A NIGHT RIDE IN A GIG.

NZ Truth, Issue 997, 3 January 1925, Page 12

A NIGHT RIDE IN A GIG.

Alleged Attempted Rape Plea of Not Guilty. (From "Truth's" Palmerston North Rep.) The doors of the Palmerston North Magistrate's Court were closed when a young man named John Lionel Perrin, aged twenty -five, came forward on remand to answer a charge of having attempted to rape a young woman at Fitzherbert on November 25. The name of the girl was suppressed as far as publication was concerned. So were the names of all the witnesses. The story of the alleged crime as told by the girl herself from the wit-ness-box was a peculiar one. She is a big girl of twenty summers, and wore big spectacles under a black felt hat. She had been out from. England not very long, and was apparently npt acquainted with the wicked ways of the Dominion when she met Perrin and arranged to go out with him. She had. been working m an outfitter's estab-" lishment, and had, she said, only met the yo.ung man on two previous occasions. However, he had stopped her on her way from the post office, and suggested a night appointment m a gig. She was averse to a gig, also re-*, fusing to walk with a man. She therefore understood that she was to be taken to some place of amusement when Perrin agreed to be at the corner at 7.30 p.m. % When she turned up at the appointed place, the accused was not there, but later came along, driving a horse and gig. She was so astounded that she asked: "What have you brought that thing for?" Finally she stepped m. Perrin drove the gig over the Fitzherbert Street bridge, thence out on the Lin ton Road. After, a while he turned the horse's head around and they began to come back. Instead of keeping to the straight homeward road, the young man turned into a short lane called Cliff Road, the end of which had been washed away by the river, preventing anyone getting far down m that direction. After the horse had been stopped, Perrin became somewhat familiar and placed his arm around the young lady's waist. She resented this, however, and told him she did noj; like it. He persisted-. She threatened to scream. He said that "she could scream, for nobody would be able to hear her." The witness detailed the unwelcome and rough attentions of Perrin, and stated that she struggled violently. After a while his manner' changed, and he desisted. Finally, a move was made* towards home. Her evidence with, regard to the homeward journey was not quite' clear. First, she stated that when they got near home Perrin asked her to go out Avith him again, and she agreed; later she said that she suggested the second meeting, because she wished to get her father to go with her to catch Perrin and thrash him for his conduct. When she got home, she said, she told her mother and sister all about it. In reply to Mr; Ongley, the girl-stat-ed that it was 8 o'clock when the gig arrived at the ]on«ly road, and it was 9.20 p.m. when Perrin began to become really troublesome. During that time they had sat m the gig and talked — nothing else. '■■ , Mr. Ongley: Now, is it not a fact that you were both "smoodging" during the time and along the road m the gig?— rDecidedly not. Could you not have got out of the gig after he had tried to kiss you earlier? — I pushed him away, and said I did not like it. Did you not think there was another couple close by at that time? — Yes, I thought I heard someone, but it was not a couple. If you thought it was a couple why did you not scream when this man became familiar? — It was not a couple at all. • Mr. Ongley: You did not know that. Evidence was also given by the mother of the girl, and by a doctor, who told of bruises. One of the Palmerston North detectives also related having interviewed Perrin after information had been given. Perrin alleged that the girl was a full consenting party to : any evil intention which he had m mind. Up to a certain stage she consented, and then she became hostile. Anything that had been done had been with the consent of the girl, and she had been willing to meet him on a subsequent evening. The accused pleaded not guilty, reserved his defence, and was committed to the Supreme Court at Palmerston North for trial.