LOCK-UP INCIDENT

Gisborne Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 10489, 14 October 1926, Page 5

LOCK-UP INCIDENT

MAN TEARS UP BLANKETS

CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED ' SUICIDE DISMISSED.

SUPPRESSION OF NAME PROBLEM.

INVERCARGILL, October 13

“I am too big a coward to commit suicide,” was the naive confession of a man in the Police Court to-day. He added, “I respect my wife and family too much to do that” The man was charged with being found drunk at Bluff, with damaging two blankets, and with attempting to hang himself, the last two cases arising out of an incident which occurred in the lock-up at tho Bluff police station the previous night. Sergeant Hewitt, who represented the police, said defendant was lodged in the ceil for drunkenness. Some time after his admission a constable went out to the lockup and found strips had been torn from the blankets! knotted together, and thrown over a hook in the ceiling. When asked what, he was doing defendant replied that he was preparing to hang himself. Constable White gave evidence that when he was discovered defendant said he was tired of life, and wanted to cause a sensation by hanging himself. He was in the lock-up three and a half hours, and should have sobered up in that time- Witness also produced the rope of the police blanket alleged, to have been used.

In reply to a question by the Magistrate lie said that until this occurrence no one had ever noticed the hook in the ceiling. It had since been removed.

Defendant’s story was that he went off to sleep immediately after being locked up. On waking he found he was lying on a . roll of blankets, and he began to wonder d they were clean. On unrolling the bundle he was surprised to find the rope produced by the constable inside. He thought to himself someone has been trying to escape. For devilment he threw the rope overthe hook in the ceiling. Just then the constable came in, and asked. “Hallo, are you trying to commit suicide?” Witness replied jokingly, “Yes, it looks like it.”

‘‘l threw the rope up in order to draw the sergeant’s attention to it in case somebody really tried to hang himself,” witness continued. The Sergeant: As a matter of fact von like a little bravado, don’t you? You knew that as soon as you put your weight on the rope it would break.

The Magistrate remarked that' he was perfectly satisfied that the do fendant tore up tho blankets. Foi this he would be fined £1 and costs 7s, and would be convicted and discharged for drunkenness. The charge of attempted suicide would be dismissed. Defendant: Could I 'ask you to have my name suppressed? This i-* rather a slur .on my familyThe Magistrate agreed that the case would be a slur, and ordered that, defendant’s name should be suppressed on the attempted suicide charge, but added that it could be published in connection wiht the charge of clr u .i! <7 t o-‘.—Press ;,ss>''- v ion.