COMPLETE DENIAL

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 51, 24 November 1930, Page 12

COMPLETE DENIAL

Father and Son in Trouble

MAGISTRATE CONVICTS By Telegraph—Press Association. Cliristcluu’cli, Nov. 22. Penalties were imposed on father and son, William George Bettridge and William George Bettridge, junr., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday by Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., after hearing a number oi charges against them arising out of an accident on July 2, in which a lorry, owned by the father and driven by the son, knocked down and seriously injured a girl, Doris Metcalf. Bettridge junr., was charged with negligently driving a motor lorry, using an unlicensed lorry, with failing when required to give his name and address to S J. Geary, a person concerned in the accident, with failing to report the accident, and with driving a motor lorry at night without proper lights. Bettridge, senr., was charged with permitting the use of an unregistered lorry Both pleaded not guilty. The police case was that Bettridge, junr, was driving the lorry at a high speed with only one light showing, and knocked down the girl, who was riding a bicycle. It was alleged that he gave a wrong name and address, and later to a constable denied all knowledge of the defence was a complete denial that the lorry was driven by either of them at the time of the accident. _ . . On the charge of negligent driving, William George Bettridge, junior, was fined £2O. with costs, and ordered to pay Doris Metcalf £4O compensation, in default of payment three months imprisonment with hard labour. For tailing to give his name and address after the accident he was fined £10; in default a distress warrant to be taken out oyer his property, and in default of this one month’s imprisonment with hard labour. Bettridge. senr., was fined £lO, with costs, for allowing wrong number-plates to be fixed to the lorry, in default of pay ment a distress warrant to be taken out over his property, and in default ol this one month’s imprisonment with hard labour. —