“PEEPING TOM”

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 September 1927, Page 12

“PEEPING TOM”

CAUGHT ON WEST COAST. The young man Thomas Hanan, who was arrested at Kumara on Monday, and, after appearing at the Greymouth Court, -was remanded to Christchurch, was charged there on Wednesday, before Messrs F. H. Christian and J. B. Borthwick, J’s.P., with being unlawfully on the premises of Steven Alexander M’Donald, May’s Road. Sub-Inspector Mathew said that for some time that particular neighbourhood had been troubled by a “Peeping Tom.” At 11.20 p.m. on July 15, a lady living opposite the M’Donalds s;,w a man in the garden of the M’Donalds’ house, looking through a window. She told her son, who ran across the road. He accosted the accused, who had left his bicycle outside, and secured his name and address. Accused was subsequently arested on the West Coast. Since his arrest there had been no further instance of “peeping.” Accused pleaded guilty. Mr Hobbs, appearing on accused’s behalf, said that he was a well-con-nected young man, who was in good and steady employment. His age was 23 years. On the evening in question, he was returning to his home in Papauui, and entered M’Donald’s grounds with no intention of “peeping.” He had heard a noise in the house and peered across at the window. He denied that he had been peeping through the front window. Mr Hobbs held that the police allegation that peeping had stopped since accused’s arrest had no bearing upon the case. He asked that the case should be dismissed, as there was no bad intent in the act, and he also requested that the name should be suppressed. “This is no case for leniency,” said Mr Christian. “It’s a most objectionable instance, and there are no mitigating circumstances. We considered a term of imprisonment for him, but ifow think that the situation may be met by a substantial fine. Accused will We fined £5 with costs, in default fourteen days’ imprisonment. Suppression of the name is refused.”