Woman To Stand Trial On Manslaughter Charge

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31764, 22 August 1968, Page 9

Woman To Stand Trial On Manslaughter Charge

In the Magistrate’s Court yesterday Mr K. H. J. Headifen, S.M., committed Marian Benton, aged 64, to the Supreme Court for trial on a charge of attempting to procure a miscarriage on a girl aged 16, and thereby committing manslaughter. Benton (Mr D. H. Stringer) pleaded not guilty after the Court had heard evidence from 28 witnesses yesterday and on August 8. The manager of the Christchurch branch of Sharland and Company, Albert Slater, told the court that Benton, a former employee of the company, had telephoned him asking if she could buy one gallon of olive oil. He said he had refused to make the sale. The accused had bought olive oil from the company on previous occasions.

Mr Slater asked the Magistrate, in view of the nature of the case, that the name of his company be suppressed. The Magistrate said it was in the public interest that witnesses’ evidence be published. In any case there was nothing to suggest that Sharland and Company had riot acted with complete propriety. Leslie Wilkinson, a senior chemist of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, said he had examined about 50 items of clothing, bottles, jars, dishes, buckets and bags. He said tests had discovered traces ,of tin oily substance consistent with olive oil on various items of clothing and In bottles. He had also examined fragments of needles consistent with those used for administering enemas.

Dr Leo Fagan, a pathologist, said he had examined the body of a part Maori girl, aged about 16, at the Oamaru Hospital about six hours and a half after death. He said that in his opinion death was attributable to pulmonary oedema from oil embolism after the injection of oil into a pregnant uterus. The oil had been carried through the body by way of the blood vessels.

Michael Jones, a detective sergeant, said he had ’ con-

ducted an identification parade at the Christchurch C. 1.8. office on June 25. Six witnesses had been called and four had identified the accused. Other witnesses, whose names were suppressed, told how Benton had taken a girl into a bathroom or bedroom and administered a mixture to her.

Detective Constable E. J. Bimpson said she had questioned the accused at the C. 1.8. office. She had told the accused that a girl had died. The accused had said: “Poor little brat. Her worries are over. She won’t get into that trouble again. I feel sorry for her mother.” Detective Hrimpson said that when she asked the accused about a syriijge she had replied: "You don’t think I would be silly enough to get caught with a syringe.”