UNGRATEFUL TRAMP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23501, 16 May 1938, Page 10

UNGRATEFUL TRAMP

LIFT OF ONE HUNDRED MILES WOMAN DRIVER ASSAULTED (Per United Press Association) ROTORUA, May 14. “ This is a deplorable offence, and you are an ungrateful scoundrel. You were walking along the road out of work, tired and hungry. This kind young woman came along and gaye you a lift for 100 miles, and then you endeavoured to interfere with her. Is that the only gratitude you can show? ” said Mr W. L. Richards, J.P., who sat with Mr O. H. Coleman, J.P., when sentencing John Robinson, alias Desmond Halliday, a labourer, aged 19, with no fixed abode, when he appeared in the Rotorua Police Court this morning charged with assault on a married woman, of Whakatane and attempting to steal £4 7s 6d in money, the property of the complainant. The accused pleaded guilty to the charge of theft and not guilty on the assault count. He was represented by Mr J. F. Keane. Senior Sergeant E. J. Carroll, who prosecuted, said that Mrs Coburn was motoring from Taihape to Rotorua, and at National Park she saw the accused on the roadside. She offered him a lift, and after proceeding 100 miles and when about one mile on the Taupo side of the Waiotapu Hotel, the accused without warning suddenly turned off the ignition and took the keys. In evidence Mrs Ccburn described the efforts made by accused to assault her, stating that he threatened first to strangle her and then to shoot her unless she consented to do what he asked. Realising the danger she was in, witness played for time by attempting to bribe the accused with money, but without avail. Just as he dragged her from the car another car appeared round the corner, and the accused made off into the scrub with the keys. He later appeared and said, “You win.” The motorist took the accused to the Waiotapu Hotel, from which the police were informed, and the accused was later arrested and taken to Rotorua. Ernest Nutall Willoughby, of the Public Works Department, Tauranga, who drove along the road shortly after the incident, also evidence, stating that he took the accused to the hotel to await the police. Police evidence was given by Constable James J. Quirke, who obtained a statement which the accused refused to sign. The defence v/as a denial of any attempt at indecent assault, but merely an attempt to steal money. The Bench stated that was not the case. The accused had another motive. Senior Sergeant Carroll; Don t you think you are a cad the way you behaved to this woman who had been so good to you? Are you not ashamed to call yourself a man?

The accused: Yes. After hearing the evidence the Bench amended the charge to aggravated assault, and sentenced the accused to three months’ imprisonment. He was convicted and discharged on the charge of theft.