SERIOUS CRIME.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 4 May 1938, Page 2

SERIOUS CRIME.

YOUNG WOMAN’S STORY OF STRUGGLE.

BELIEVES HE WOULD HAVE KILLED HER.'

The attention of the Hon. Mr. Justice Blair and a jury of 12 was engaged in the Palmerston North Supreme Court yesterday afternoon, hearing the evidence the Crown had to present against William Charles Norman, a labourer, aged 39 years, who was charged witli the serious crime of rape. There were alternative charges of assault with intent to commit rape, indecent assault, assault so as to cause bodily harm, assault with intent to commit a crime and finally plain assault. Mr. H. R. Cooper conducted the Crown case.

The following jurymen were selected to hear the evidence and return a verdict: —Messrs Fojvler (foreman), P. S. Skoals, 11. Humphrey, K. Qlliver. H. D. Essex, C. J. Podjursky, T. IT. Davidson, C. Candy, J. W. Reeves, R. R. Booth, A. J. Silver and J. Wass. At the outset his Honour informed accused that ho had gone into the question as to whether he was of mental capacity to plead to the charges am! also into .the suggestion that accused had no recollection of having committed the offences alleged. Dr. Gray, Director-General of Mental Hospitals, would be reporting on those matters. Accused asked for counsel, but his Honour said he would see that everything to accused’s advantage was brought out. Accused: .Sometimes I get into a sort of a trance and can’t remember where I am.

His Honour: I will see that the ques lion is put to Dr. Gray.

The young woman who featured ii the proceedings said she advertised fo a position as housekeeper and accusci answered. She went to Otaki and Nor man met her at (lie railway station He look her to his house in At ill roai whore he ajhowed her her bedroon Norman then made tea and they dif cussed wages. Later in the evening In produced wine of which she iiad sip and accused two or three glasses, i was just after midnight when she inti mated that she was going to lied. Nor man made a suggestion which she de dined. She asked for a key to her bod room but there was not one. The ligh was in working order. Two hours late she hoai'd footsteps about the Ivousi and got up. Thinking there was : tramp in the house she tried to switd on the light but it would not go on She went and knocked on his door bn got no response. Going into the roon she tried to wake him up but he avouli not wake although she shook him. I occurred to her he was pretending, Slu went back to her room and drosse 1 She also put her case across the doo and pulled up the blind to get whal light she could. Next she heard tin door ot her room opening so slio caile< out. Then she went to his room a secom time ami lie was awake. He told hei not to be nervous and went to the mete; and fixed (he lights so that they cam< on. They had more tea together, a fie; which she weal back to bed to sleep, At 5 a.m. she was awakened by Norman / coming into her room. He asked her to move over as he wanted to get into bed with her. She pushed him away and a struggle followed. She managed to get out of bed —she had remained fully dressed —and Norman “mauled” her 'about, the struggle taking them down the passage to the living room where a lamp) was broken. That put an end to his behaviour for the time being and each went back to their own bedrooms. She repacked her bag and prepared to leave as soon as it was light enough. Shortly before 7 a.m. she went into his room fo ask for her faro buck io Wellington. He got dressed and went outside. On his return she and her back to him and next she felt a blow on the back of her head. She screamed as he dragged her through to her bedroom. He threw her on to the bed am! tore oIT her clothes. She pleaded for mercy but he kept on raining blows on her face, jaw and eye with his fist. He seemed mad and said that if she would not keep quiet lie would “knock her cold.” He then took advantage of her. She was physically incapable of . resisting him any more. When she was able to get away she ran for the road but got caught up in the barb in a fence. Norman caught up to her and tried to drag her back. She screamed and lie put his hand over her mouth. Then she tried to crawl under the fence. A Maori who had heard her screaming came running and but for this timely aid she believed Norman would have killed her, She was in the Otaki hospital for a week and five djiys as a result of the ordeal Answering acemed, witness said it: was untrue that, (hey had kissed in the kitchen during the evening and also untrue that she had given him any encouragement. Dr. E, G. Atmore, of Otaki, slated that when the young woman came to her for attention she had a black eye and quite a soggy area at the back of her head, such as would have been caused by a heavy blow. She also had scratches on the- neck and left shoulder and a big bruise on the right arm as if the girl had been held forcibly. There were j also recent injuries of a sexual nature. Answering accused, Dr. Atmore said j one fall could not have caused all the bruises. There would have to be dozens | of falls to account for all of them. The black eye could not have been caused 1

by a fall. The girl must have received a very severe blow. It looked us 11

somebody had absolutely battered her. Dr. T. G. Gray, Director-General of Mental Hospitals, said he had examined accused as to his fitness to plead to the charges made against him. Witness came to the conclusion Nonnan was tit to plead. He had also gone into the question as to whether accused was capable of understanding the nature and quality of acts and the difference be tween right and wrong. Ho came to the conclusion that Norman was capable of making distinction. There was no evidence of mental deficiency, nor was there any signs of a defective memory. Dr, T. 11, Puliar, pathologist at the Palmerston North Public Hospital, gave technical evidence regarding spermatozoa and human blood. At this stage the Court adjourned until to-day.