"A MENACE"

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 76, 31 March 1922, Page 8

"A MENACE"

ASSAULTS ON WOMEN

EXTRAORDINARY CASE IN COURT

MAN SENT TO GAOL.

" I want to say straight away that this man is a menace to society and a menace to the public oE Wellington." This was the opening statement made by Sub-In-spector M'Namara in the Magistrate's Court to-day, when one of the most peculiar cases heard for some considerable time came before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court. An eccentric-looking person, named Maurice Tangney, who described himself as an i agent, 1 was called on to answer four j charges of common assault and four alternative charges, under the bylaws, of'be''having in a manner calculated to frighten;] the public. Tangney pleaded not guilty to all,the charges. Sub:Jnspector M'Namara conducted th« case for the police. Mr. M'Namara said that Tangney had been a menace to society for a very long time, ,'iis file dating back for over a year. " Women cannot walk along the street, especially if they happen to be good looking or well dressed, without this man following them and bumping into them, breathing on them, squealing, or something of that sort," said Mr. M'Namara. "He is charged with assaulting four la!dies of the highest standing in Wellington, and there are probably a hundred women who have been interfered with in the street bj this man. I will call the ladies, and if your Worship does not consider that assaults have been committed, probably you will say that an offence has been committed under Bylaw 14, section 48. Interference, however slight, with' a person in a public place is an offence. WOMAN'S EXPERIENCE IN KBLBURN. A lady, residing in Kelbura, was called by the Sub-Inspector. She said that on' Monday, 27th February, about. 3.30 p.m., she was in Upland-road, and she there saw the accused, who crossed over to her side of the street as soon as he saw her, and brushed against her and coughed. Accused was looking into her face when he coughed. Witness said she had seen accused twice previously, and on each of these occasions he came unpleasantly near bo her. Tangney : "Why do you mention this clay particularly? You used to see me every day."—"You pushed me on the 27th, and came much closer than on a-ny other occasion." Tangney : "Do you know what an asgault is?" Mr. Hunt: "That's a matter you can discuss with mo." Tangney then entered the box, and, In reply to the Magistrate, he said that he was an agent, and bought arieL sold properties. Mr. Hunt : "You are a man of propevty, then.?"—"Oh, yes." ■Accused added that he kept a house in Hadfteld-terrace, Kelbura. CONSCIENCE PERFECTLY CLEAR. "I have met this lady every day for the last twelve months, and I have never bumped into her," he said. "I don't remember having assaulted her. My conscience ie perfectly clear on this matter. It has to be a deliberate act to constitute 1 an assault." The Sub-Inspector:. "I suppose you got'a terrible shock when you received the summons." —"Yes, I did." "You never expected to be in thu police court?" —"No." ■_ "Were you Been by a policeman on Bth January and warned to give up this practice ol breathing on ladies?"—"! was." ■■; ■■ . ■ THE RACE CLUB BALL. "Were you at the xace-club ball?"— "I was." ' ■,-, "Were you thrown out of the building?"—" Yes." • "What were you thrown out for: — 'T don't know." -, . "Was it because you crept up behind a seat and pinched some women—some of the chaperones?"—"No. I was in the supper \room. The secretary told me that the reason I, had 'to leave was because I had no ticket." Mr. Hunt: "How did you get in m the first place?"—"l bought the tickets from a man, and I paid £2 10s for them, too. They were only worthjG2 2s. I have been at every ball for the last five years." : . Mr. Hunt: "Well, you won't go to another, I think." Mr. M'Namara: "Is it a fact that one night early this month you were kneeling down outside a private hospital in Abel Smith-street and lookup in at the window."—"No, it is not." Mr. M'Namara: "Well, I was there and saw you, and I'll give evidence to that effect." . Defendant had no witnesses, and the Magistrate decided to convict him. He [reserved sentence until the other cases I had been heard. ./ A VIOLENT DASH. Another witness said that on 3rd March she was walking along Lambtonnuay, when the defendant, who was on the other side of the footpath, suddenly, made a dash at her, as if he were going to violently assault her. Witness jumped out of his way, and the defendant made a violent noise. Tangney was in the habit of stopping in front of her, and trying to stop her from getting past. Just a day.or so ago she met the defendant, who, on this occasion, acted like a little child and pulled a face. (Laughter.): . I Mr. M'Naraara:^ "Ho had received his summons then." _ ■ Tangney was convicted on this charge also. . ' . Two other young ladies also gave evidence as to the unwelcome attentions paid them by Tangney. In the case of one a conviction was entered under the bylaws, and in the case of the other the Magistrate considered that an assault had been proved. Mr. M'Namara, in conclusion, said «that the cases had been brought in order to rid the town of a menace to society. TANGNEY GETS A SHOCK. Tangney: " I have been in Wellington for three years, and I was shocked to hear of the charges of assault." Mr. Hunt: " You'll get another shock in a minute." > Constable Thorn gave evidence to the effect that he had known the defendant for two years and a-half, and looked upon him as a pest. He was a " Peeping Tom." The Magistrate sentenced Tangney to six months' imprisonment with hard labour.