CLERK ON TRIAL

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 16, 19 July 1939, Page 13

CLERK ON TRIAL

INCIDENT AT NAPIER

ALLEGED BREAKING AND

ENTERING

In the Supreme Court today, before Mr. Justice Reed and a jury, Geoffrey Spicer Kean, aged 22, a clerk, was charged with breaking and entering the house of Miss K. M. Reston at Napier, with intent to commit a Crime. He pleaded not guilty.

The Crown Prosecutor (Mr. W. H.I | Cunningham) conducted the police case and Mr. H. F. O'Leary. K.C., and Mr. W. P. Rollings appeared for the de-j fence. I Outlining the case for trie Crown, Mr.! Cunningham said that the real issue j would be whether Kean was one of! three men alleged to have been concerned in the breaking and entering.! Two of them, Courlattder and Matterson, had already been dealt with by the Supreme Court.

Miss Reston, continued Mr. Cunningham, was the secretary of the Gaiety Theatre Company, and had charge of the theatre keys and the safe keys. On Easter Monday night she left her home after locking it, and returned about 9.50 p.m. She opened the kitchen door and found that the light would not go on, and as she was about to strike a match she was struck on the shoulders and knocked down, and her head was bumped on the floor when she started to scream loudly. Neighbours came in at once and found two men, Coiirlander and Matterspn, in the house, and they were arrested by the police* Other neighbours saw a young man come out of Miss Reston's gate, arid a passer-by chased Mm, but in Vain. Nothing was taken from the house.

Courlander and Matterson would both sweat*, said Mr. Cunningham, that the third man in Miss Reston's house was Kean. The three had left Wellington on Easter Monday^ they would say, and had arrived at Napier1 at about 8 p.m., after stopping on the way at some places, one of which wss Paekakariki. :

ALLEGATION OF ENTRY.

Kean was fairly well acquainted with Napier, said Mr, Cunningham, and he also knew Miss Reston, having been to her house as a boy and having had meals there, the last one about New Year. He had an aunt in Napier also. Kean left the car near Miss Reston's place, the Crown alleged, and he and Courlander entered it, but as Kean said there was something wrong with the light in the washhouse they got Matterson to join them with a torch he had. The three entered the house and had not been in it for more than a moment or two when Miss Reston arrived.

v The,next that was,known of the accused* said Mr. Cunningham* was that he was stranded at WdOdVille oiv Tuesday, and arranged - With the statiohmaster there fdr -his return to Wellington by . train. Interviewed by Detective, J, H. Alty on Thursday Kean said" he knew of the affair at - N^ler S:: as his aunt, had telephoned: Him and warned him not to say anything to the police about it. He w.illirigiy, niade ment in which he said that lie left Wellington by car with Courlander and. a man named "Matt" on Easter Monday morning, but he parted company with them at PaekakarikL There he met a girl and with her and another cOuple, all strangers to him, he went by car tb Woodviile on Tuesday morning, the others going oniollas' terton. ,■■.'. . ■ .

Evidence was called to support the. Crown case. .

Miss Reston said she had known the accused since he' was 11 or 12 years old. He used to live in Napier. He had been, to her house and she supposed he would be familiar with her routine in going to the theatre. Cross-examined t>y Mr* O'Leary, she said"she was a.friend of Kean's aunt, Mrs. Meßae.

Evidence of having seen a young man come out of Miss Reston's house after she had screamed Was given by James Somerville Main, a pensioner, and Mrs. Nora Allen Jackson, a domestic, both of Napier. Neither was able to identify the accused at identifica» tion parades Subsequently, they said. Harry Leadley $ykes,. a sawmill worker, of Puketitiri, said he chased the young man, but lost him after he had g6ne from the Marine Parade to the beach.

(Proceeding.)