GIRL ASSAULTED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18254, 24 November 1933, Page 6

GIRL ASSAULTED

ODD OFFENDER GAOLED Sentence of one month’s imprisonment was passed by Mr. E. L. Walton, S.M., in the Police Court this morning on a middle-aged man, Robert Blair Stewart, alias Robert Fraser, who pleaded guilty to. a charge of assaulting a girl aged 10 years. A further charge of vagrancy was withdrawn, on the application of Senior-Sergeant Wade. Senior-Sergeant Wade stated that tin” case was somewhat out of the ordinary, and the accused could really bo charged with indecent assault. He proposed to call the girl in order tnat the court might determine whether the accused should be dealt with as on a case of common assault or aggravated assault.

After evidence had been given by the girl, who stated that the accused had pinched her several times, the senior-sergeant submitted that the evidence was sufficient for the case to be dealt with as ono of aggravated assault.

Mr. S. V. Beaufoy, for the accused, contended that an aggravated assault did not appear to have been committed. The position was that- there had been a number of children about at the time, and the accused had been skvjarking with all of them. Counsel admitted that the accused had a formidable list of previous convictions, but drew attention to the fact that the accused had pleaded guilty and had directed that the girl should uot be cross-examined in order that she might not be humiliated. The offence was not one of a sexual nature.

After further discussion, the magistrate said that the ease would be met if the accused were Sentenced to one month’s imprisonment.