CORPSE ON MOTOR CAR

Evening Star, Issue 19664, 17 September 1927, Page 9

CORPSE ON MOTOR CAR

DRIVER SENT TO PRISON. Driving a motor ear through the streets of Portsmouth, a London commercial traveller knocked down an old man, and carried the body on the bonnet for a distance of COO yards. When the discovery was made on his arrival at a garage, he exclaimed, “Whats Hie man doing thcro. J hat sho doing on my car?” There was a sequel to _ino ocouircncc at Winchester Assizes, when Neil Kcninoro APKcnzio, aged fortylive, commercial traveller, was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment for tho manslaughter of John Henry Noel, aged seventy-two, of'High street, Portsmouth. “I know I have killed a iran, and I shall never forget it, was the prisoner’s dramatic expression to g, police officer when lie was under detention on the charge. For the prosecution, Mr Ernest Charles, K.C., explained that prisoner was seen in an hotel shortly bet ore the occurrence, and showed indications that he was under the influence ol drink. A. witness saw Noel in the road, and observed prisoner’s car hit him and drive on. Continuing his journey, prisoner pulled up and asked where the nearest garage was, and a man told him that it was a good joo ho was near a garage ns ho did not look capable of a car much further. AVhcn MTCenzie got to the <mragc an attendant called his attention 'to tho fact that there was tho body of a man on his car, and ho replied as stated. When the police began to remove tho body prisoner stood nonchalantly leaning on another car \vith_ his hands in his pockets. So much did he give the impression of not being sober that ho was not allowed, as ho desired, to drive the police to the Guildhall, but was taken in a taxi-cab. _ There was a man in tho car with him who was drunk, bub be got out and walked away. Several witnesses spoke as to prisoner’s condition, and Dr Fisk gave evidence that the cause of death was a fractured skull, deceased’s head having come into contact with the motor horn, on which were blood and hair. Prisoner, in the witness-box, declared that he had only live glasses of beer on the day in question. He was going along the street at a speed ol about fifteen miles an hour, when he felt a bump, and, coining near a light, ho pulled up and saw something on the wing of the ear. Realising that it was a man, ho became terribly upset, and did not know what to do for a minute, so ho drove to the garage for help. Ho was perfectly sober during the whole of the time. Dr Maybury, who was police surgeon, at Portsmouth at the time, gave evidence of examining prisoner on the night in question. He put him through tho usual tests amU came to the conclusion that he was not drunk, neither was he under tho influence of drink, and was quite fit to have charge of a motor car. Tho jury, after half an hour’s deliberation,' found prisoner guilty, with a strong recommendation to mercy on account of Ids previous good character.

Mr Justice Avery, in passing sentence, intimated that ho look into consideration the jury’s recommendation.