DEATH ON A ROADSIDE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21520, 17 June 1933, Page 3 (Supplement)

DEATH ON A ROADSIDE

MOTORISTS GIVE NO AID Criticism of a woman motorist and her passenger for not giving assistance to a youth found on the roadside was made at an inquest, at Wisborough Green. Sussex, recently. The youth, Wilfred Cooper, aged 19, of Midhurst. was found dead by his motor-cycle on a Saturday morning. Reginald Spencer Davies, a barrister, said that he was a passenger in a car driven by Mrs. Nora Nicholls. They noticed a man lying by the roadside as they were going to a bouse nearby for a hunt meet. He went to Cooper and asked if? he wanted help. He got no reply and formed the opinion that the man was under the influence of drink, as he seemed asleep and snoring heavily. They went on, but did not give information to the police. Mrs. Nicholls said it was suggested to her to let the man lie and " sleep it off." The Coroner: You were looking for .voir own sport, in fact, when this man was left lying . The jury returned a verdict of " Accidental death " with no evidence to show how the man fell off his motor-cycle, and added a rider that Mr. Davies and Mrs. Nicholls should be censured. The coroner said he thought the rider was justified. It seemed a matter of humanity not to omit rendering aid or giving information. Mrs. Nicholls: I resent that imputation. We were one of many cars, and we were the only one which stopped. We made a tragic mistake as it happens.