Policeman faces assault charge

Press, 17 January 1979, Page 6

Policeman faces assault charge

p/. New Plymouth ; j ! A Hawera police constable! [who struck a woman, break'ing her jaw. was fined $l5Ol ( in the Magistrate’s Court at j 4 Hawera yesterday. ;t Bruce Arnold Tobin ap->< peared for sentence after i admitting that he assaulted c Jennifer Anne Ward, on December 2 last. Mr J. W. Dalmer, S.M., who ordered that half the fine be paid to the com- t plainant, said that evidence c showed that the complainant . suffered a broken jaw and J bleeding inside the cheek ‘ after Tobin slapped her dur-L ing a domestic incident. U Tobin was an active i t sportsman and might have| c misjudged the force he had! r used, the Magistrate said. “It is a tragedy to see a|t in-an with your record in the 'c

position you are in today,”; the Magistrate told him. Tobin was previously granted interim suppression of name. The Magistrate lifted the suppression, saying that further suppression could leave the impression i. the public’s mind of a cover-up of police activities. The public had a right to know, he said. Although! Tobin was a policeman, he! was the same as any other! person when he was in the! dock. The Magistrate said he knew Tobin would face further action from his superiors, but he could not consider this in his decision. If Tobin had a job with much to lose over such an incident, then he should be more careful. He was prepared to view the assault as an isolated incident, the Magistrate said.