CONSTABLE'S VIGIL

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 127, 3 June 1929, Page 6

CONSTABLE'S VIGIL

CHARGE AGAINST MARRIED MAN

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) INVEEOAKGILL, 31st May, A middle-aged married man, who was represented by Mr. T. Meredith, pleaded not guilty in the Police Court to-day to a charge of being found on enclosed premises by night without a lawful excuse. In asking for a remand, counsel stated that the defendant assured him he had a good reason for being on the premises, and counsel had advised him to call his witnesses. Counsel asked for bail and for an order suppressing the name in the meantime. Senior-Sergeant Pox stated that the alleged offence was regarded by the police as a typical "Peeping Tom" ease as far as the defendant was concerned. Constable Nesbit had received a complaint from a lady in Ettrick street stating that on freshly-dug ground outside her sitting-room window she had noticed tracks. Complaints of a somewhat similar nature had been received from four sources over a widely-scatter-ed area. It had been arranged that on Thursday evening a watch 6hould be kept on the house. The daughter of the complainant agreed to sit in the sitting-room, and the blind was purposely left slightly askew. Constable Nesbit waited from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. The constable would say that he saw a man sneaking up to the window. He looked into the room, first on one side and then on the other. Scores of women could not sleep on account of the fear of "Peeping Tom." The seniorsergeant mentioned that St. Helens Hospital was a favourite haunt of such people, and complaints had been received from the matron. It did not follow, however, that the accused had offended before. Those circumstances should be taken into consideration when bail was being considered. The Magistrate granted an order suppressing the name of the accused in the meantime, and allowed bail for £25 on the accused's own recognisance and one surety.