CONSTABLES ASSAULTED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19626, 3 May 1927, Page 10

CONSTABLES ASSAULTED.

TWO MEN RESIST ARREST. CROWD GIVES NO ASSISTANCE. In a prolonged struggle with two men who resisted arrest at Carlton, Melbourne, lately, Constables Service and Cavanagh were repeatedly kicked and beaten about the head and body. Not one of the crowd of 50 persons who gathered offered the police assistance, a fact which incited the two offenders to further resistance. It is said that but for the timely arrival of two plain-clothes constables who witnessed the assault while riding on a tram, the other constables would have been injured seriously. Constables Service and Cavanagh, while on duty at a street corner, went to arrest the two men, who, it is alleged, had been behaving offensively to passers-by and using insulting expressions to women. Both were obviously under the influence of liquor, and they immediately attacked the constables. One man landed a heavy blow in Constable Service's right eye, knocking him to the ground ar-.d dazing him for a few minutes. This man then ran away. In the meantime, Constable Cavanagh was grappling with h<s prisoner, who put up a strenuous resistance. Both fell to the roadway, where Constable Cavanagh was kicked several times on the face and body, Eventually he managed to handcuff his prisoner, but no, sooner had he done so than the other lifted his arms and brought the handcuffs down on the constable's head. Although the force of the blow was sufficient to break the lock of the handcuffs, Constable Cavanagh again struggled with the man and finally placed him under arrest. The first man had not gone far away when he was arfested by Plain-clothes Constables Newland and Yonng, who had jumped from a tram and gone in pursuit. He struggled violently and was not subdued until placed in the patrol car. A doctor who examined the two constables found that Constable Service's right eye had been badly cut and bruised, and it will probably be several weeks before he will be able to see with it again. He also bore marks of kicks on the body and arms. Constable Cavanagh was also bruised and cut, and had slight concussion, caused by the blow from the handcuffs.