STABBING WOUND IN LEG

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1933, Page 7

STABBING WOUND IN LEG

CHARGE AGAINST HUSBAND

COUPLE’S AFFRAY IN ROADWAY.

POLICE REDUCE MAJOR CHARGE.

SENTENCE OF IMPRISONMENT.

By Telegraph-Press Association. ■- ■ ■ Christchurch, Last Night.

Alexander James Churton, aged 33, i labourer, was charged before Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., to-day with assaulting his ■wife, Betty Churton, so as to cause bodjily harm. Churton had been remanded ; without bail ’ since December 10, when ,‘he and his wife were treated in the i out-patients’ department at the hospital ■for wounds allegedly caused by a knife. ! This morning Dr. McLean gave evidence "that the woman had been suf- ; fering from a stab wound in the leg. Ex- ; tensive bleeding had occurred. Churton had a spiral cut at the base of the third finger of the left hand. The wounds could have been caused by a pocket knife.

; Betty Churton, wife of accused, said : she had not lived with her husband for two and a-half years. She had been , visiting friends on December 10, and when returning her husband met her in ;the road and called out: “You’ve got evidence of divorce. I’ll murder you before you divorce me!” Churton then ■ caught her and dragged her into the ’road. She could not tell what happened then.

Churton, from the dock: You liarl The magistrate told accused to keep calm. ,

■ The witness, proceeding, said that not ! till she felt blood pouring down her leg did .she know that she had been wounded. She had not the slightest idea how the wound was caused. Witness, replying to counsel for the defence, denied carrying a nail file or ever having chased Churton with a knife. Robert D. Berry, who witnessed the struggle in the street, gave evidence that Churton' said later: “Look, she came at me with a knife!” Churton showed a cut in hiS hand. While the pair were struggling a woman called from a house where Mrs. Churton lived: “Give it to him!”

Another witness said that accused had previously threatened to . attack his wife with a knife.

Senior-Sergeant Fox later asked the leave of the Court to withdraw the major - charge, leaving only the charge of assault; To this Churton pleaded guilty, declaring, however, that. he was doifig so only to get the matter* cleared up,’ but that he had not in fact committed the assault.

Churton was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to find a surety of £5O to keep the peace for twelve months. A separation order was made with maintenance of 10s weekly.