MAN IN BEDROOM.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 10508, 11 February 1928, Page 10

MAN IN BEDROOM.

MARRIED WO.MAN'S EXPERIENCE. punched intruder on chin. SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST .MAORI. The startling experience of a married woman suiying at, the turns,• oi friends in oiatawa., who was awakened in the early hours ol toe morning to tirid a man in his underdot lies in her bedroom, and who, oi. his own admission, was there .with the intention ol committing a criminal assault upon tier, was ielated to Mr E. C. i.evvey, >.M., in the Police Court yesterday. A half-caste Alsou, Gui. Ngarirnti, stood in the dock hat on .January HR at Karonga Valley, Alatawai, lie broke ami entered a dwelling house with intent to commit a

crime. When the case, was first called the Senr.-Sergeant intimated that lit* did not intend to otter any evidence on tins charge, another charge being substituted. 'I he charge was therefore struck out. Mr J. R. Kirk, for the accused, stated that he had already gone to a considerable amount ol trouble tn preparing the case, and was not aware oi the application of the police to substitute another charge unlit that morning. The .Magistrate- stated that another information had been issued arid lie advised counsel to examine it before proceeding further. (jn counsel’s application for a reasonable adjournment, the case was held over until the afternoon. When the hearing was resumed Ni'arinm was charged with being found bv night without lawful excuse in a private dwelling house with intent to commit a crime therein. Senr.-Sergt McLean prosecuted and Mr J. E. Kirk represented the accused. • , , , \ woman who lives with her husband at Aiatawni, stated that oil Sunday, January 26, she went to stav the week-end with friends. About 10 p.m. she retirei) to bed, her two children sleeping in the same bedroom. She was disturbed b> wtint she thought was a cat rubbing against her arm. She went to sleep* again. but her , hild next to ner woke her up. ai.d then she fell, the clothes were off hot feet. Then she heard a chair near where the other child was sleeping creak, and sitting up she felt the child was uncovered. Once more she went to sleep to he awakened hy the clothes being pulled from her feet. Soon afterwards she woke again, and saw a man dressed in his undcr.•lothiim crouching from the cud ol the bed towards the window. •‘•Who’s that? Who's that I'” she called. Sitting up she saw the shoulder of a man who put his hand gently on her right arm. He looked towards her face and said "It's me.” She pulled hack her arm and gave him tne lull lorcc ol her list under the neck. Then she screamed lor assistance. The man sprang through the bedroom window, appearing to pick something up as. he went outside. W hile she was calling out she watched Ihe intruder at the corner of the house, Irani her window. He remained there lor some time, and then ran down to the road. Witness admitted that site could not recognise tlio man, who was in the room between 1 and 4.20 a.m. The owner of the residence stated that accused had no right to vis t his house, lie heard the lonuer witness scream about 1.2 a on the Alonday, and rushing to her room lie found her standing at the window calling out “There's a man.” She .was somewhat agitated by. her experience. The room in which the. loriner witness and her children were sleeping was in ttie front of the house facing the main road. On entering the room witness found the windows open and the .door shut. Constable Baskand, of Alotu, sad that following a complaint, he visited the house. As a result of inquiries he interviewed accused, and subsequently arrested him on a charge of breaking and entering with intent to commit a crime,. In a statement to the police accused said he was aged nineteen years and seven months, a laborer hy occupation. He. arrived at Gsborno last Christmas, coming^lrom Wairoa. He worked at Canberra boardinghouse, Gisborne, for some time. He had his name in the registry office lor a cook’s job when he was informed that Air James King, contractor, wanted a man Tor the country, and he got the job. He arrived at Kaponga .Valley on January 10. On Sunday'’night, January 29.'lie left the eamn ior a walk going down the road towards Alt' Harding’s and returned to his eamn about 9.0 p.m. Ho set his bread for cooking purposes and then wont t > bed. dressed, and got tip about 11.45 p.m., leaving lor a house on the .side of the hill about ihrooqunrters of a mile from the camp. Before lie went to bed at 1 .45 lie wei t to this house—that would he about 9 p.m. Ho waited around tips house and saw a woman going to hod,, then returned, as stated above. M hen he arrived at the house a second Line lie went straight in through the window (if the woman's bedroom, lie remained in the bedroom from 12.30 to I a.m. Accused then detailed the proceedings on the lines given bv the first witness. He got in through the window. He did not know the woman and was ashamed of what li • had done. “Our white women settlors must be protected from a man like this.” remarked Air E. 0. Levvey. S.AL. at tlie conclusion of the hearing of the charge in refusing to grant hail. The accused pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court at Gisborne far sentence.