ASSAULT CASE AT OTAKI

Chronicle (Levin), 24 January 1947, Page 2

ASSAULT CASE AT OTAKI

LOCAL RESIDENT RECEIVES | COMPENSATION i | At the Police Court, Otaki, yesterday, Messrs. H. Jepson and F. H. , Critchley, J.'sP., presiding, Colin Gordon Withers, of the Hutt, was charged with assaulting Walter Frederick Rusling. Withers did not appear. ! Complainant stated that he was !a farmer residing at Otaki, and that i on December 13- he parked his car j at the inter-section of Arthur jStjieet. Shortly after 10 p.m., on | going towards his car, he saw | Withers at the door of it and asked : him _what he was doing. He approached him quietly, made no jthreat and in fact had his hands jin his pocket. When questioned jthe mdn struck him in the' face, ' giving him a black eye and inflictJ ing other injuries. He had never | seen the man before, and had given J him no provocation: I Constabie W. Calwell stated that I at about 10.20 p.m. on the night in j question he received a telephone i ring and in consequence went to i the scenc. He found complainant j with Mr. Morgan, his son-in-law, (.]iolding Withers down. Withers, • when questioned, said that on the | last occasion he was in Otaki hc j was knockcd down and robbed of I £10, and he was running no risk J again. Thereforc, when he saw a i man approaching him he struck jout. Withers had prevlously beeii j before tlie court. ; Constabie Calwell added that i Withers was liable to imprison- • nient for two months or a fine of ; £10. H a fine was inflicted, cotti|plainant could be awarded a portion of the fine where personal J injury or damage to clothing coulcl I be proved. J A fine of £5 was inflicted, £2 to go to the. complainant.