POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19219, 7 January 1926, Page 12

POLICE COURT NEWS.

A VIOLENT YQU N £ MAN.

IMPRISONMENT FOR ASSAULT.

"DANGER TO THE COMMUNITY."

Wrapped in a prison blanket to conceal the fact that he had neither shirt nor coat, Thomas Kelly, aged 29, pleaded provocation when charged in the Police Court yesterday with assulting Frederick Peel.

Peel, whose face bore unmistakable signs of injury, said Kelly had struck him in the street.

A patrolman employed by the Auckland Harbour Board said he noticed Ivblly making belligerent advances toward a second man and an assault would probably have resulted. Accused said that Peel had called him au objectionable name. This was denied by Peel. Senior-Sergeant Edwards: He is a danger to the community. He has committed assults in the street before, and after he jvas arrested ho lost his head and tore his shirt to pieces. The Magistrate, Mr. Poynton: He has a bad list for a young man.

A Kenteoce of two months' imprisonni|jit was imposed.

TROUBLE OVER LEAD. A charge of stealing a quantity of lead valued at £27, tho property of 'j,imuel Parker, hardware manufacturer, was preferred against Thomas Lanning Marsh banks, aged 36 and Herbert Thomas Porteous. aged 38. Marshbanks pleaded guilty, but Porteous denied the charge.

Detective O'Sullivan said Marshbanks had admitted being concerned in the removal of tho lead from a property in Parnell. It had been sold for £l6. Marshbanks was remanded for sentence. The case against Porteous was remanded for a week. When bail was sought, Chief-Detective Gummings said the police had experienced difficulty iu locating Porteous before. Bail was fixed at £IOO in each case. AGED VAGRANT WQMAN. Margaret Wilkie, aged 78, readily admitted having insufficient lawful means of support and acknowledged a list of 179 previous convictions. Tho senior-sergeant said accused was questioned by a constable in Symonds Street. She frankly admitted that she would have to sleep out, so she was taken into custody. " Poor old soul, she will die if she is not locked up," remarked the magistrate in imposing a sentence of three months' imprisonment. REMANDED FOR OBSERVATION. When William Witheridge Comer, aged 73, was charged with vagrancy. Constable Wells said the old man had been loitering about the railway station. He was penniless, and in urgent need of a " clean up." Tho senior-sergeant described Comer as " slightly mental.". The magistrate remanded accused for- a week for medical observation. INSULTING LANGUAGE USED. Drunkenness and the use of insulting language, were admitted by Samuel George Wallace, aged 39. was fined £5, in default seven days' imprisonment.