TWO CHILDREN SHOT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26559, 6 September 1947, Page 7

TWO CHILDREN SHOT

MURDER CHARGE PREFERRED LONDON, Sept 4. The hearing begun at Guildford of what is known as the ‘ babes in the wood” murder case, in which Frederick Alfred Smith, aged 21, a window cleaner, is charged with murdering Leslie Gaff, aged nine, and his sister, Eileen Gaff, aged seven, m the Manor Woods at Guildford on July 25 oi 26. The Prosecutor, Mr E. G. Robey, said a search party found the two children in the wood. Leslie was dead, having been killed by a rifle bullet fired from behind. Eileen was seriously injured, and was lying a few feet away. She died in hospital as a result of extensive injuries to the head. The inference was that she had been bludgeoned by the butt of a service rifle. Evidence would show that the accused possessed such a rifle. , . Mr Robey said Smith, in a statement at the police station after his arrest, described how he first met the children, and they agreed to go shooting later with him. Smith said the affair was an accident. As they were walking through the woods he stumbled and his rifle went off. “ The boy fell forward and the girl started screaming. I do not remember what happened after that. I must have had a blackout or something. The next thing I knew I saw them both lying on the ground. I hurried away and pushed the gun in some bushes, got my bicycle and ladder and went and cleaned the windows of a house.” The prosecutor said the alleged statement was negatived by a number of points: The rifle was not liable to accidental discharge; the cartridge, after shooting the boy through the head was ejected from the rifle by pulling back the bolt; a fresh cartridge had been put into the firing position. The prosecutor added that there was no motive for the murder and there was no evidence of indecent assault on either the boy or the girl. Smith reserved his defence and was committed for trial at the next Assizes.