“I’LL CUT YOUR THROAT.”

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 191, 13 August 1931, Page 9

“I’LL CUT YOUR THROAT.”

Barrington Street Assault Case. ATTEMPT TO ROB GIRL. Daring attempts to rob a young girl, with a threat to cut her throat if she screamed, were made last evening, by a man who accosted her on three separate occasions, once in Cashel Street, and twice in Barrington Street. He was only defeated in his object by the arrival on the scene of passers’by. The girl, a waitress employed in a city restaurant, was waiting for her tram at Cashel Street on the first occasion. A tall young man got off his bicycle in frc.it of he*, and asked her if he could take her home on the bar of his bicycle. It was shortly before nine o’clock, and as there were several people standing about the girl took no mistaken her for someone eLse. She notice of him, thinking that he had was confirmed in this assumption when he turned from her as she stepped out to catch her tram and spoke to another girl who was standing there. Tram Men to Resuce. The girl gave no further thought to the matter until her tram, No. 2, came to her stopping place, Barrington Street. She got out, and walked across the bridge over the Heathcote. She had just got into the dark on the other side when suddenly she was seized from behind. She screamed in fright. Two tram men ran towards the spot, and the man whom she now recognised as the one who had accosted her at Cashel Street corner, let her go, and springing on his bicycle, made off. The tram men accompanied her to the first corner, then left, thinking that she would not further be troubled. Grim Threat Made. She was not much further along the street, however, when from a paddock at the side sprang the same man and again seized her, saying at the same time, “I’ll cut your throat if you scream.” He had taken off his coat and was attired only in a shirt and trousers. Shaken by her previous experiences the girl could do nothing and stood silent while he took from her her purse. There was nothing in it, and flinging it away, he took from her her coat and shook it, but again found nothing worth taking. Want Money Desperately. ‘ I'm out of work. and I want money desperately,” he said. “Can’t you find some better way of making it than by following and robbing defenceless girls?’’ asked the girl, when, down the road, were heard approaching footsteps. The man let go his victim’s right wrist, which he had been holding all the time, and held her by the throat, placing his hand over her mouth. “Scream again, and it will be the 1 worse for you,” he said. For a time [ they stood silent and the footsteps I came nearer on the other side of the ! street. Suddenly the girl broke free and managed to call out “Help” before she was again held. The footsteps were heard to hurry and the man. dropping the girl’s coat in the middle of the road, made off. A Lonely Street. The girl had nearly collapsed when i the woman, whom they had heard approaching, came up to her, and it was with difficulty that she was got home. Iler brothers went out in search of the man, but were not successful. The part of Barrington Street where the girl was attacked is very lonely and dark at night, and several times this year girls returning home at night have been molested there. The lighting is in places poor and on either side of the road are paddocks. For a time after previous attempts the place was watched, and the same precaution will probably be taken again. Fortunately, the victim on this occasion escaped serious hurt, though she was still in a nervous condition this morning.