CITY POLICE COURT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18508, 20 March 1922, Page 9

CITY POLICE COURT

Satuhdat, Makch 18. (Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) A Warning Resented.—Alexander Miller was charged with unlawfully assaulting, Andrew Speers Robinson on Tuesday of last week.—Mr Irwin appeared for the accused, and pleaded "Guilty.”—Sub-inspector Eccles said that this was an ordinary case of assault. Robinson, the complainant, was the caretaker of First Church, and was standing at night outside the church when defendant and a young woman came along and sat down under a tree. Robinson went up to them and said, “This is ro place for you.” Defendant rose up and struck the caretaker on the back of the left ear with his fist and knocked him down. The caretaker closed with him, and there was a struggle, in which the caretaker’s clothes were torn. Robinson went away and summoned a constable. The subinspector understood that accused’s previous character had been good.—Mr Irwin said that his client did not know the caretaker, and might be pardoned for thinking that he was someone spying on them. In proof that he thought ho had done no wrong he waited when the caretaker went away until he brought a constable. He hud hitherto borne an excellent character, and publicity in this case would be an exceedingly serious matter for him.—The magistrate said it was unfortunate that Robinson did not make it. quite clear at first that he was speaking with authority. If he had done so the assault would have been a much more serious thing. As it was. there was something to be said for accused’s idea that this was some busybody interfering. He would be fined £3 and witnesses’ expenses (10s), with the alternative of 14 days’ imprisonment, half the fine to bo paid to Mr Robinson. —Mr Irwin asked that publication of the name be prohibited. Mr Bartholomew said it would be very unfortunate if publication had the result suggested by counsel, but this was not the class of case in which the court agreed to prohibit publication. The same argument could be used in very many other oases. “Gore to Pieces.”—A youth appeared to answer a charge of indecently exposing himself to a female on February 14 last. He had previously been before the court, when he pleaded guilty, and elected to be dealt with summarily.—Chief-detective Bishop said that during the Past nine months they had had manv complaints from different parts of Dunedin of offences of this kind. The youth had made a state ment covering a good many of those. At the time of his arrest tlm detective who was watching him in the Woodhaugh_ Gardens -saw him deliberately expose himself on three or four different occasions as women came along. He seemed almost like a lunatio. His parents were verv respectable people.—Mr F. G. Gumming handed in a report, which, he said, bore out the statements in the doctor’s report. It was quite clear that the youth had gone completely to pieces. He came from an excellent home, and his people were almost broken-hearted.—The vouth was convicted and ordered to be detained for reformative treatment for a period of three years.—Mr Bartholomew said this was a typical case in which the publication of the name should be prohibited., It was more a mental than a criminal case.