RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Evening Star, Issue 3753, 4 March 1875, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Thursday, March 4. (Before J. Bathgate, Esq., R.M., and E. M‘Glashan, Esq., J.P.) Assaulting the Police.— Charles Sinclair ai -\ ■^ re(^ Edward Haxnew were charged with assaulting Constable Conn while in the execution of hia duty at 9.45 p.m., on March o. Both prisoners pleaded guilty.—From the evidence of prosecutor and another witness it appeared that Hamew jumped over from the pit to the stalls of the Princess’s last night, when he was ejected by the constable, who was there on duty. Sinclair then came up and knocked the constable down. Hamew also resisted, and a crowd of persons who had assembled hissed and jeered the police, and incited the men to resist.—His Worship (after referring to the charge); Every good citizen ought to render assistance when called upon to do so, and 1 can only characterise the conduct of those who aided and abetted the parties by assaulting the police by their very presence, and without rendering assistance to the police officer, as cowardly in the extreme. There is a difference of degree here. Hamew was not guilty of an aggravated assault to the same extent as the other, although there is no doubt he resisted the and he and all other must be taught that to resist an officer of the law is a serious offence. The Bench in his case will inflict a penalty of L 5, with the alternative of thirty days’ imprisonment. As to Sinclair—the other prisoner—his offence is of the most aggravated kind. In the case of Hamew he may have been partially intoxicated, and his temper may have got the better of him when interfered with: the other acted in a cold-blooded manner got behind the officer, knocked him down, and kicked him when down. It is a most serious crime, I do not need to say any more, because I am satisfied that what has been stated will carry the sympathy of every right-thinking man with the police officer so assaulted. The Bench have no option but to inflict the full penalty of 1,10, with the alternative of three months’ imprisonment; and prisoner ought to be thankful that he was not sent to the Supreme Court to be tried for the more serious offence The public ought to be warned that any person guilty of inciting to resist the police brings himself within the scope of this act; and I hope the good sense of the people will see it to be their duty to support the police by their action when in the tau* discharge of their duty, I cannot conceive any good citizen standing by and seeing a police officer knocked down and brutally assaulted. The prisoners were then removed. Maintenance.— Jeremiah Dohig was asked on the information of Beuj. Britton, master of the Industrial School, to be made to support his child, an inmate of the school. He was ordered to pay 6s per week.-Richard Lambert, stepfather to Martha O’Brien, also an inmato ot the school, was ordeied to pay 4s per week. In his answer to his Worship, defendant said he would sooner “clear out” than pay anv money -His Worship : Then you will bo brought back by the scruff of the ueck.—Defendant: But I assure you I will go to a place wnere the Colony will never see me again.