SHOTS FIRED

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 103, 4 May 1933, Page 12

SHOTS FIRED

YOUXG MAN CHARGED

ALLEGED CONFESSION

(By Telegraph.—Press Association-.) AUCKLAND, This Day. Colin Alfred Jensen is on trial before-Mr. Justice Smith and jury on a charge that on March 20 lie attempted to murder Frederick Sydney Broad. There are. also several less serious charges. Mr. Weston, for the Crown, said that the accused, who was twenty-five years of age, was a sharemilker near To Puke.. Ho lived about twolve miles from the Broad family. It was alleged that on tho night of March 20 he took a revolver belonging to someone else and fired two shots into a room in.which four members of, the Broad family were sitting at supper. The accused and Miss Avis Broad had been friendly, and he had asked her to marry him. She refused on the ground that she was not thinking of marriage. Then they •" parted good friends, and there was no ill-feel-ing between the accused and any of the Broad family. It was alleged that the accused procured a revolver from a whare whore George Broad slept and fired the shots. One shot struck tho picture and the other the wall. The family endeavoured to telephone to the police from a neighbour's house, but later found that the telephone wire had been cut. Next morning a detective found near tile house- a pair of pliers. He interviewed the accused who, it is alleged, ultimately admitted that ho did the shooting, saying that his reason for firing into the room was be-, cause he wanted to frighten the occupants. He was also alleged to have saicl that tho girl Avis had told lies about him. BROTHER'S EVIDENCE. Evidence was given by the accused's young brother. On March 26 he bought cartridges for the accused who, as far as ho knew, had no gun or revolver. ■ Members of the Broad , family described the shooting. They said that they knew of no reason why the accused should want to shoot them. i Avis Broad, when cross-examined, said that the reason why the accused and she parted was because of talk. There had been considerable talk w'oing on on both sides. : Detective White, in evidence, stated that the accused said to him: I did if,. I am bad. I can't help it. He admitted that he cut the telephone wire and expressed sorrow for everything he had done. ' ' ; Addressing the jury, the Crown Prosecutor said that the important factor to consider was that of intent. The shots went perilously near Mr. Broad, senior's, head, and in the Crown Prosecutor's opinion they were particularly good shots, He suggested that the accused intended doing harm to some member of the family.