WOMAN ASSAULTED

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 46, 24 February 1937, Page 13

WOMAN ASSAULTED

YOUTHS' OFFENCE

'LUCKY NOT MANSLAUGHTER'

Described by the Magistrate (Mr. H. P. Lawry, S.M.) as the worst case of the kind in his experience, three youths appeared before him in the Children's Court at Petone today charged with assaulting a woman with intent to rob. They all pleaded guilty. The -ges of the three youths varied from 16 to 17 £ years.

Detective F. N. Robinson said that the three youths had been discussing bag-snatching, but one of them said there was an easier way to get money, as he knew of a woman who. kept a dairy on the Hutt Ruad and lived alone, and they could rob the till. One boy took a tyre lever and each of the others took an iron bar. While one boy kept watch at the.front the other two went round to the back and knocked on the door. As soon as the door was opened they pushed the woman into the pantry and one of them hit her over the head with the tyre lever. She screamed, and when one of the boys pushed his fingers into her mouth to silence her he'knocked out her false teeth. Frightened by. her screams, they ran away , without robbing the till. They had not been before, the Court before. The woman was receiving, medical attention ~and had a scar on her head. It was the worst case that had happened inj the district for: years past. . ;

Mr. Lawry said it appeared that one of the boys was the ringleader and he would be placed in an institution. He would decide on the institution' later. If the offenders had been adults they would be sent to gaol without the option of a fine. They .were:, lucky, they were not charged with manslaughter. The case was the worst of its kind he had had in fourteen years' experience. The other two'boys would be placed under supervision for two years. The three of them would have to pay the medical expenses,.. when they were determined.. ~.'; ,:'. Two of the boys concerned in the above charge also appeared on charges of stealing £2 in money from a woman and articles, of a total value of £3 15s. They pleaded guilty. .. .-

Detective Robinson said the two offenders snatched a handbag from" a young woman in the vicinity of Munt, Cottrell, Neilsen's premises. There was £2 in money in the handbag. They kept the money and threw the handbag over the Petone Wharf. When, interviewed, they admitted they had followed a woman only the previous night intending to snatch her bag, but she had turned into a house be-' fore they got to her. Each of the youths was ordered to pay £1 17s 6d as restitution. A further charge against one of the boys was of stealing a tie and a shirt from a department store.

Detective Robinson said he found a number of new ties and shirts in the youth's possession, but he admitted taking only one tie and shirt. He was employed there as a storeman. "

The youth was admonished and ordered to make restitution.

Each of the three youths concernedin the above charges, and two other youths, pleaded guilty to charges of giving false fire alarms; They were each ordered to pay a share of the costs incurred by the Petone Fire Brigade, ■when turning out to the false" alarms..,:;,;; ■"/''. : ''■ ?.■■.-•' .-.■■ ■'■■M#i