ATTACK ON BAILIFF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19960, 31 May 1928, Page 13

ATTACK ON BAILIFF.

SERIOUS INJURIES INFLICTED, ACCUSED'S MENTAL CONDITION. EXAMINATION BEFORE SENTENCE. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. | WANGANUI, Wednesday. The circumstances of an attack on John Curran, a local bailiff, were described in the Supreme Court to-day, when Bernard Cor.rov was charged with assault, causing actual bodily harm. Curran, who was for six weeks in hospital, said Conroy came up to him in the street and asked him to go with hiru behind the Y.M.C.A. Building. There, without provocation, accused struck him, knocking him down and inflicting painful injuries. Medical evidence showed that Curran had been struck a blow behind the ear, and the skin and Hesh were torn. The blow might have been delivered by a man holding a glazier's knife in his hand. It was in a dangerous place. Sergeant Sivyer said accused admitted the assault. Accused said that when Curran came up to him he (Conroy) called him a " mongrel," and Curran then attacked him. He admitted that he had ar. old glazier's knife and a paint brush in his hand, but he could not say whether he used them on Curran, as he was very excited. It seemed to witness that accused thought Curran had been following and shadowing him for some reason. Accused, in his evidence, said Curran had been following him about for some time. He admitted striking Curran, but said the latter first struck him with his knee. He had been drinking during the day. Mr. Justice Heed, in directing the jury, sai'd he did not know what view they took of the case, or whether they thought that accused was mentally deficient. Accused evidently got it into his head that Curran was following him about for some considerable time. The Judge did not think the jury would believe anything of the kind. The whole matter depended on whether tile jury were to believe the story of accused or that of Curran. His Honor continued that he had listened carefully for any expression of regret on the part of accused for the injury, he had indicted on Curran, an injury ho would carry to his death, but t'here was not the slightest expression of regret. On the other hand, accused was full of vanity, and boasting, rather, that he got his blows in. The jury returned a verdict of common assault, with a recommendation to mercy on account of prisoner's mental condition. Sentence was deferred until Saturday, and, in the meantime, the prisoner will be mentally examined.