POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19453, 8 October 1926, Page 15

POLICE COURT NEWS.

MAN ASSAULTS A WOMAN.

WINDOWS OF HOUSE NAILED.

MAGISTRATE IMPOSES FINE. What was described by the magistrate, Mi\ Hunt, as " a brutal assault " resulted in the appearance in the Polico Court yesterday of Bernard O'Donnell, aged 32, on a charge of assaulting Maria Mahon. Accused pleaded not guilty. Maria Mahon said accused had stayed at her home since April, but he did not do any work until June 5 and witness kept him. At times accused knocked her about " something dreadful." At last witness told him to leave, but he commenced to use disgusting language until another boarder asked him to fight. He then ran away and witness locked the door.

Next day he returned while witness was alone. The doors were locked and the windows were nailed, as witness knew accused would thrash her as he had dono oil previous occasions. Accused managed to open a window and gain admittance to the house. He said to witness, " What a man ought to do to you is *• to 'floor' you," and then ho struck witness several blows in tho faco and kicked her. He was not so drunk as not to know what he was doing. A constable gave evidence that accused admitted striking complainant, and he had to be prevented from attacking her again. A fine of £2, in default seven days' imprisonment, was imposed. A MOTOR-CYCLE STOLEN. The theft of a motor-cycle valued at £SO, tho property of Cedrick Winifred Douglas, and a breach of probation were admitted by Milton Robert Clarence Haskell, aged 22. Senior-Detective Hammond said accused stole the cycle from tho owner's shed at Onehunga and rodo it to a farm where ho worked. When interviewed ho said ha had intended to return tho machine, but had been prevented by the wet weather. He had had the cycle for about 15 days, and had replaced thp original number plates - by others and had been riding tho machine. Mr. W. J. Campbell, probation officer, said accused had served a sentence of one month's imprisonment in July for theft, and was on probation for tho theft of a motor-cycle. The magistrate remanded accused until to-day for sentence. CHARGE OF THEFT. • Thomas Kelly (Mr. Bono) appeared on remand on four charges Of obtaining goods valued at £22 14s 6d, and sums of money totalling £27 15s 6d by means of valueless cheques to which he had pleaded gailty last week. He was also charged with breaking and enteriug tho post offico and store at Taiaotca, Brown's Bay, and stealing goods valued at £2 19s ( 6d. The senior detective said accused used a cheque book which had been missed from the store to write valueless cheques Other missing property had been traced to him, but his only explanation was that he had found the goods on the road. A remand was granted until Monday, bail being fixed at £IOO. FIFTY PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS "Oh, she is hopeless; she comes up time after time," said the magistrate, when Elsie Neville, aged 46. was charged with boißg disorderly while drunk in Bobson Street. Sub-Inspoctor Lewin said accused was drunk and screaming loudly in the street at a late hour. Sho had 50 previous convictions since 1014. A fine of £5, or 14 days' imprisonment, was imposed.