MALICIOUS DAMAGE

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 December 1933, Page 12

MALICIOUS DAMAGE

«s, WOMAN’S DRESS ON FIRE. SYDNEY, December 6. At, the Central Police Court, before Mr. May, S.M., Victor Smith, 34, was charged with having maliciously damaged a voile dress, the property of Edna Shaw. There was also a charge of assault. Harry Stead said that liq saw the 1 defendant, who was walking behind i Miss Shaw in Pitt-street, apply a lighted match to her dress. | Constable Shaw said that defendant told him: “I did it accidentally with a j cigarette.” i Edna Shaw, of Prince Albert-street, Drummoyne, said that while she was walking along Pitt-street she became aware of heat. When she looked round Stead was beating out flames with his hat. Defendant, in* evidence, said he was an out-patient at Sydney Hospital for eye and surgical treatment. His eyes were so affected on seeing a row of lights, with a second vision, he became dizzy. On the day named he had one

■puff at a cigarette and became dizzy. He did not remember setting fire to a woman’s dress. Defendant was fined £4, in default eight days’ imprisonment. An order

I was made that half the fine should go I to Miss Shaw. Mr. May, S.M., said: “I cannot help thinking there is something missing in the defendant’s make-up. A person up a very great height may have an inclination to jump; it is possible something of that sort came over him.” Mr. May added that if he had thought the defendant was normal he would have taken a. serious view of Kia case. The charge of assault was withI drawn.