A COWARDLY ASSAULT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12755, 26 September 1919, Page 8

A COWARDLY ASSAULT.

OLD SOLDIER INJURED. DECORATIONS OBJECTED TO. A cowardly assault on a British naval reservist resulted in the appearance of William Watts, alias Herbert Richard Watts, alias William Green, before Mr S. E. M'Carthy, 5. at the Magistrate’s Court today. Accused was charged on the information of Robert Napier Wickham that he did on September 8, at Christchurch, unlawfully assault and beat the complainant. . Mr Johnston, who appeared for the complainant, said that the offence was rather an aggravated one. The complainant was a British naval reservist. When the war broke out he at once made his way Home and joined up with the Imperial forces. H© had rcpeived_ many decorations for bravery in various parts of the Empire., including the Royal Albert Media for saving life at sea. Viscount Jellicoc, at the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the Returned Soldiers’ Club in Christchurch, conversed with the complainant and congratulated him on his record- On Monday, at about 6 p.m., counsel continued, complainant was waiting for a tram at the corner of Cashel and Colombo Streets. The defendant, with another man, passed him there and, referring to the parade of the returned soldiers on September 6, said; “You’re the old who was wearing all the medals. You had them all on.” / Complainant said he didn’t want to argue about the matter. He was only wearing decorations which he was entitled to wear. The defend dant then walked on, but returned in a few minutes, and without any provocation struck the complainant a. violent blow. Complainant was unable defend himself, as he was loaded up" with parcels, under each arm. As a result of injuries to his eye through the assault he had had to stop away from work for three days, losing 13s a day. It might he urged said Mr Johnston, that the defendant was drunk at the time he committed the assault, but he should be taught that he could not go about behaving as he liked. Sir Cassidy, on behalf of the defendant, admitted th© offence. The defendant, he said, was a Main Body man. He had been wounded and shell-shock-ed in France. He did not remember anything about the assault. Counsel suggested that a fine would meet the case. The accused’s name was stated by Mr Cassidy to be Herbert Richard Watson Green. The Magistrate said that the only way to recompense the complainant for the loss of time he had incurred would be to inflict a fine on the defendant, and order half of it to be paid to the complainant. Defendant was convicted and fined £o, half this amount to b© paid to th© complainant. Defendant was also ordered to pav costs amounting to £1 13s.