HOTEL SENSATION

Evening Star, Issue 23499, 13 February 1940, Page 13

HOTEL SENSATION

A DRAMATIC DEVELOPMENT PLEAS OF GUILTY ENTERED ACQUITTAL ON ABETTING WIFE'S SUICIDE COUNT [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, February 12.

An unexpected development occurred in the trial of the Station Hotel case in the Supreme Court to-day, when the two accused, a man and a riiarried woman, who were allegedly involved in a suicide pact on November (3, reversed their original pleas of not guilty to admit the charges against them, except the first count in the case of the man. On that charge he was found not guilty. When the hearing began separate trials to avoid prejudice were granted by the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers). Evidence was taken until the luncheon adjournment, immediately after which pleas of guilty were entered, with the exception of one charge, and the accused were remanded until Thursday for sentence. The accused were Francis Leonard Laurie, a storeman, aged 39 (Mr Trevor Henry), and Josephine Norton Lay cock, aged 34 (Mr R. S. Burt). Laurie was charged with aiding and abetting his wife, Beatrice Florence Rita Laurie, to commit suicide on November 5, attempting _to murder Mrs Lnycock, and attempting to commit suicide on November 6. Mrs Laycock was charged with attempting to commit suicide on November 6. Both accused were originally called to the dock together, and pleaded not guilty to the charges. JUDGE’S INTERVENTION. When the Crown Prosecutor (Mr V. R, Meredith) concluded his address outlining the case, His Honour consulted Mr Meredith and Mr Henry in private. The Crown then proceeded to call evidence, and nine witnesses were heard before the court rose for the luncheon adjournment. There was some delay before the court resumed in the afternoon, and immediately His Honour took his seat on the Bench ho intimated that as a result of his private conversation with counsel earlier in the proceedings the trial would probably be considerably shortened. Mr Henry announced that Laurie desired to reverse his pleas to the second and third counts of attempting to murder Mrs Laycock and attempting to commit suicide. Laurie pleaded guilty to these two charges; and Mr Meredith said he did not intend to tender any further evidence on the first charge against the accused t of aiding and abetting his wife’s suicide. “ The proper course has been taken by both Mr Meredith and Mr Henry,” said His Honour. “ When I called them to the Bench this morning I told, them that on the case as it appeared to me I would not be prepared to allow the jury to find Laurie guilty on the first count. Mr Henry admitted that lie was anxious about the first count, and that he did not sec how Laurie could possibly hope to succeed on the second and third counts, in view of the evidence and particularly in view of his own statement to the police, in which he admitted the offence.

‘‘ That is why I say that Mr Henry has. taken a very proper course in the advice he has given the prisoner," His Honour continued. “ The prisoner has taken the proper course in pleading guilty, and Mr Meredith has taken the proper course in calling no evidence on the first count." ACQUITTED ON ONE COUNT. His Honour directed the jury to return a verdict of not guilty on the first count, and verdicts of guilty on the other two counts. The jury returned verdicts accordingly, and Laurie was remanded until Thursday for sentence. When the jury was dismissed, Mrs Laycock was called, and her counsel, Mr Burt, said he had explained to her what had transpired, and she now wished to reverse her plea to one of guilty. She pleaded accordingly, and was remanded until Thursday for sentence.

Bail was renewed in Mrs Laycock’s case.

[With wounds in the arms, Laurie, a storeman employed at the Dovonport Naval Base, and Mrs Laycock, the wife of David Laycock, employed by the Devonport Ferry Company, were removed from a bedroom in the Station Hotel, Auckland, at 8.30 on the morning of November 6 and taken to hospital. Mrs Laycock had a severe wound in the right forearm, and her condition was at first reported as serious through loss of blood. Laurie’s wound was in the left forearm. When the police visited Laurie’s home in Egrernont street, Belmont, _ North Shore, they found Mrs Laurie lying on the floor of the kitchen clad in a pink nightdress and cardigan, with her head in a gas oven. She was dead, and had left a note, in the course of which she had bequeathed her property.]