RACECOURSE ASSAULT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18885, 6 December 1924, Page 14

RACECOURSE ASSAULT.

; INCIDENT AT TAKAPUNA.

EARLY MORNING OCCURRENCE.

[~] FINE OF £2 IMPOSED/ 'An assault upon Frederick Jones, caretaker of the Takapuna racecourse, and trespass on the course, resulted in the appearance on the double charge of .Hector Wynyard (Mr. Allan Moody), at tho Police Court yesterday, before Mr. .1. W. Poynton, S.M. Frederick Jones stated that he was working at the course at about 6.30 a.m. last Monday, when training operations were in progress. Accused, whom witness knew as a disqualified person, was near the enclosure and he followed witness and two jockeys to the weighing room. After greetings were exchanged, witness said: "I see that dark friend of yours was working his horses insids the trestles yesterday." Accused did not like the remark, and replied that he was not aware of the fact. After the jockeys were weighed, accused forced his way into the weighing room and said to witness; "Why aro you so hard on me. Haven't I given you tips for the races?" Witness replied: "Yes, stumers too." Witness said that ho would report accused for frequenting the course. Accused struck a-threatening attitude, so witness punched him in the eye, and received a blow in exchange. Mr. Moody (to witness): Have you ever ordered accused to leave the course ? | No; but I have mentioned that he had no right there. Continuing, witness said that he had to keep the weighing room locked and that accused seemed anxious to see inside. Mr. Moody: Surely you do not suggest that Mr. Wynyard would try and fool with the : scales; he is too well known. < Mr. Poynton: Well, he was not there for morning prayer, was he ? Francis Cullen, racecourse inspector, paid that accused had been disqualified from attendance at the course for three years, for i breach of the. rules of racing. For the defence, Mi-. Moody said that ■accused hid not struck the first blow. Counsel stated that the disqualification was not tie result of a criminal matter. ' Mr. Povaton remarked that the of- ■ fence was not serious. Accused was fined ' £2 for the assault and the magistrate ' ordered that half of the fine should be 1 paid to Jones. A penalty of £2 was also ; imposed for trespass. The rules of racing, which were pro- « duced, showed that the restrictions as to ' trespass apply to any portion of a day J on which races are held on a course, , and are not confined to the actual dura- l tion of the racing. ;