Assault in street on handicapped man

Press, 26 February 1986, Page 5

Assault in street on handicapped man

No explanation was offered by a man convicted of assaulting a mentally handicapped man with intent to rob him of a radio cassette player, said Sergeant J. E. Dwyer in the District Court yesterday.

Webster Collier, aged 19, unemployed (Mr K. J. Grave), was remanded in custody by Judge Fogarty to March 5. He admitted the offence, which occurred on October 10 last year. Sergeant Dwyer said the defendant was standing outside an inner-city hotel when he saw an intellectually handicapped man standing further along the street. Collier walked towards the complainant who was holding a radio cassette player. The defendant tried to get hold of this and a struggle ensued.

Collier put a headlock on the complainant and forced him to walk a distance where he proceeded to punch him in the neck and pulled him to the ground by the hair.

A member of the public went to the aid of the complainant who was calling for help.

The defendant was found to be intoxicated.

Initially the complainant left the scene but went to the police station later, said Sergeant Dwyer. SEX CHARGES Interim suppression of name was granted to a youth, aged 18, who faced two charges of attempting to have sexual intercourse with two girls, aged 11. The accused, who did not plead, is charged with committing the offences on or about January 6. He was granted bail of $l5OO and remanded to March 5. THEFT CHARGE

An unemployed man charged with stealing seven firearms, valued at $3BOO, was remanded on bail to March 4.

Ernest James Brown, aged 46 (Mr A. M. Mclntosh), was charged with the theft 'of four .22 calibre rifles, two shotguns, and a .270 calibre rifle, on February 6.

$4OO FINE A man who had described himself at an earlier hearing as a university psychologist and who spat in the face of a traffic officer during a dispute last month, was fined $4OO when he appeared for sentence yesterday. Ross Bonnington, aged 31, in admitting the offence, said he had not realised that spitting at a law-enforcement officer constituted an assault.

The Judge said he thought the defendant’sbehaviour towards the officer left much to be desired, given his occuption.

Bonnington, who was not represented by counsel, said he had objected to the officer’s manner when he was spoken to about driving through a stop sign. On a new charge of cultivating cannibis, Bonnington, who was described on the charge sheet as a property speculator, was remanded at large to June 10 for a defended hearing.