WOMAN ASSAULTED

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 82, 1 November 1939, Page 5

WOMAN ASSAULTED

CASE AT OPOTIKI NATIVE FINED At the Opotiki Police Court on "Monday morning before Messrs F. J. Short and J. T. Merry, J.P's, Reremoana Grace, a native, was charged with assaulting a woman on 28th. October, by striking her with his fist. Accused pleaded guilty. Sergeant J. Isbister, who conducted proceedings on behalf of the police, stated that defendant, who was married, was 31 years of age, and was a Public "Works employee. \ On Saturday night lie attended a fiance at "YVaiawn to celebrate a wedding T.wo girls from Opotiki were on the verandah of the meeting house, and defendant started to pull one of the ladies' coats about. She asked him to desist. Defendant struck her with his fist and accused ,r was arrested lie said that he had j been under the influence of liquor, but the girls did not think so. About three weeks ago accused knocked out a barman at a hotel. Accused had

no previous convictions. The bench decided to convict accused and took a serious view of the offence. The assault was a cowardly one, and if accused were not a married man with children, the bench would have been inclined to give a term of imprisonment. A fine of £5 was imposed and accused consented to take out a prohibition order.