BRUTAL OFFENCE

Evening Star, Issue 22444, 15 September 1936, Page 11

BRUTAL OFFENCE

GIRL DISFIGURED ACID THROWN IN FACE Telling him that he had shown by his conduct that he was “ an ungovernable brute who ought to be flogged,Mr Justice Lawrence, at Leeds Assizes, passed sentence of 22 months’ hard labour on Walter Oldroyd Hodgson, aged 24, a sapper in the Royal Engineers, for throwing acid in the face of his sweetheart. “ In my opinion,” His Lordship went on, “ prolonged punishment does not seem to be suitable for a case of this sort, particularly for a young man such as you are. In my view, for an offence of this sort—a cowardly, brutal offence ■ —you ought to be flogged. Unfortunately the law does not provide for this.” Miss Marjory Taylor, aged 22, of Leeds, the victim of the attack, was disfigured for life, explained Mr G. H. B. Streatfield, in outlining the case for the prosecution. She was engaged to Hodgson in September, 1935, but at Easter this year he broke off the engagement and took back his ring. Notwithstanding this, the couple continued on affectionate terms, and went out together. From time to time, however, Hodgson taxed the girl about her alleged friendship with another man. In May, besides threatening to stick a knife into Miss Taylor. Hodgson began suggesting that he might throw corrosive fluid over her and blind her. While out walking with the girl Hodgson dipped his finger into a bottle of fluid which he had in his pocket and touched her on the chin with the liquid. “ That is just to show you what it feels like,” he declared. Some time later the couple were out at night, when Hodgson again made reference to 11 the other man.” At the sr le time he produced a bottle |)| fluid, and taking off Miss Taylor’s

spectacles, remarked: “ You won’t need these when I have done with you.” Following a struggle, Hodgson threw some of the acid into the girl’s face. Pleading for leniency, Mr H. Hylton Foster, defending, pointed out that Hodgson had no conceivable grounds for any suspicions concerning the girl, but unfortunately he allowed the idea to prey on his mind until it became an obsession. _ “ Hodgson,” Mr Hylton Foster continued, “ has already suffered severely for what he has done, for he has disfigured for life the woman he loves best in the world. He still loves her and wants to marry her, but I doubt if she will have him now.” Hodgson was sentenced as stated.