UNLAWFUL ASSAULT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 12 April 1939, Page 6

UNLAWFUL ASSAULT

AN OFFENCE AT TASMAN | YOUNG MAN SENTENCED TO IMPRISONMENT A charge of unlawfully assaulting a female at Tasman on 9th March was preferred against Ronald Burton Witten, aged 31 years, in the Magistrate * Court to-day before Mr T. E. Maunsell, S.M. Accused, who was represented by Mr W. V. Fletcher, pleaded not guilty. Senior-Sergeant C. Petersen appeared for the police. The complainant, employed at Tasman as an apple picker, said in evidence that she met accused on the Sunday when she was going home and he offered her a lift which she accepted. She went with him to Nelson a few days later in order to visit relatives. She got back home at 3 o'clock the next morning. On the return journey accused said something in connection with his attitude towards girlr which led her to take an adverse view of his character. On the Wednesday night she saw accused again and he asked her why she had refused to go out with him again. She told him she did not want to. Witness said that she went home and went to bed. She slept on an open porch. The next thing she awoke and saw accused beside the bed. That waa at 1.30 o’clock in the morning. She asked him what he was doing there; and he said that he was going to Takaka and had come to say goodbye. Witness called to a young woman who occupied the next room; then accused grabbed a rug and put it around her head tightly. She managed to free herself and screamed. He pushed her and then ran away. The bach which she occupied consisted of a sleeping porch and an enclosed room. When she jumped out of bed the other young woman was locked in her room. Her employer came on the scene from his house and she told him about the happening. Witness, questioned by Mr Fletcher, said that she was with defendant for some time on the Sunday night—about three-quarters of an hour. Accused bought with her and he kissed her. She was scared of him. He had made in improper suggestion to her, which •he refused. Accused had said he would ike to take her out in his car and she Tad suggested Nelson. He had said le was sorry about his actions, and lad asked for another chance, promisng he would behave himself. They had :ome to Nelson and she had introduced lim to her father. Coming back accused stopped the car against her will ind they got out. He said he was lespondent as he was going to break he promise he had made previously. >he fought him, and finally he said. All right, you win.” He then took »er home. The employer, an orchardist of Tasaan, said the complainant and the Jthcr young woman lived in a small :ottage near his place. He was awak'■tied that early morning by screams, ind he went to the cottage. Complainint said that accused had been strug;ling with her. The second young woman said that he was awakened by screams. She ;ouldn’t open her door which w-as ocked by someone from the outside, nd she w-ent through the window on o the porch. When she went back to ner room she found the windows unlatched. Mr Fletcher said that the facts of the case were somewhat unusual. The girl had objected to the man's attitude and yet had later suggested a ride to Nelson. No doubt it was a foolish action of the accused to go to her room that night. In answer to the Magistrate the Senior-Sergeant said that accused had been arrested at the Howard where he had been gold prospecting. He had been in the public service at Auckland for some years, and had had a breakdown while studying for examinations, and had spent a short period in a mental hospital. The Senior-Sergeant said that he could not recommend probation in this case. The Magistrate said that accused wa* a menace to the female community. He imposed sentence of imprisonment for four months with hard labour. Ho hoped that this would teach accused not to molest women in future.