CONSTABLE WAS DRUNK

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 June 1932, Page 9

CONSTABLE WAS DRUNK

ASSAULT ON ’BUS. LONDON, April 16. | John Graham, 26, a policeman stationed at Bethnal-green, appeared in the dock at Guildhall on Saturday. i He was charged with being drunk and disorderly and assaulting William James Smith, an L.G.O.C. omnibus conductor. ! Graham, who is over 6ft. tall, was fined £5 for the assault and ordered to pay a further £5 as compensation, or go to prison for 31 days. On the other charge a fine of 20/-, with 7/6 costs, or 14 days’ imprisonment, was imposed. Evidence was given by City constables to the effect that at nine o’clock on Friday morning Graham and another man (also said to be a police officer) were seen in Aidgate struggling with each other, and cans-] ing a crowd to assemble. When re-[ quested to go away they refused, shouting, “We are Metropolitan police men.” They were arrested, but broke i ’way, and accused boarded a station-. ary ’bus. j

The conductor, Smith, observing his condition, refused to allow him to enter the ’bus. Then Graham pinned the conductor in a corner' of the platform and rained blows on his face and head. Smith had to be removed to hospital, where one of his wounds was stitched.

The unite defforts of four constables were required to secure Graham, and ho resisted so violently that he was placed oil a hand litter, upon winch he was conveyed to the police station. The conductor, who appeared in the witness-box with a bandage across his face, said that he received from twelve to twenty blows. Prisoner: I am extremely sorry for what has happened. Sub-Divisional Inspector Walter Parr said that Graham joined the Force in February, 1926, and had never been in trouble before. His character was exemplary. He had recently on sick leave, and had been returned unfit for further duty. Sir Stephen Killik said it was dread, fu! that a police-officer should so disgrace himself. Graham had committed a brutal and unprovoked assault.