SUPREME COURT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 57, 6 February 1925, Page 5

SUPREME COURT.

CHARGE AGAINST PERRIN

The case in which Lionel John Perrin is charged with attempting to commit re |? e on a 20-year-old girl at Fitzherbert an November 25, or, alternatively, with ittempting to indecently assault her, vas continued at tho Supremo Court this mo: ning before His Honour Mr Justioe M icGregor. Continuing the case for the Crown, Jlr Cooke called the mother of the girl. In evidence, witness stated that ler daughter had been given permission to 50 out with accused on the evening of Nove 11ber 25, witness understanding that Peri in intended to take her to a place of amu «- ment. Her daughter had returned at about 10.15 o'clock in a very agitated sta e. Witness was in bed at the time, but later got up and went to her daughter's roo n, where she was informed of all that fa id allegedly occurred. Witness saw that curtain articles ot her daughter's ( underclothing were torn, while the girl's bo ly was also marked. She was token to a medical practitioner for examination iie following evening, and information was subsequently laid against Perrin. Cross-examined by Mr Ongley. witni ss stated that her daughter was expected to be home of an evening not later than 10 o'clock, except on special occasions wh in her parents knew where she was. Hsr daughter had infoftned her that she hid screamed when Perrin was allegedly Ittempting to assault her. Witness at this stage bloke down a: id complained that "something that had be ill put in the papers" had prejudiced bar daughter's version of the affair. His Honour: "You don't want to lelinvo all you seo in the papers." Mr Cooke explained that it had ben said that tho girl after the alleged assault, had arranged to again meet Perrin, but it had not been mentioned that the reas' in for this appointment was that the girl t esired her father to thrash accused. I>r. Godfrey deposed that the girl bed been brought to him for examination in several occasions fni'-wing the date of t.ie alleged assault, and he had found that s! ie was marked and bruised in several place*. In reply to His Honour, witness staU d that the girl had told him that she hi d been assaulted, and it was hi.s opinion th it her injuries were consistent with h:r story. Detective Holmes gave evidence as o questioning accused and subsequently arre3ting him. Perrin-had told witness that what he had done had been with the giri's consent.

This closed the case for the Crown. Mr Ongley did not call evidence, and Mr Cooke addressed the jury. It was not a matter of the girl's eviedni e against accused's statement to the polii e that tho girl was a consenting party, sad Mr Cooke, as tho law permitted a girl < r woman to lay information to \he polic •, and, if laid immediately, that informatic n had to be considered in a corroborath e light. „ , Addressing the jury, Mr Ongley sail that accused maintained that up to a certain stage the girl was a consenting pari; . From that stage onwards ho desistoi . Accused's story was more easily believei , counsel submitted, than that told by tie girl. Was it not reasonable to assure a that the girl in telling her story was ei - deavouring to shield herself from her mother.

Summing up, His Honour pointed 011 that there were two charges against a< - cused, and that these had to be considere 1 separately. If the jury were of the opinio 1 that accused had not attempted to coram: t rape, then they had to decide whether th 3 facts' pointed to indecent assault. Ther _> was no real evidence to contradict th 5 girl's story, as the accused's unsworn statement to the police could not be considere 1 in that light. Perrin's statement did net appear consistent with the facts, which pointed to his having indecently assaulte 1 the girl. The jury retired at 12.15 o'clock. ALLEGED CARNAL KNOWLEDGE. DANNEVIRKE CASE. A youth named Reginald Rainey wis arraigned on a charge that, on Docenibc r 27, at Dannevirke, he did carnally know x girl between the age of 12 and 16 years, oi, alternatively, Hint, at the same placo an 1 lime, he did indecently assault the sam i girl. Accused, who was represented by Mr Lloyd pleaded not guilty. Tho following jury' was empanelled:--Messrs A. Brett (foreman). F. Litchfiok, H. D Ayson, W. Robbie, D. C. Craib, G. Adler, W. Paiscoo, R. Luke, G. R. Kilsbj, W. K. Wood, C. Histed. T. Baldwin. In opening the case for the Crown, M r Cooke stated that it was an unsavour ' one. The girl concerned was 15 years cf age. The facts were that one day betwoo i Christmas Day and New Year's Daj, accused, who lived in Dannevirke, proceeded to a building in which were th s girl concerned and a friend of his. Th > friend camo out after a while, and th > accused went in and, 60 it was alleged, hni I intercourse with tho girl. These facte, h! understood, would not be disputed. Pre ■ bably accused had notgiyen t.ufiicieii; thought to the matter BeTore committing tho alleged ad. Dr. Mac-Arthur, registered medical prattioner, residing at Dannevirke. who wa i the first witness called for tho Crown, de posed that ho had examined tho girl oi i January 10, and that certain injuries whicl. he had found were consistent with tho charge. Tho father of the girl deposed that tinbirth certificate produced in Court was tha. of the girl mentioned in the charge. Cross-examined, witness admitted tha > the girl hod been under probation for somi time. The cause for this had ' been i. charge of theft, and the period of pro bation had expired in September last Apart from this occasion, he had had n< ■ trouble with his daughter. She, was neve allowed out on her own, ahd> only did s< in company with a brother or sister. Replying to a question bv Hi 9 Honour witness stated that tho girl was stronj minded as far as he knevr. The Court then adjourned for lunoheon.