SOLICITOR IN DOCK

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 23, 11 February 1937, Page 7

SOLICITOR IN DOCK

-Preas Association.)

Jury Acquits Without Leaving Box NO CASE TO ANSWER

(By Telegraph-

) CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. Walter Robert 0-lliver, solicitor, oi • Christchurch, stood his trial this morning in the.Supreme Court on a charge of causing death by negligently driving a motor-ear. The charge was a sequel to an acci-' dent on September 30 in whieh Olliver'8 ear came into collision with a bicyele xidden by Thelma Agnes Bedford. Miss Bedford died from injuries she received. His Honour Mr, Justice Northcroft presided, Mr. Donnelly prosecuted, and Mr. Sim appeared on the accused's' behalf. On the night of. the accident, said' Mr. Donnelly, the aecused was working late in his office. Miss Berford, an 18-year-old girl, was going home from a danee, Olliver drove a powerful car. Coming along Wilson's road the car came up behind the bicyele and struck it. Both the bicyele and the car showed how severe was the impaet. The girl was found 60 feet past the point of contact and the car pulled up 90 feet beyond that. It was evident, Mr. Donnelly continued, that the girl was xiding towards the centre of the road and was not directly in front of the ear, as the aecused said in his statement. She was outside the line of his lights. The girl was thrown against the windscreen, breaking the safety', glass. Olliver 's eyes were filled with; powdered glass which made them very; sore and inflamed. j "There was a suggestion of drink, ' '« said Mr. Donnelly. . "Police officersj said that there waB evidence of drink1 and Olliver admitted drinking three1 shandies and one sherry before going back to work at night, but two doctors examined him and said he was not under the influence of drink and was in a fit state to drive a car. The Crown relies on evidence as to the speed of the accused's car and evidence supplied by the skid marks and the points where the giri was carried and where jthe car stopped." i After hearing a considerable amount ;of evidence, the jury was directed by JMr. Justice Northcroft that there was ;no case for Olliver to answer, and with|out leaving the box, it returned a verIdiet of not guilty.