SUPREME COURT

Southland Times, Issue 24440, 21 May 1941, Page 3

SUPREME COURT

TRUE BILLS IN TWO CRIMINAL CASES

True bills were returned by the grand jury in each of the two criminal indictments presented when the quarterly session of the Supreme Court in Invercargill opened before his Honour Mr Justice Kennedy yesterday. The following grand jury was empanelled:—William Aitchison (foreman), John Norman Armour, George Cottell Batchelor, Frank Herbert Bath, George Robert Brown,' William Alexander Brown, Arthur Charles Carman, Albert Cundall, Daniel Bernard Ferry, Percy Frampton, William George, Christian Carfrae Lange, Hugh Lindsay Hamilton Mair, Ernest John Mills, Hugh Morrison, John Mcllwraith, Ernest George Preddy, Maurice John Royds, Henry Prescott Semmins, Henry Ellis Thomas Sutton, John Robert Edward Sutton, William Clarke Torrance and Charles Trim. “The list for your consideration today is a short one,” said his Honour in his charge to the grand jury. There were two charges involving two persons. One was a charge of indecent assault on a girl and the other was a charge of supplying a noxious thing, knowing it to be used to procure a miscarriage. The indecent assault was alleged to have been committed by a father on his own daughter. His Honour said he apprehended that if the evidence came out before the jury as it had in the lower court it would warrant it deciding there was a case to answer and it would find a true bill. In the second charge the evidence would be that a man and a woman were keeping company, that intimacy took place and pregnancy resulted. There would be evidence that certain pills were supplied to the woman and that certain statements were said to have been made by the man. Here again the jury would probably find there was a case to answer justifying an accused person being brought to his trial. The grand jury returned true bills against Robert Stevenson Brookland of indecent assault on a female under 16 years of age and against Leonard Wilson of supplying a noxious thing with intent to procure miscarriage. ACCUSED FOUND NOT GUILTY The Crown then proceeded with the charge against Brookland, of indecent assult. Mr H. J. Macalister prosecuted for the Crown and Mr L. F. Moller represented the accused, who pleaded not guilty. The following common jury was empanelled: Albert Matthew Sparks (foreman), George Robert Sutherland, Eric Basil Rout, Alexander Ross, William Erskine McLean, James Morris Wilson, Colin James Lyon, Leo Joseph Poff, Lionel Arthur Moody, _ Murray Hugh Robertson, Thomas Wilson and Frank Kennard Mason.

After a hearing occupying the greatei part of the day, the jury retired at 4.40 o’clock and returned at 5.25 o’clock with a verdict of not guilty.