PECULIAR ESCAPADE

Evening Star, Issue 25634, 7 November 1945, Page 4

PECULIAR ESCAPADE

INTRUDER IN FEMALE ATTIRE YOUH6 MAN BEFORE COURT A peculiar case of apparent obsession with the desire to wear girl's clothing was revealed in the Police Court this morning, when Garth Hamilton Gilmour, a single man, aged; 19, pleaded guilty to a charge. of breaking and entering by night a dwelling in Merchiston street. The accused had been found in the hbuse in the early hours of the morning of Ogtober 14 almost fully dressed in female attire, and carrying a wooden.baton, such as those used by the police. After a struggle with the occupant of the house, he was handed over to the police. Evidence was taken, and the accused was committed to the Supreme Courfc for sentence. David'Bryan Duggan, the occupant of the dwelling concerned, told how, after being aroused by his daughter, who had heard some noise, he. had searched the grounds, and, returning to the house, was in the act of pushing aside a curtain in the passageway for the purpose of switching on the light, when he received a blow on the head, which dazed him. He, however, sprang at a shadowy form which he had seen in the half "light, and a struggle ensued, during which witness received another glancing blow. He eventually overpowered the intruder and bound his hands together with rope. The intruder would not give witness his name, and the police wore summoned,' The intruder, who was the accused, was dressed as a girl, said witness, and wore rubber-soled shoes. He had a police baton. Witness had occasionally seen the accused about; he lived about lOOvds away. To Mr M. Hanan, who appeared for Gilmour. witness said that he could not say whether the accused! wore female underclothing. He had been dressed in a blouse and skirt, over which was a sports coat. Evidence was also given by Irene Duggan, daughter of the previous witness. Constable S. G. Hood, who had been summoned to the scene, said he found the accused with his hands tied, and watched by the witness Duggan. Witness asked him what ho was doing there, and he replied: "I do not know: I don't know why I came here." Accused smelt of liquor, but was sober. He was removed to the police station. Sergeant C. L. Spencer said that, when the accused was brought to the station, he was dressed in a blouse, brassiere, corselette, and skirt, and wore shoes and men's socks. Over the blouse be wore a sports coat. Accused had. made a statement, in the course of which, he said that be could not explain why he had acted as he had done. It gave him a certain amount of satisfaction to dress in girl's clothes; as he liked " flitting about from house to house." He did not know why he had entered Duggan's house, hut de-clared-that he had had no criminal intention. He just felt that night that he would like to go out, and, finding himself in the grounds of the house, and the door unlocked, went in. It was " sheer devilment '-'- on his part, and he had no intention of hurting Duggan in the struggle which had! ensued when he was discovered behind the curtain. He could not explain his actions, except to say he occasionally had moods which prompted him to don girl's dress. The clothing he had worn that night he must have purloined somewhere. Accused ihad served with the Air Force for 16 months, but had not been overseas. The baton had) been brought back from overseas by a brother of the accused. Witness added that he had searched the room in which accused had lived, and, under the mattress of the bed, had found three 'books and some papers. These contained! pictures of women in various stages of undress, Mr Hanan asked whether the court would consider remanding the accused for medical, observation. Dr Brown had already examined him, and, while finding no indication of mental trouble, he considered that there were abnormalities about the young fellow, and the doctor had expressed the. wish to have further opportunity of examining him. •

The: Magistrate said that the accused would be remanded in custody pending his. appearance for sentence, and if further medical examination were deemed necessary this could be arranged. ; .