BRUTAL ASSAULT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 38, 10 April 1942, Page 5

BRUTAL ASSAULT

WIFE-BEATER SENTENCED

INCIDENT AT OIOTIKI

At the Opotiki Police Court, George O. Curtis was charged that on 31st March he did assault his wife. Accused pleaded not guilty. The presiding justices were Messrs f. D. Clark and C. Pipe. In outlining the case Sergeant J. fsbister, who prosecuted, stated it was. one of those three-cornered tragedies and resulted in the wife being violently assaulted. The house was in disorder and there was blood everywhere when the police were called. They found accused's wife and children at a neighbour's house. The wife had been knocked about and had lost a lot of blood. fn lengthy evidence Mrs Curtis told the court her husband had been associating with another woman. Her husband had assaulted her on previous occasions. In describing the assault, witness said licr husband had punched her on the nose. Accused said he did not wish to give evidence in defence but later in reply to a question by the bench, told the court that his wife knocked him about and he did not knock his wife about. Sergeant Isbister! He admitted frankly that he punched his Avifc on the nose. The bench stated that if having the husband at home would result in further trouble the only thing to do was to put accused away for the safety of his wife and children. Sergeant Isbister stated that accused's children had endeavoured to help their mother but had not been able to do anything. In view of the wife's statement that she would not feci safe if her husband were allowed to return home, the bench sentenced accused to 14 days' imprisonment.