AFFRAY IN STREET

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 147, 19 December 1933, Page 13

AFFRAY IN STREET

HUSBAND AND WIFE

CHARGE OF ASSAULT

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHUBpH, This Day. Alexander James Churton, aged 33, a labourer, was charged before Mr. B. ,D. Mosldy, S.M., today with assaulting his wife, Betty Churton, so as to cause bodily harm. The accused had been remanded without bail-since December 10; when he arid his wife wore treated at the outpatients' department at the Christcluu'cli Hospital for wounds al-1 legedly inflicted with a. knife. Tbis morning Dr. McLean'gave evi-dence-that the woman had been suffering from a stab wound in the leg. Extensive bleeding had occurred. The accused had a spiral cut at the base of the third finger on the left hand. The wounds could have been caused by a pocket knife. The accused's wife said she had not lived with her husband for two and a half years. She had been visiting friends on December 10, and when she was returning her husband met her in 'the road and called out, "You've got evidence of divorce; I'll murder you before you divorce me." Churton then caught her and dragged her into the road; She could not tell what happened then. ■ Churton' (from, the dock): You dirty, rotten liar. - The Magistrate Jtbld' the accused to keep calm. \ Proceeding, the witness said that not till she felt blood pouring down lief leg did she know she had been wounded. She had not the slightest idea how the wound was caused. Eeplying to counsel, for the defence, witness denied that "she was carrying a nail file or that she ,had ever chasett Churton with a knife. • . ' Robert Berry, who witnessed, the struggle in the street, gave evidence that Churton said later: "Lookl She came at me with a knife," showing his cut hand. AVhile the pair were struggling a woman called from the house where Mrs. Churton lived: "Give it to him." Another- witness aaid that the accused had previously threatened to attack his wife with, a knife;