ATTACK ON WOMAN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22247, 23 October 1935, Page 16

ATTACK ON WOMAN

TRIAL OF A YOUTH ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE ACCUSED'S MENTAL CONDITION; [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION'] DUNEDIN, Tuesday The trial of John Haig Roebuck, j aged 16, on a charge of attempting to, murder Mrs. Isobel Lindsay Henderson, at Tapui, North Otago, on August U : was continued in the Supreme Court to-day before Mr. Justice Kennedy.l There ara also alternative charges ofi wouiiding Mrs. Henderson with intent; to do grievous bodily harm and assault.j iug her so as to cause bodily harm. The evidence yesterday showed that, Mrs. Henderson was attacked with a butcher's knife while asleep and was seriously wounded in the throat. Sergeant McGregor, of Oamaru, -said he heard accused tell a detective that he was responsible for Mrs. Sender-, son's injuries. Accused said, "I don't; know what made me do it. I have been a silly young fool." Then lie began to cry, and said: "It is a good thing she did not die. It is a relief to tell you: and get it off my mind." Witness said' he did not notice anything abnormal in! the conduct or manner of accused. Statement to Detective Detective 'Thoftas, of Timaru, gave, evidence that he told accused he jiuspected him and accused admitted he| had attacked Mrs. Henderson, but saidj he did not intend to kill her. Some-) thing came over him he said, which! made him do it. He was sorry for whatj he had done. Accused seemed to be| quite relieved to tell the story of what had occurred. This closed the Crown's case. Mr. Swindley, for the defence, t;aidj the evidence for the prosecution was! not disputed. The only question the) jury had to consider was whether thej accused was, in a legal sense, sane ati the time. He submitted that the uvi--dence not only favoured insanity, but could not be reconciled on any otherj basis. The action of accused was highly! consistent with the fact that he did not know the nature and quality of; his act. The previous evidence of the woman attacked and others had revealed that accused had no grievance against her, and that he was attached to his employers. Evidence of Mental Disorder ,j Professor Shelley, of Canterbury Col-! lege, a psychologist, stated that from his examination of accused he concluded that he not only did not understand: the nature of his act but also tras unconscious of it. Tiiis as due to gradual dissociation, which came after accused awakened from sleep. Dissociation was a mental disorder. Witness believed there was partial dissociation due to a complex strongly; associated with the break-up of ; ao-! cused's home and feeling toward an aunt, this being linked up with the most violent action of the previous day's experience, Vl namely, the slaughter of sheep. According to witness' investigation, the breaking through of that complex to normal consciousness occurred with the scream of Mrs. H(inderson. .. . ~ -•:£ The trial will be continued tomorrow.