STONE OR BOTTLE?

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1735, 5 September 1919, Page 11

STONE OR BOTTLE?

A RACE-NIGHT ASSAULT. A charge of having committed an assault that caused actual bodily harm was preferred against Lewis Rowlands (Mr P. P. J. Amodeo) plumber of Islington, at the Magistrate's Court this morning, before Messrs P. H. Christian and W. H. Norton, J.P.'s. The person assaulted wm George Neville. It was alleged by the police that accused had thrown a stono at Neville and knocked him unaensciotm. The stone which was pttwtoeed in court was a heavy one with a sharp edge. George Neville said that, on the night of July 26, 1919, he and some other men were in the vicinity of the Racecourse Hotel, Riccarton. The accused wa,s with them. They were arguing about racing but no rows occurred. Therefore witness could ascribe no reason for Rowlands picking up a stone and hitting him on the side of the head with it- He was rendered unconscious by the blow. To Mr Amodeo: He could not say that he actually saw Rowlands throw the stone.

Stanley Frederick Gardiner said he saw accused apparently throw something at Neville, but he did not actually see the missile go through the air. Constable Worsley, of Islington, produced a statement that accused had made. In this statement Rowlands said he had got mixed up in a row outside the Racecourse Hotel. Neville had aimed a blow at hi* -head. He struck back, but did not hit anyone. He then ran away and was chased by Neville and another man. He turned rqund and threw a half-empty bottle of whisky at his pursuers. He saw Neville drop. To Mr Amodeo: Accused was a quiet and inoffensive man. He had come to witness and told him about the affair.

Mr Amodeo suggested that the charge should be reduced to one of common assault, so that accused would not have to go up to the Supreme Court. His client would plead guilty to a charge of common assault. The Bench decided to reduce the charge. The- accused denied that he . had thrown a stone. He had thrown \ the whisky bottle in self-defence. Mr Amodeo asked that accused should not be sent to prison as he had a wife and family to support. A fine of £5 and costs was inflicted, two months being allowed for the payment of the money.