ASSAULTED POLICE

Hokitika Guardian, 26 January 1932, Page 6

ASSAULTED POLICE

TIMARU RESIDENT SENT TO GAOL. TIMARU, January 2:3. “Defendant knows that drink lias got him into trouble originally and he chose to take liquor and assault bis wife and fight the police,” said Mr C. R. Orr Walker, S.M., in sentencing Edward Fitzgerald to one month’s imprisonment on a charge of assaulting the police. On a further charge of procuring liquor during tile currency of a prohibition order accused was fined £5 in default one month’s imprisonment. A third charge of assaulting his little girl was preferred, but there was not enough evidence to convict and the case was dismissed. Senior-Sergeant Mathicken said that Constable Devlin bad visited Fitzgerald’s home about 6.45 p.lll. on Friday evening in response to a message. Tie found Fitzgerald knocking lii.s wife about. Fitzgerald violently assaulted the constable when ho attempted to arrest him. He kicked the constable on the shins and struck him in the face. Constable Anderson was sent to assist and was bitten on the wrist by defendant.

Eupliemia Fitzgerald, wife of defeiident, stated that her husband was kicking her when the constable arrived on the scene the second time. Witness said that she had put the children to bed and went to a neighbour’s for a

few minutes. On returning, one of the children said that her daddy bad bit her on the face. Thorn "'as no bad feeling between herself and her Imshand except when he was under the influence of drink.