SUPREME COURT

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 304, 21 November 1928, Page 3

SUPREME COURT

VERDICT OF ACQUITTAL. IN McCONKEY CASE. , When the hearing was resumed in the Supremo Court yesterday afternoon, before His Honour, Mr Justice Smith, and a jury, of the charge against Robert McConkey, of allegedly indecently assaulting his step-daughter, Mr Cooper, for the defence, addressed the jury. His Honour then summed up. The jury were directed that there was not sufficient proof of the girl’s age, and that if the jury were satisfied that she consented that would be a good defence. The jury retired at 3.10 p.m._ and returned at 3.50 p.m. with a verdict of not guilty, owing to lack of corroborative, evidence of the girl’s story. The prisoner was discharged. JURY DISAGREES. Per Press Association. GISBORNE, Nov. 20. At the Supreme Court to-day before Mr Justice Ostler, the case of George Campbell, charged with .setting fire to the stables of the Makarska Hefei, in which the jury disagreed last session, occupied all day and after four hours’ retirement the jury again failed to agree. On the Judge’s advice a decision on the matter of a third trial was held over till Thursday to allow the Crown Prosecutor to communicate with the Attorney-General. INVERCARGILL SESSION. Per Press Association. INVERCARGILL, Nov. 20. At the Supreme Court Allen Edward Tubman, aged 20, charged with fraudulently stating that he had posted a letter containing money, whereas in fact he had not posted it, appeared for sentence. Tubman had purchased a motor cycle on a time purchase agreement and as he was unable to pay instalments on it he claimed to have posted the amount when he had not do no so. Accused was sentenced to twelve months in the Borstal institution.