SERIOUS CRIME ALLEGED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17254, 2 September 1919, Page 5

SERIOUS CRIME ALLEGED.

OFFENCE ON LITTLE GIRL. MAN COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. A charge of having committed rape on a nine-year-old girl at Devonport on August 22 was preferred ; against Eric Broadhurst Stokoe, aged 24 I (Mr. G. J. C. Bennett), in the Police Court, before Mr. J. E. Wilson, S.M., ; yesterday. I The girl stated she lived with her | parents m Lovers' Walk, Devonport. On the night of Friday, August 22, she | attended the pictures at Devonport with ; another girl, who left her on returning i shortly after 10.15 p.m., not far from witness's home. \ ;tness had walked a little way when she saw a man coming along Taimii Road toward her. There ■was a lamp, and she was able to see the man plainly. The ace .sed was the man. He asked her where Dr. Johnston lived, and she said " round the beach." She i knew a Mr. Johnson lived there, ' but did not know he was a doctor. The accused said: "Come and show me." Witness replied: "I am not allowed." Th© accused then caught her by the arm, and pulled her along - the road, and down Lover's Walk, past her home, to the beach. She could not scream, because he held His hand over her mouth. On the beach the man committed the offence with -which he was charged. When he let her go she went home. She saw the man at Cheltenham Beach on the following Sunday, and pointed him out to her mother. t To Mr. Bennett: She did not notice anv smell of liquor on the accused. ' The mother of the child said the girl [ I arrived home about 10.50 p.m., and was crying, and in an hysterical condition. She gave an account of what had occurred, and witness informed, the police. When the girl pointed out the accused at Cheltenham Beach, witness looked at him, i and it seemed to her the man understood ' he was being observed. He walked » quickly away, and witness, following ; him, saw him enter a house in Tainui i Road. * > Dr. H. C. P. Bennett save evidence. ! regarding an examination of the girl on ■ August 23. Frank Parker Stokoe, grocer's assistant, brother of accused, said that when he ' went to bed about eleven o'clock on Fri- ' day, August 22, the accused was not ' home. When he did come in he said he ' had spent the evening at a friend's 5 house, and had had some whisky there. i He certainly was not drunk, but one 1 could tell he had had some liquor. | Detective Cummings gave evidence rej gardine the arrest of the accused. The k accused stated that if any girl said he • committed the alleged offence upon her T he had no recollection of it. He added " "I had a good few drinks that night, " and had a tiff with my girl.". 1 Constable McCarthy, of Devonport, • also gave evidence. The accused pleaded not guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. 3 In reply to Mr. Bennett, the magisa trate said bail would have to be sub- ,, stantial, in view of the serious nature of f the charge. The amount was fixed at y £300 in one surety.