Maximum Sentence For Man Who Assaulted Girl

Chronicle (Levin), 9 April 1949, Page 4

Maximum Sentence For Man Who Assaulted Girl

"I am going to teach you a lesSon this time. This sort of conduct towards little chddren is intolerable." These remarks were made by Mr. A. M. Goulding, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court, Levin, yesterday when sentencing Leslie Chartes Ellery, labourer, aged 20 yearS, to the maximum penalty of two months' imprisonment on a charge of common assault against an eight-year-old girl. AGtirig-Sergeant V. G. Arnold( said that the child's parents and two other ehlldren had been at the tennis Courts at the Levin Park Domain on March 1.3, and the three children had gone to the play area across the domain. While there, Ellery had been riding his bicycle nearby and the child had asked hitti for a "double." Ellery had, according to the child's statement takeh her on his cycle and ridden round the track to trees on the western side. The child's mother, becoming worried, had looked for the children and, Upon dnding only two, had been told that a man had taken the child away ott his bicycle. Sergeant Arnold said that Ellery had been before the court on previous occasions. Questioned hy Mr. Goulding, Ellery said that he was living at home With his mother, and that he had left his work recently. He denied certain of the allegations made' but admitted others, He was sentenced as stated above.