CRIMINAL SESSIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17784, 18 May 1921, Page 9

CRIMINAL SESSIONS.

THEFT FROM THE PERSON. INCIDENT IN* AN HOTEL. VKRDK T OF GUILTY RETURNED. 1 lie < rinnuaJ sittings of the Supreme Court i\ ere continued yesterday before Mr. Justice Stringer. Mr. V. R. Meredith, ( rowii Prosecutor, conducted the casea t"r Ihe Crown. A pioa. of not, guiHv was entered by Charles, Tucker (Mr. Singer) to a charge of theft from t] le p Prson , Krederii'k George Worker. retired farmer. oI New Lymi, stated that on l)ccember 2'l he waited in an hotel before boanlmcr his train at Mount Eden. He had ,i . I.usn of beer, and had previously In.) t»i> (.'lasses. Ho was subject to heart j»i ik.-. .mil had one in the hotel. He did i:"i remember seeing the arc-used. E\uicnic given by the manageiosa of the hotel that, when Worker paid for hi- drink she noticed ho had a £5 note in hi.-, uaii. t She subsequ-ently saw accused with his arm round Worker's neck, a.nd a hand in lii.s inside coat pocket. Sh« s.v.v tucker with the wallet, and immediately called to him to put it dcr.vn. Ihe manager of the hotel gave evidence that v.-her. he heard something said about wallet U'lnjr taken from Worker he |u:iu».-d over the. counter and found the waliet on the flo.';-. It contained no rilonp ~ Another occupant of the bar testified to nx'inj i lie ac cused sitting beside Worker. The Inter then had Worker's vallot in his hand. No evidence was called for Uie defence. Mr. Singer, addivssing tho jury, contended that the prosecution had not established beyond reasonable doubt tho guilt of the accused The jury returned a verdict of guilty. Sentence "as deferred till Saturdav.

ASSAULT ON THE WHARF. THE. EL MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT. A plea of not guilty •was entered by Alfred Barrett (Mx. Singer), charged wit,h having assaulted James Fatieuce, so as to causo him actual bodily harm. An alternative charge of common assault was ilso pre.ferrod. The Crown Prosecutor, outlining the case, said that Patience, who was a seaman, temporarily employed at the Nihotuyra dam. came to the city on April 22. Ho indulged in a good deal of diink during the day. In the evening ho went down the wharf, and remembered somebody striking and kicking him. Patience was fieriously bruised about the Lice, and had hia leg broken, presumably by a kick. The affair was witnessed by a waterside worker named John Gibbons, employed on the Ka'.fcuna. The assault occurred dirt-_:ily under a cluster of electric lights, and the scene was brilliantly illuminated. Barrett, who was employed on the Wainiana, was subsequently arrested at Wellington as a deserter from his ship, when he made a statement, in which he admitted striking Patience, but alleged provocation. Evidence was given by iTotm Gibbons in terms 6tatod by the Crown Prosecutor. He said he saw the accused walk up behind Patience, use obscene language, and knock him down. As he was in a reclining position the accused kicked him about the legs, and struck him a fain on the face. Witness called out, and went to the injured man's assistance. Accused went away with another man who had been standing in the vicinity. Patience was then unconscious. Evidence as to the injuries sustained bv Patience was given bv Dr. N. PMcSweeney, house surgeon at the Auckland Hospital. Patience was still an inmate of the institution. The accused gave evidence that he drove riown the wharf in a taxi-cab. When he lured the taxi Patience got into it. On arriving at the ship the driver demanded ». fare from Patience, who replied that lie had no money. Words were exchanged bv the driver and Patience and the latter kicked accused in the groin, severely injuring him. Patience went down the wharf, and directly accused recovered from the effects of the kick he followed Patience. He asked the latter why he kicked him, and then struck him four or five times. The jury returned a verdict of guilty on both counts. The Judge characterised the assault- as a brutaJ and cowardly one. He assumed in the prisoner's favour that his violence was occasioned by liquor. The accused was f'-entex/ced to three months' imprisonment

INJURED HIS OWN SON.

MAN ORDERED TO ENTER A BOND

William Richard Lockwood (Mr. A.* Moody), who was convicted on the previous d' v of assault, appeared fox sentence. The accused had thrown a sugar basin in bis house, and had struck ?iis two-year-old son on the face, causing him to lose an eye. The accused was charged with asss'.'lt, and having caused actual bodily barm. A verdict of common assault, with a recommendation to mercy was returned by the jury. The Judge said he agreed with the riM/nmrnendation of the jury. If the ni c.iised wa.s ca.pable of any feeling at all, bo ima 'ined that the cruel disfimirement Ik- bad inflicted on bis own child in bis drunken stupidity, would cause liirn to refrain frort\ drinking for all time. The accused wa* ordered to enter a bond, with uric surety of £50, to be of good behavior. ard to abstain from intoxicants Ho was also ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution.

PROBATION FOR TWO YEARS.

Tilt FT OF MONEY FROM PERSON. Hup 801 l (Mx. Singer), who pleaded iruiltv to a. charge of the theft of £27 10s from (ho person of George Campbell, was pia/'cij on probation for a period of two years, with the condition that he must abstain from tho ufio of intoxicants. Ho ■ a!f*i ordered U> pay £8 toward the i-,.m ..f tlv prosequi ion. ' ••ur.sel ...aid there «as no doubt the :i became possessed of the money 'lien lie and Campbell were on a drinking 1 u .171 Ilie amount had ben re- . ivejv-<i iiii'-oik bed. Aic.usorl's rccollce--11-,ii if tlir whole affair was very dim. He w.i.« a ii.ui 11! i;i «lnan record.