POLICEMAN ASSAULTED

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 19, 22 July 1932, Page 9

POLICEMAN ASSAULTED

DEFENCE NOT BELIEVED

(By Telegraph.—ErW* Association.)

■. ■- CHBISTCHUECH, This Day, "I am asked to beUeve th*t' » sergeant of-police, With years of experience, went into- the house at the invitation of Wilson and; deliberately struck*im.! I don't believe it, neither do. I behove the evidence ; for tHe'defence,?' said the Magistrate, Mr.' E D Mosley, .hearing the' evidence' of" Desmond Wilson, aged^ 33, a labourer Who was charged with. assaulting Sergeaht, F. Cr Harrison and' obstructing Constable Eicketts. :,: -.•.;:■,: , X

Wilson.. was .sentenced : .to . three' months'; hard labour,: The. police "stated that they, went to a: house hi Kihnore street to serve a warrant on another man and were met aggressively ;bv Witaon, who afterwards struct tha sergeant. .- ■, ' j - Sergeant Harrison said: that they were the. houW for a man named Carey. A'short, distance dowa the_ passage they noticed a door'.ajw> and he asked, who was in there! Wilson replied,that, they could not w into that room, and .swinging, round, aimed, a ; blow at the sergeant's: jm, but^the sergeant dodged it. WUboii landed a blow on the sergeant's ribs with; his. left hand. The sereeaafc thereupon- hit Wilson on the Wr He was satisfied that Carey vras in th« house when the police1 arrived* but that he had got.;atray because 'Wilson interfered. The sergeant saw a doctor, next morning, and was informed that three ■ribs .were' cracked. '•■ ' ."■['■ .'.

. .Crpsß r examined by; counsel, for th'« defence, the sergeant denied hitting •Wilson first. ■ ' /■• .: '

Wilson gave evidence that sergeant hit him first and said Ire did not struggle or resist. V :; ; v . . The Magistrate: ;*fHow do you account for the sergeant's cracked ribst" Wilson: "He must have struck th« table." , '.'■■ •' "•■ .:-.:;■•', :■:•.-'/•■■,^--?>- ■

; Wilson's wife said- that.Ltheie \ra£ only one blow 'struck, and "that was by tho sergeant, who hit', ihev' husband. . . ■ ~-•;.'..'■>;■ ; ... - : -;. . ":'.