COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 70, 15 December 1933, Page 13

COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

Solicitor’s Agent Faces Several Charges PERJURY ALLEGED By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, December 14. John Black Batchelor, aged 32 years, solicitor’s agent, who had been remanded from December 5, to-day faced several charges in the Magistrate’s Court alleging perjury in the Supreme Court, attempting to pervert the course of justice, and fabricating evidence. A new charge was preferred, that since the last sitting the accused on November 30 had attempted to dissuade James Henry Duncan Campbell, by bribe or other corrupt means, from giving evidence in the case against the accused. The case is a sequel to Supreme Court proceedings heard on August 24 in which Cyril Dixon petitioned for a dissolution of his marriage with Isobel Dixon, and in which the accused gave evidence. Jamies Henry Duncan Campbell, a labourer, said he had sometimes done bailiff’s work for the accused. On May 26 last it was arranged that he should go out to Islington with a Mrs. Dixon in a car. “I was supposed to get on intimate terms with her, and so forth,” he said. The accused gave witness various directions concerning names, etc., and later Batchelor reiterated the arrangements. Witness was to tell Mrs. Dixon he was a fellowworker of her husband and would take her out to Islington. He was to stop the car on the journey so that the accused could come on the scene and challenge the woman. Witness proceeded to describe how the arrangements were carried out, and how the accused did appear when the car stopped at Sockburn.

Campbell denied that there had been any misconduct, and said he had been paid 30/- for the part he played in making the car trip to Islington. Evidence was also given by court officials concerning the accused’s statements in the Supreme Court. Mrs. Dixon, who gave her age as 18} years, said she had been living apart from her husband practically since their marriage in 1932. On May 25 she wrote to him at Islington asking him to come to see her with a view to attempting a fresh start together. On the following evening a man came to the house and explained he was a friend of her husband’s and would take her out to see him. She agreed to go. On the way he stopped the car to have a drink, in which she. did not share, and, while the car was stopped, Batchelor opened the door and accused them of misconduct. Actually she was sitting in one corner while the man, who had given the name of Williams, but whom she now knew as Campbell, was in the other corner helping himself to a second drink. She went to Batchelor’s office, where he asked her to sign a statement saying she bad committed adultery with a man she would not name. At first she refused, but he made threats and eventually, as she was tired, worn out, and wanted to go home, she signed. Batchelor pleaded not guilty to all charges and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial on all except one, that of attempting to dissuade a witness from giving evidence. The magistrate held that, in respect to this charge, the evidence was scarcely strong enough to warrant him sending accused for trial. Accused was allowed bail of self £5OO and one surety of £5OO. :