SUPREME COURT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 19 February 1925, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

NEW PLYAIOFTH SESSION

At the sitting of the Supreme Court at New Plymouth yesterday Stanley) George Harwood was.put on trial on a charge of indecently assaulting a little girl at Taumata Park, Eltham. on November 24. The accused pleaded hot guilty, a,net was defended by Air P. D’Dea. The principal evidence for the prosecution was that of the little girl concerned, and by a boy companion with whom she was playing in the Waingongoro River. After detailing the- alleged happenings, the young witnesses related how they had identified the accused in Bridge Street and had pointed him out to Constable Townsend and to the girl's mother. ' The defence was mainly one of identithe accused setting up an alibi. Re admitted that he was in Eltham on the date of the charge, butsought to prove that he could not have been at the scene of the alleged offence at the time it- was said to 'have been committed. The jury failed to agree, and His Honor ordered a new trial to be held next session. _ Accused was allowed until Saturday to renew his sureties, his own recognisance being sufficient meanwhile so long as he reported daily to the Hawera. police;