ASSAULT ON CHILD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20736, 2 December 1930, Page 14

ASSAULT ON CHILD.

HEAD STRUCK WITH BOTTLE.

NINE MONTHS' DETENTION. COMMENT BY THE JUDGE. []IY TELEGRAPH. —rRESS ASSOCIATION.] DUNEDIN. Monday. Sentence of nine months' reformative detention was imposed upon Stanley Redvers Buller, who appeared for sentence ill the Supreme Court to-day on a charge of causing actual bodily harm to Maureen Joan Hall, aged six. In the course of the Magistrate's Court proceedings it was stated that accused rented a room in tho house of the child's parents, and on tho evening of October 16, when the child was asleep in bed, he entered her room and struck her on the head with a cider bottle, causing a compound fracture of the skull, from which she recovered only after two operations. Accused pleaded guilty. Mr. Justice Kennedy held to-day that when accused struck the girl he was fully responsible for his act. Medical evidence was given that accused showed no signs of insanity, but that the crime could he attributed to drinking prior to the offence. The Judge said accused was fortunate in not being charged with murder. Tho true explanation of his conduct was that he had struck the girl to spite her father. Although it was some hours since accused took drink, his mind at the time was apparently in an irritable condition. Jt. might be said in accused's favour that when he thought he had murdered the girl he immediately went to the police, and their timely assistance may have saved the girl's life.