ASSAULT CHARGE

Southland Times, Issue 25641, 7 April 1945, Page 2

ASSAULT CHARGE

ACCUSED TO GO TO SUPREME COURT (P.A.) AUCKLAND, April 6. Stating that he thought it would be wrong for him to deal with the case, Mr J. H. Luxford, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court declined to sentence Douglas Wright, aged 36, a labourer, who pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting a girl aged three years. Detective-Sergeant Aplin said the child involved live in Freeman’s Bay. During her mother’s absence she was left in the care of her sister, aged 12. During the afternoon a woman noticed the three-year-old girl sheltering from the rain in the door 6f a warehouse near Victoria Park. The accused was seen talking to the child and later to take her into Victoria Park, where there are some disused army huts. The woman followed the accused and the child, but lost sight of them. Seeking assistance, the woman found Wright and the child behind one of the huts. Wright immediately ran away, but was. chased by the woman, who eventually got the driver of a van to detain him. “The little girl was not injured, but it was only the prompt action taken by the woman that probably saved the child from a very nasty experience, added Detective-Sergeant Aplin. “Wright has a rather formidable list of previous convictions. He was discharged from prison on license in February.” Wright had nothing to say. “I think it would be wrong for me to deal with this case,” said Mr Luxford. “There is power for the court to decline to deal with it. On the facts as stated I think it would be wrong to let this man go with two months’ imprisonment, which is the , maximum sentence for such an offence.” The magistrate remanded the accused until Thursday next, when depositions will be taken for the purpose of having Wright dealt with by the Supreme Court.