ASSAULTED DETECTIVE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 117, 15 February 1928, Page 15

ASSAULTED DETECTIVE

f SHIP’S FIREMAN FINED. “The wife of accused, who is parted from him by a deed of separation, complained to the police yesterday that her liusband told her that if she didn’t go back and live with him he would put a tew bullets through her,” said Chief Detective Ward in the Magistrate's Court yesterday during the hearing of a case in which John William Lewis, a seaman, aged 40, was charged with assaulting Evan Jones, and also with having assaulted Detective Tricklebank during the execution of his duty. Evan Jones, who is a Harbour Board official, said that shortly after 8 o'clock on Monday night he heard some children screaming in a lane off Post Office Square. On his arrival he found accused hitting a, woman. “I said, 'Here, that's enough of that,' ’’ went on witness, whereupon Lewis . turned around and struck me on tiro jaw. A few minutes later 1 saw Detective Tricklebank and told him. When the detective went after accused and asked him his name, the latter wanted to know what it had to do with him. Detective Tricklobank said he was a constable, and accused immediately struck him twice on the chest.” Detective-Sergeant Tricklebank gave corroborative evidence. Lewis stated that he and his wife had been having a few words. His wife’s sister was the cause of the trouble, as she was interfering. “Naturally,” lie said, “the children began to cry. When tho wife's sister was trying to scratch my face Jones walked up and lie must have been struck. I do not remember hitting him. When the detective spoke to me 1 asked him what it had to do with him, as 1 did not know who he was. He immediately Hung me on the ground. I did not strike him at all.” ’ Mr. E. Page, S.M.: I have decided to convict the accused. Is there anything previously known about him? Chief Detective Ward stated that Lewis had been previously before the Court for assault, causing bodily harm. The accused, who is a ship’s fireman on board the Tahiti, was fined £l, in default seven days’ imprisonment on each charge.