DISTURBANCE IN COURT

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1932, Page 6

DISTURBANCE IN COURT

MUCH'SHOUTING AND ABUSE FORMER PROFESSOR’S TROUBLES. ARREST FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT. AN APOLOGY LATER ACCEPTED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Shouting at the top of his voice, abusing his wife and her solicitor in strong terms and gesticulating wildly, David James Richards, a former university professor, was led out of the Magistrate’s Court this morning in custody for contempt of Court. Richards and. his wife have appeared in the Courts a number of times over matrimonial affairs, and recently separation and maintenance orders made in favour of the wife were the subject of a judgment by Mr. Justice Ostler. Last Monday Richards was charged with being in arrears on the orders made for the support of his wife and child, and after hearing the evidence Mr. Woodward, S.M., adjourned the case until today to allow the defendant to produce a certain statement dealing with his financial position. When the case was called Richards immediately commenced allegations about his wife, and he was warned several times by the. magistrate. The warning quietened him temporarily, but he repeatedly interrupted. At length the magistrate told the Court orderly to take Richards in charge for contempt of Court and take him outside. When Richards was brought back to the Court this afternoon he apologised to the magistrate for his behaviour and again went into the witness box. After hearing him further the magistrate sentenced him to one month’s imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended if he pays £4O, plus current maintenance forthwith, and £5O in August.