A SERIOUS CRIME.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19015, 10 November 1923, Page 15

A SERIOUS CRIME.

YOUNG WOMAN CHLOROFORMED. AYRE SENT TO GAOL. (Pbb United Pseas Association.) WELLINGTON, November 9. George Ayre, who broke into the kiosk at Otaki ami chloroformed a girl, appeared before the Supreme Court for sentence. Mr Justice Reed the prisoner had pleaded guilty to a very serious crime.' If either of the young ladies in the kiosk had ! >een in a delicate state of heal'h accused might, easily have been arraigned on a charge of murder. There had beam considerable deliberation in what the accused, had done. Prisoner was sentenced to imprisonment for one year, with hard labour, to bo followed by detention for two years for reformative purposes. George Ayre, a motor driver and mechanic, was arrested by the police at Otaki on October 13 on a charge of assaulting Misses Cotteroll and Parafa, who are employed at the seaside kiosk. It was stated that, while the girls were asleep, the man effected an entrance to (he kiosk by moans of the fanlight, and made his way to tlw bedroom of the women. Here he applied a handkerchief saturated with chloroform to Miss Panda's face, and, despite her struggles, succeeded in rendering her unconscious by moans of the anaesthetic. Having disposed of her, he then turned his attention to Miss C'otterell. Miss Cotterell, thus rudely awakened, struggled with the intruder, and screamed loudly for help. She succeeded in lighting off her assailant, though by the time help arrived she was almost in a state of collapse. Accused made tile following confession: “I. confess buying from the chemist a. bottle of chloroform while in a depressed state of mind. 1 had a lot of financial worry and business trouble, and had the misfortune' of losing the girl I was engaged to, after going with her for six years, and giving up all my own enjoyment, for her sake. ... I took to drink and gambling'', a thing I never did before, and while in (his state of half insanity 1 went to the kiosk to see my old girl, hut had no intention of doing anybody any harm. I had the chloroform with me, and when I got into tile room I found (here were two girls in the room. I was only going (,-> say good-bye, when something came over me, and 1 went mad and did what I have, i put some chloroform ou one girl’s pillow, and she wont to sleep, and I didn’t know what to do; so I was going to kiss my old girl good-live and go, when she woke up, and, not knowing what to do, I rushed out and left thorn; but I swear 1 had no intentions of doing any .actual bodily harm,”