MOTORIST ASSAULTED.

Otago Witness, Issue 3828, 26 July 1927, Page 54

MOTORIST ASSAULTED.

SEVERE PENALTIES IMPOSED. AUCKLAND, July 22 Three men who attacked a motorist who had been courteous and forbearing to them yesterday in Victoria street, learnt their lesson in the Police Court to-day. The men were George Wells, aged 33,' William Daniel Aitchison 29, and AVilliam Laurence Bowler 37. They were charged with assaulting the motorist and his aged mother. Wells alone pleaded guilty. The Complainant said that when he was driving down Victoria street the three men stood in the middle of the road and made no effort to got out of witness’s way. Ho had difficulty in avoiding them. When ho had passed them they called out. and, thinking that one of them might have walked into the back of the car. he pulled un and went back. The men became abusive, and Wells, who wanted to fight, knocked him down. He got up and pinned Wells by the arms, but one of the other men felled him again. The ol<l lady, who examined the accused closely in the box, identified Aitchison as the man who had struck the blow. Bowler, the only one of the accused to give evidence, said that fie was sober, but the other two were drunk. Wells faltered and the car nearly struck him. “I thought the motorist came back fo apologise,” ho said, “but instead of that he was like a Jack Dempsey, looking for fight.” Aitchi=on. from tho dock, admitted- that he and his companions were a “little bit noisy.” “Would you make the fine light?” he asked tho magistrate. Mr W. R. Al'Kean, S.AL: There might not bo a fine. Wells, who had a list, was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment, and the othc* accused were each fined £5, in default on 4 month’s imprisonment.