Threatened Wife, Girl With Axe; Story In Court

Northern Advocate, 27 May 1940, Page 7

Threatened Wife, Girl With Axe; Story In Court

Threats against the lives of wife and daughter, culminating in the brandishing of an axe, were the main features in a sensational story told by Detective J. B. Finlay in the Whangarei Court this morning. He was prosecuting against John Cecil Sterling, who was charged with assaulting Clarabelle Cecilia Sterling and with assaulting Valerie Elva Sterling. He pleaded guilty under mental stress to both charges. A further charge of assaulting Valerie Elva Sterling, with intent to do actual bodily harm, was withdrawn by the police. Sterling, a railway guard, lived in Whangarei with his wife and a family of four children, said Detective Finlay. Kicked Wife. On the night of April 1, he had returned home under the influence of liquor, and had found his daughter Valerie, aged 16, sitting by the wireless. He had objected to the wireless being tuned to one station instead of another, and had ordered her to bed. When Sterling had attempted to follow his daughter into the bedroom his wife had endeavoured to stop him, continued Detective Finlay. He had pushed her aside and gone into the bedroom where the girl was in bed, and had then ordered out his wife, who had followed him. When she would not go he had struck her across the face with his open hand, and then caught her by the hair and swung her against the wall. He had then thrown her to the floor and, while holding her by the hair, had kicked her about the body. The children, who had assembled, were sent away by Sterling, who had again moved towards his wife. She pushed him away and he fell over. He then went and sat on the bed and asked his daughter silly questions, but after further argument with his wife he had gone to bed. Lives Threatened. Three nights later Sterling had again gone home drunk, and had ordered his wife outside, saying there was going to be a show-down. Taking Valerie to the front of the house he had complained about the dusting and struck her on the face with his open hand. After sending her to bed lie had followed her into the room and complained about h'er having two pillows on the bed. When he left the room Valerie had gone to bed, but he returned and ordered her to put on the light. With one hand behind his back he had approached her and told her he was going to do away with her and with her mother, and that he might start on her. Bringing his hand from behind his back, he had shown her a small axe and said, “Yes, I am going to do it.” Neighbour Intervenes. He had brought the axe within a foot of the girl’s head and she screamed as she crouched against the wall. While still holding the axe above her, he had tried to draw the sheet over her head, but the girl had caught the axe by the handle and asked him not to hit her, saying that she would do anything for him. Hearing a noise at the rear of the house he had then left the room. A neighbour, Mr Purves, who had been summoned, had entered the house and seen Sterling coming from the girl’s room with the axe in his hand. Sterling had rushed at Mrs Sterling with the axe in his hand. Sterling had rushed at Mrs Sterling with the axe uplifted, but Purves had intervened and, after a short scuffle, secured possession of the axe. He had then watched Sterling until the arrival of the police. When the police had arrived, Sterling was crying and was in a hysterical condition. Mental Observation. “During the past four weeks, Sterling has been in the Auckland Mental Hospital for observation,” said Detective Finlay, who submitted the medical superintendent's report to the magistrate (Mr Ferner). “Sterling is highly emotional and is addicted to liquor. “He informed me this morning that he Will not consent to take out a prohibiton order against himself, as he says he wants to be placed on his honour and has definitely promised his wife that he will not touch drink. “Sterling is a returned soldier,” concluded Detective Finlay. Asked by the magistrate if it were true he would not consent to take out a prohibition order, Sterling said he wished to be placed on his honour and was quite certain he could carry out his intention of not touching liquor for five years. Sterling was convicted on each charge and o'rdered to come up for sentence within 12 months if called upon.