INFATUATED MAN

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 122, 19 November 1931, Page 14

INFATUATED MAN

HELD GIRL UP WITH RIFLE PLACED ON PROBATION (By Tclegrapfl.—Press Association.) WANGANUI, 17th November. Convicted on a charge of having assaulted a girl by holding her up at the point of a pea-rifle, Walter A. Smith was granted probation for eighteen months at the Police Court yesterday. On a charge of having been in possession of au unregistered firearm, he was convicted and ordered to pay costs. The Magistrate, Mr. J. 11. Salmon, said that Smith was liable to a term of imprisonment, and it was only the remarks of Senior-Sergeant M'Lean and counsel for the defence that had prevented him receiving a term. Senior-Sergeant M'Lean said that the accused had been keeping company with a girl for four years, and had been infatuated with her. She had discovered that sho had no desire to marry him, and wrote to him accordingly. Smith took the matter to heart, and on Bth November obtained a rifle at Wanganui and went to the home of the girl at Kaitoke. Ho saw the girl with another man, and when they were sitting in a car the accused accosted them with the firearm. Tho girl decided next morning to go and sco him at his house, where ho kept her from II o'clock until 3.30 o'clock. Tho accused did not threaten her, but intended to frighten her; sho did not loso her bend. AVhen at 3.30 sho asked to bo allowed to go home, Smith consented, and slipped threo cartridges out of tho gun. There was nothing wrong mentally with Smith, but tho offence had been brought about by his infatuation. Ho asked that tho accused should bo kept under observation and that the rifle bo confiscated. The accused had an excellent character, and was only 21 years of age.