LAWLOR BOUND OVER

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 234, 1 July 1939, Page 11

LAWLOR BOUND OVER

No Positive Intent To Shoot At Duchess

NEW ZEALANDER TRIED

LONDON, June 29.

Ledwecifee Vincent Lawlor, 42, who was arrested in connexion with the shot fired at the Duchess of Kent as she wars leaving her residence on June 5, pleaded guilty today to a charge of being in possession of a firearm with intent to damage property, and not guilty of intent to endanger life. He was bound over to keep the peace for a year, on condition that he leaves for Australia' within a month.

The police gave evidence that Lawlor is a New Zealander, with no previous convictions. They stated that, he had been in mental homes since 1932. He claimed descent from the Vikings, and said he had blue blood.

The prosecution accepted the plea of not guilty of intent to endanger life.

Native of Dunedin.

It was stated that Lawlor was a native of Dunedin, and had spent most of his life in Australia. He was a man of good character and served with the 15th Australian Light Horse during the war, being discharged iu 1919 with the rank of sergeant and receiving a 20 per cent, disability pension. Later he married and he has one child. His wife divorced him, after which he drank heavily, suffering a nervous breakdown and was committed to a mental home tn 1932. Twice he was-allowed trial leave and once he escaped. He was discharged in 1937.

The prosecution recapitulated the events of June 5, stating that the chances of hitting the target were remote, as the gun was a .sawn-down German ,22-callbre rifle, with no sights. The judge, in binding Lawlor over in the sum, of £lO, said :• “I am satisfied that you had no positive intent, and I think your mind was not in a state to arrive at sensible and balanced decisions. I think it will be best to get you back where you have blood relations.”

The judge ordered the forfeiture of (he gun and the ammunition and instructed Lawlor to place himself in the care of the probation officer till his departure. ■