A SEAMAN’S TROUBLES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24738, 15 October 1941, Page 7

A SEAMAN’S TROUBLES

CHARGE GF DRUNKENNESS AN UNUSUAL DEFENCE An unusual defence was advanced in the City Police court yesterday by a young man—a first offender —who appeared before Mr H. J. Dixon, S.M., and pleaded not guilty to a charge of drunkenness. The defendant, a seaman on a coastal vessel, had been admitted to the Hospital after being arrested, .and had been discharged only that morning. His explanation to the court was that on the night of his arrest he had gone ashore to find a friend. He went to an hotel, where he thought his friend might be, but his search was unsuc-. cessful. His troubles began when he refused to stay the night at the house of a stranger who accosted him. When he left the hotel about three hours later this man struck him a blow on the head and bundled him into a motor car, and he later found himself in what appeared to be a garage, surrounded by five other men. There was a brief struggle, and his recollection of subsequent happenings was somewhat hazy What he did remember was that he had wakened up in the Hospital having his head shaved. The magistrate said he was satisfied that the defendant was drunk, and pointing out that he was fortunate in not having been charged with being unlawfully after hours on licensed premises, convicted and discharged him.