ALLEGED ASSAULT ON A CONSTABLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8953, 12 June 1907, Page 3

ALLEGED ASSAULT ON A CONSTABLE.

. o KIRK COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. William Kirk, who was arrested on Juno 7 on a charge of having hcem drunk, was this morning brought before Mr V. G. Day, 8.M., at the Magistrate's Court on. a charge of having unlawfully assaulted Constable King, while -in tho execution of his duty, and causing him serious bodily harm. SubInispector Dwyer conducted the case on, behalf of the prosecution. Jeremiah King, constable., said that shortly before 7.30 p.m.. on June 7, ho arrested Kirk in Madras Street on a charge of being drunk. He. walked him along High Street toward* the Police Station, when, on passing the Clock Tower, the accused took a bottle out of his pocket and asked to be allowed to have a drink. Witness refused permission, and Kirk then resisted violently, and made an attempt to hit him with j the bottle. Witness threw Kirk, and jn the fal the bottle broke at the neck. Then, before witness could recover his balance, Kirk struck him on tho head with the broken end, aaid followed this up with several more blows. The bottle caused three wounds in tho upper part of the head, and on© in the cheek, and it was afterwards found ne-ccesary to put in fifteen stitches. Witness sue- j ceeded in handcuffing the aocused, and without assistance placed him in a cab and took him to the lock-up. The house surgeon at the Hospital, said that when admitted to the Hospital on Juno 7, Constable King had a very deep wound in the cheek and also three on the top of his head. The wounds were such, as could be caused by a blow from the broken neck of a bottles. Fifteen stitches were put into the wounds on the head, but they would leave permanent scars. To the accused : The wounds themselves were not dangerous, but they mi?ht # easily have led to serious complications, and tlie. on© on tho cheek might h;;ve caused the loss of the eight of the right eye. A newspaper runner stated that he saw Kirk and the constable struggling, but did not see any blows struck. He went over to the two, and saw that the constable, who was bleeding badly, was endeavouring to handcuff the accused. Tho accused asked if the charge could bo reduced to one of common assault, and on his application beingrefused, declined to say anything. He reserved hLs defence^ and was committed to the Supreme Gourb for trial.