POLIGE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 39, 15 February 1905, Page 5

POLIGE COURT.

THIS DAY. (Before Mr. S. E. McCarthy, S.M.) Drunkenness.—Joseph Jennings was fined £ 1 and costs for drunkenness, and two first offenders were fined 10/ each and costs. Another firet offender forfeited a sovereign bail for neglecting to appear. i Remanded.—William Watkins', charg. ! ed on remand with committing rape upon a child at Kaihu on July 9, 1898, was again remanded for eight clays ; upon the application of Chief Detective Marsaek, who said the principal witness for the prosecution was at present unwell. A Shocking Charge.—A young man ! named Victor Henry Simmonds was charged with committing a criminal assault on a boy on January 9th, and i a repetition of the oiTeriee on February !7th. Chief-Detective Marsaek prosecuted, and Mr J. R. Lundcn defended. .The principal witness for jbhe prosecution in the first case was a boy of 7, who said that he and an older boy were accosted in the Domain on the morning of January .9th by the accused, who asked them to help him in gathering ferns. They went into the bush, ■and the elder boy deposed that he was sent away by the accused. He saw thp. ac(Vised tie a handkerchief around his companion's face, and heaxd him | scream. He then ran away frightened, i Dv. Murphy, who examined the prosecutor at the instance of his parents, gave evidence that he found indications in support of his statement that a grr.ve offence had been committed. The little boy's injuries were dangerous at the time, but )# had now recovered. The accused's solicitor crossexamined the witnesses closely as to their ability to identify the man, and the prosecutor Eaid he picked him out at once from amongst six men. He noticed that he had a cross tattoed upon his wrist. Detective MeMahon stated that the accused had a cross tattooed on his left hand. He tried to rub it out in the cells. Accused pleaded not guilty, reserved his defence, and was committed for trial. The evidence in the second charge was being taken is we went to press.