CITY POLICE COURT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21300, 2 April 1931, Page 16

CITY POLICE COURT

Wednesday, April 1. (Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) OBSCENE LANGUAGE. James Pullar pleaded guilty to having used obscene language in Cumberland street within the hearing of passers-by.— Sergeant Hall stated that about 10.40 p.m. on Tuesday Constable Beckwith had heard the accused, about half a block away, using the language complained of. There were several* people in the vicinity at the time, and the accused repeated the expressions time and again.—The accused, who pleaded that he was drunk and did not know what he was doing, was fined £5, in default one month’s imprisonment. A SERIOUS CHARGE. - Erie Bain, for whom Mr White appeared, was charged with having, on March 24, wilfully and obscenely exposed himself in Bond street.—Two female witnesses, publication of whose names was prohibited, gave evidence as to the accused’s behaviour, one of them stating that she had seen him acting in a similar manner on March 14. —John Robert Sheddan, manager of the Gridiron Hotel, said that in response to a call from one of the previous he had gone to the window of a room in the rear of the hotel, and had seen the accused in Bond street acting in the manner complained of. The accused then entered a right-of-way at rear of the hotel, but when pursued by witness he had made off up Police street, and was finally caught by witness in Messrs Stedman’s garage, in Princes street. His clothing was then disarranged.—Ronald Jones and Arthur Stuart Macdonald gave evidence of joining in the chase and catching the accused in. Messrs Stedmah’s garage, where they assisted to detain him until the police arrived. Both witnesses noticed that his clothing was disarranged.—Constable Crawford, who arrested the accused, stated that the latter, on being questioned, had given his name as George Hansen.—A female witness gave evidence of having, several months previously, seen the accused sitting in a street in another part of-the city with his disarranged. —With regard to the allegation of, a witness that she had seen the accused exposing himself on March 14, Mr White produced Ferdinand Gurardus Scholten, a resident of Portobello, who testified that he had seen and spoken to the accused at Portobello on that date, especially between 5 and 6 p.m., about which time the offence was alleged to have been committed. —Cross-examined by Chief Detective Cameron, witness said he could not remember what he was doing on March 7 or March 21. He would be surprised if the accused’s wife had told the detectives that the accused had gone to Dunedin on March 14. He could, remember distinctly having seen the accused in Portobello on this date at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, and between 5 and 6 o’clock—A little girl also gave evidence of having seen the accused at Portobello several times during the afternoon of March 14.—The accused, who pleaded hot -guilty,, was committed to' the Supterae Court for trial, bail being allowed in his own of f 100, one surety of a like,, amount or two of £SO.