it might have something to do with his not wanting a third child.

Their financial position was not sound. At the time, although she had not known it; they were six months behind in the rent and bad other debts. Garth John Turbott, a qualified and provisionally registered medical practitioner, said that he examined Mrs Small at the hospital accident and emergency department. She had 14 laceration, to her head, neck, chest, hands and back and other superficial lacerations and scratches. He had no fear at any time of Mrs Small losing her life beiause of her Injuries.