Intoxicated Intruder Asleep on Bathroom Floor

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 81, 6 April 1939, Page 6

Intoxicated Intruder Asleep on Bathroom Floor

LODGER’S DISCOVERY NEW PLYMOUTH, Last Night. Arriving home at her lodgings at about 11 o ’clock on Saturday night, a New Plymouth business woman was surprised to find a man in a drunken sleep on the floor of the bathroom of the apartment house in which she lived. The landlady was asleep in the front part of the house and knew nothing of the occurrence at the time. The man was Ratcliffe David, aged 45, of Spotswood, a single man, and ho pleaded guilty to the charge of being found without lawful excuse on pre mises in Devon Street West, but in circumstances which did not disclose the intention of committing any other offence, when he appeared before Mr. W. 11. Woodward, S.M., in the New Plymouth Police Court yesterday. “I*ll take your story at its faco value, though it seems an improbable one,” said Mr. W. H. Woodward in dealing with the man, who was convicted and fined £2. Senior-Sergeant E. T. C. Turner, in explaining the circumstances, said that on arriving at her lodgings at about 11 o’clock on Saturday night, the woman found the back ddor open, which was unusual. There were two other persons who lodged in the house. On going to the bathroom she found a man lying full length on the floor asleep. She telephoned the police, and Constable Hargreaves went at once to the place and found the accused still lying asleep on j the floor, fully dressed, and with a piece of cloth over him. He was taken to the police station and bailed out on Sunday morning for the sum of £5. Hat on Next Door Lawn. The accused v\*as a labourer and lived at Spotswood and was a single man. He said he had been to the trots and had some liquor and had no recollection of going to the house or why he went there. He did not know who occupied the house. So far as the police knew he had no previous convictions and he was stated to be a decent man when sober. His hat was found on the lawn of the adjoining property. Senior-sergeant, to accused; Did you get your hat?—Accused: No. Continuing, the senior-sergeant said there was no association between David and the house. He had evidently been in the neighbouring property, where his hat was found on the lawn. The Magistrate: Would the place be on iis way home?—Senior-Sergeant Turner: Yes. David said he had been to the trots and got a “spot” or two too much. He thought the place was a boardinghouse. He saw a light, and feeling he could get no further he went in with the idea of getting a rest for the night. He got no answer to his knock and so went in. He then remembered nothing till he was roused by the constable. He had not realised what he was doing.

Senior-sergeant: Would you take out a prohibition order?—David: I don’t think so.

“Do you frequently get like this?” asked Mr. Woodward. David: I do have some drinks buc have never done anything like this. I’ve never been had up before. The Magistrate: And you don’t want lo take out a prohibition order? David: No, I don’t want to.

The senior-sergeant said the police had no information that David was an excessive drinker.