DRANK TOO MUCH AFTER THE MATCH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18468, 21 May 1928, Page 8

DRANK TOO MUCH AFTER THE MATCH.

ACCUSED MAN HIT CONSTABLE AND USED OBSCENE LANGUAGE. Albert Kay went to a football match, on Saturday afternoon, and later on he celebrated the success of his team. As a result, Kay appeared in the Magistrate’s Court this morning before Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., when he ' pleaded guilty to charges of being drunk in Cathedral Square on Saturday night, assaulting a constable in the execution of his duty, and using obscene language. A charge of wilfully damaging a taxi-cab was withdrawn by leave cf the Court. Accused was fined 10s and costs, in default twenty-four hours’ imprisonment, on the first charge, £5, in default one month’s imprisonment ,on the second, and he was convicted and discharged on the third. Sub-Inspector Fitzpatrick said that at 6.15 on Saturday evening accused was sitting on a seat in Cathedral Square at the rear of the tram shelter. He was in a disgusting state of drunkenness. Constable Hyland saw him and placed him under arrest, but accused resisted violent!}*, striking and kicking the constable, at the same time using obscene language. While being placed in a taxi, accused did a good deal of general damage. Altogether, it was a disgraceful scene as there were a number of people about at the time. Mr Batchelor, who appeared for accused, said that the case was a most unfortunate one. Accused went to a football match on Saturday afternoon, and his team were successful. After the game, accused and a number of others adjourned to a hotel, accused eventually becoming very drunk. Liquor affected him more than it did other men, because accused suffered from the after-effects of shell shock and other war injuries. Accused had no recollection of assaulting the constable, and he had since been in the cells. The whole thing was' due to drink. Since his return from the war, Kay had been unable to get a permanent position until eight months ago. “I hope your Worship will be as lenient as possible with accused,” continued Mr Batchelor. “He should not drink at all. Although it is rather unusual in this sort of cases, I wish to make an application for the suppression of accused’s name. If it is published. he will lose the only permanent position he has been able to get since the war. I can assure you, sir, that if the name is published he will lose his job.” The Magistrate: Probably a better man will get it. (To the sut>inspector:) Was the constable injured? The sub-inspector: Well, sir, he was knocked about, though he is showing no signs of the assault to-day. The Magistrate: An}' man who deliberately knocks a constable about will receive no leniency from me. /

The application for suppression of the name was refused.