Horrible Assault

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 96, 28 August 1923, Page 5

Horrible Assault

OLD MAN INJURED.

Per Preis Association. Christchurch, August 27. The trial of Thomas Brown, aged forty-five, charged with wounding William Coombs, aged sixty live years, at Methvoa, on May 2, with, intent to cause grievous bodily harm, was commenced in the Supreme Court to-day. The Crown Prosecutor said there was no doubt as to bodily hair.; having been done. It was a particularly horrible act. Coombs was employed, by Mrs McGurr, who was holding a clearing sale on May 2. Coombs was under the influence of liquor and ho wont away from the sale with Brown in a gig. On the road Brown took out his pocket knife and wounded Coombs in a certain place and throw hun out on the road. It wa-S a grave and dreadful offence, and it was incredible that any man would commit injuries of that nature on himself. Brown said to a constable that the old man must have done it himself at the whare on Mrs MeCarr's tsate and said “You will find blood stains on the floor.’ 5 The police were not satisfied that the stains U’ioile blood, but thought that they looked like marks of a dog’s paw. In the left hand comer of the gig, on the other hand, there had been a pool of blood. A certain class of individual with ■ perverted instincts found gratification in committing an offence of that character on other people; they were very rare, but instances were distinctly known, although at was difficult to account for them. Permanent injury had been done to the old man.

Coombs, in evidence, said: “I struggled with him until my strength failed. Ho then took out his pocket knife and nut me. I yelled out blue murder and cried ‘for Hod’s sake don’t' kill me.’ He chucked me out of the gig and said; ‘You you, bleed to death.’ Those were the last words I heard him say.”

Mr Hunter, for the prisoner, said Coombs’ story wasi one of the most improbable ever told in court. It was (impossible for the offence to have been committed in the manner described by Coombs.

. The jury found prisoner guilty Sentence was deferred.