A FIGHTING ROMEO

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 212, 22 August 1927, Page 4

A FIGHTING ROMEO

CHARGES OF ASSAULT. MAGISTRATE RESERVES DECISION. A young man named Peter C'arwaline was charged in the Napier B.M. Court to-day before Mr A. M. Mbwlem, S.M., that on Aug. 11 ho did assault Mavis Lawson and then two days later did assault William Law son, her father. Tba accused nleaded ffinlt.v tn L in

The accused pleaded guilty to 10 first charge, but not guilty to the second.

[Senior-Sergeant Powell appeared for the police while Mr J. Tattersal conducted the defence. William Lawson stated that he was a piano-tuner residing in Wellesley road. The accused was trying to make attentions to his daughter. She complained that the accused had been intercepting her when she was going about the town. On the second time he grabbed her wrist in the Tost Office. On Saturday night witness stated that the accused called at the house in quest of his daughter who was out and witness had great difficulty in getting rid of the accused. On Sunday two visits were made the third being made on tjunaay afternoon when the accused said be would “throw himself in the harbour.” Witness reported this matter to the police. Later witness had an idea Liat the accused would molest his datight er. and he found the accused stand ing at a corner. Witness said “Waiting for her again/’ and accused admitted this was so. Witness then got off his bicycle and approached the accused, but all he remembered was getting several blows to the head and body. “He did what he liked with me,” stated witness in describing the light.

To Mr Tattersal witness stated that he did not know that the accused and his daughter had been friendly. Witness stated that during the fight he did not utter a word. He was quite dazed, and did not know that the accused had asked if “he had had enough.” Constable Kenny detailed having found Lawson suffering from injuries and when witness arrested accused there was no denial of the charge. Sergeant Quayle stated that in consequence of complaints made by Lawson he had interviewed tne accused whom he warned to keep away from the girl. “He said he was in love with the girl who also wanted him, but the father stopped them” continued witness. On subsequent occasions witness saw rhe accused on the matter and had been told that the accused was keeping away from the girl. Dr. W. W. Moore gave evidence to the effect that the injuries to Lawson were two broken ribs, a choice collection of bruises, and a rupture of the muscles of the neck.

For the defence Mr. Tattersal stated that the whole affair was one of provocation so far as the case of assault was concerned. ACCUSED’S VERSION. The accused in the witness box stated that on the day of the fight, he had gone to see Miss Lawson. Witness missed her, and then her father came on the scene and adopted a very threatening attitude. Witness could not say definitely that Lawson had struck first. At one time in the fight Lawson was on the ground, but witness asked if he’d had enough, but Lawson muttered, “No,” so witness thought, “All right, I’ll let him have all he wanted.” Witness had known Miss Lawson for about five or six weeks. On the night he went to the house it had been arranged fpr the two of them to go to the pictures, but she had not kept the arrangements. When he had stated he would .commit suicide he did not know anything about any trouble with the girl. Replying to certain questions as to his relationship in the boardinghouse, the acclused denied that he would “tackle Jack Dempsey if he ever came to New Zealand.” The accused admitted that certain of the boarders were “a bit agraid of him.” Mr. Hislop, on behalf of the informant, stated that the accused had been walking up and down the street in front of the girl’s office ever since having been on bail. “You have pleaded guilty to assaulting the girl and you are convicted of assaulting Mr. Lawson,” stated His Worshop to the accused. “What do you know about him!” asked His Worship of Senior-Sergeant Powell.

It was pointed out that the accused was quite a recent arrival from England, and nothing much was known against him. “I realise that, and I intend that he shall keep the peace, particularly towards the girl, for 12 months,” repliel His Worship.

“I cannot understand your mentality,” declared Mr. Mowlem to the accused. “You have admitted that you have affronted a girl by grabbing her wrist in the street. As a young Englishman I want you to fully realise and understand that that sort of thing is not allowed in New Zealand.”

After some hesitation, His Worship stated that it was a problem as to know what was the best thing to do under the circumstances. “I will adjorn this case until the afternoon, and in the meantime I want you to find out everything about the accused. I want to know his whole history from the time he came to the Dominion.” Judgment was reesrved.

After the adjournment Mr Tattersail intimated that in his talk with the accused the young man had been born in Suffolk, and was 20 last September. He had been educated at two public schools, and then had worked for two vears in a warehouse connected with his father's business. Being discontented with this he had arranged with a New Zealander to come to the Dominion in which ho arrived in March of last year. Mr Tattersull then briefly told of the accused’s doings in New Zealand since then.. The accused was sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment.