WILFUL DAMAGE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16662, 16 February 1925, Page 3

WILFUL DAMAGE.

HOTEL WINDOWS BROKEN

Following an argument with the licensee outside “the Royal hotel shortly after midday yesterday, a middle-aged man, William Gcorge.Ry.au, deliberately broke three panes of glass in the windows of the hostelry. The accused wiii subsequently arrested, and this morning appeared before .Messrs A. G, Beere am] H. H. Wall, J.’sP., at the Magistrate’s Court, charged with causing wilful damage to the extent of £7 to the property of Joseph John Martin. The accused pleaded guilty. Senior-Sergeant Fitzpatrick stated that, the accused had gone to the Royal hotel yesterday afternoon. According to the licensee the accused wanted drink, and when this was refused he broke the windows. The accused gave as„ his reason that Mr. Martin had accused him of consorting with persons of ill-repute. He had previously been convicted of a breach of the peace. Be was a stranger to the town, had no work*, to go to, and no fixed place of abode. Under the circumstances it would he useless to give him time to pay. The Bench said the accused was liable to a fine of £lO, or three months. He had admitted' the offence and would haveto make good the damage, in default one month’s imprisonment.. He would bf, given time to pay on,condition that lie reported regularly to the police.