ASSAULT CHARGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22833, 14 September 1937, Page 11

ASSAULT CHARGE

INCIDENT IN SHOP ARREST AT ROTORUA ACCUSED GRANTED BAIL [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN COnitKSrONDF.NT] ROTORUA, Monday As a sequel to an incident in a butcher's shop at Koutu, about one mile from Rotorua, on the evening of September 8, when the occupier of the premises, H. Solomon, was struck several times on the head with a blunt weapon .as he was entering the premises in the dark, Thomas Chaplin, aged 48, a labourer, to-day appeared in the Rotorua Court before Messrs. W. L. Richards and 0. H. Colemen, J.P.'s, charged with assaulting Solomon so as to do him actual bodily harm.

Chaplin was arrested on Saturday by Detective-Sergeant J. Thompson, of Hamilton, who prosecuted, while Mr. Hampson appeared for accused. Detective-Sergeant Thompson, in asking for a remand until September 20, said tho police desired to make further investigations.

Tho application was opposed by Mr. Hampson, who said he was ready to proceed with tho defence, which would show that at tho time of the alleged assault there was a third man on the premises.

The remand was granted, whereupon Mr. Hampson asked for bail. DetectiveSergeant Thompson objected, pointing out that accused was facing a very serious charge, which he was fortunate was not actually a capital offence. It was not desirable that Chaplin shonld be allowed out on bail.

Mr. Hampson pointed out that Chaplin was a well-known member of the Rotorua community and that he was not likely to abscond; also that the victim of the assault was now out of hospital, practically completely recovered from his injuries. The Bench decided that Chaplin should be released on bail on his own recognisance of £SO and two sureties of £IOO each.