Man committed for trial

Press, 2 July 1985, Page 6

Man committed for trial

A carpet cleaner was yesterday committed for trial in the District Court on a charge of indecently assaulting a pensioner, who was a prospective customer of his, in the pensioner’s own home last April 28. After hearing depositions of evidence of prosecution witnesses in the District Court, Mrs C. M. Holmes and Mr L. M. Hudson, Justices of the Peace, held there was sufficient evidence to commit Kevin Frank Duffy, aged 28, for trial.

They remanded him on bail pending a date for

trial in the District Court. After evidence in the case had been heard Mr B. J. Pelham, for the defendant, submitted that there was no evidence of an indecent assault in itself. The defendant had called to the woman’s house previously. His pulling her towards him was a friendly gesture and not intended to be aggressive. His hands were on the surface of her clothing and did not touch her private parts, and when she told him to stop he did so, and then left.

Sergeant W. P. Creasey

submitted in reply that there was sufficient evidence to commit the defendant for trial. He said there were some inconsistencies in what the woman told the Court but her age had to be borne in mind. However, her complaint had been corroborated by a young relative, whom she had telephoned, and this complaint had been made as soon as practicable after the incident. The defendant had indicated he had something to hide when first interviewed by a detective as he had denied his identity.