POLICE ACCUSED

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 49, 26 August 1938, Page 13

POLICE ACCUSED

ALLEGED ASSAULT

A MASTERTON CASE

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

MASTERTON, August 25,

Allegations of assault and ill treatment by members of the Police Force were made in the Magistrate's Court today, when Charles William Wilson faced charges of drunkenness, using obscene language, and resisting arrest. The public gallery was crowded.

After hearing lengthy evidence, Mr. H. P. Lawry, S.M., said there was no doubt about the drunkenness charge, which he would dismiss. On the obscene language charge Wilson was fined £2 and costs.

"The resisting arrest charge is a much more serious matter," said the Magistrate. "Whether he was arrested rightly or wrongly, it dfies not give him any reason to resist, I cannot take it as being established that the detec-tive-sergeant struck him in the eye —there is no evidence but his own that he had a black eye. In view of the sustained resistance and his previous record, I must send him to gaol. I would make it six weeks, but for the fact that he has been in hospital for some time. I will sentence him to three weeks' hard labour."

It was alleged by the defence that Wilson was punched in the face by Detective-Sergeant Kane, and that Constable R. Hill dislocated his elbow when Wilcon refused to give up £50 he had in his possession.