A SERIOUS CHARGE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5072, 7 January 1927, Page 2

A SERIOUS CHARGE.

CARNAL KNOWLEDGE ADMITTED. YOUNG MAN COMMITTED. The Paeroa Police Court unfortunately commenced its year’s work with a serious case. On Wednesday, before Messrs A. J. Andrews and H. J. Hare, J’s.P., a young man named David Laing (Mr Porritt), a stranger to Paeroa, appeared on remand to answer a charge of unlawfully carnally knowing a loc.at giri aged .15 years and 4 months. The offence was committed at Paeroa on the night df December 27, following a visit to the pictures. In evidence, the girl stated that she had met the accused for the fiijst time during the afternoon before the evening on which the offence took place. The girl, who appeared quite unbashed, and looked older than her age, gave her evidence 'freely, and at length. Evidence was also given by the complainant’s mother, a local doctor, and Constable McClinchy. The accused, aged 23 years, stated in his evidence that the offence was really the outcome of a mutual arrangement. He judged the girl to ba older than she was. Evidence was also given by the father o'f accused, and also by a friend of the family, testifying to the pUevious unblemished character of the young man.

After the evidence a plea of guilty was entered, and accused was 'committed to the Supreme Court at Auckland for sentence. Bail was allowed in three sureties, himself of £lOO and two of £l5O each.

Mir Porritt, applied for the suppression o'f accused’s name. Constable McClinchy pointed out that magistrates throughout Now Zealand were adverse to ordering tjie suppression of names where serious changes were involved.

The Bench agreed that publicity should be given to such matters as a deterrent to crime. It wals, not, advisable to suppress the accused’s name and the request would not be acceded to.