ALLEGED INDECENT ASSAULT

Matamata Record, Volume III, Issue 162, 8 December 1919, Page 2

ALLEGED INDECENT ASSAULT

Accused Committed to Supreme Court. Before Messrs. >l. Brice and H. AY. Similes, J.B.’s, at the Matamata Police Court on Thursday, a youth named Percy Albert Parker, aged eighteen years, was proceeded against by the police on charges of assault with attempt to commit rape, and also with indecently assaulting a girl, thirteen years of age, at Turangaomoana, on Monday, November 24. Detective Cooney conducted the case for the police, and Mr. 11 utcliison appeared for the accused. The charges were heard with closed doors. The detective stated that the facts were brief. The accused was working a team of horses, and molested the girl while she was getting the cows in. UL’he girl struggled hard, and was then struck by the accused. She screamed, and was struck moio blows, and her underclothing was disarranged. The girl, whose face was still disfigured, in evidence, said that, on November 24 she rode towards the hack of her father’s farm to get the cows in—about a-quarter of a mile. Whilst bringing the cows home the accused approached and said one of the horses was in the drain. She said she would go home and tell her father, hut he pulled her from her horse and draggl'd her into the swamp. She diiYnot remember much more. She screamed and the accused, punched her more than once. She was-not on very friendly terms with Parker, and this was the first occasion on which she had been for the cows. She was dragged about lialf-a-chain after being pulled from her horse.

The father of the girl said the accused had been in his employ for about eight months. On the evening in question he thought his girl was away rather long, and he went after her. He found her lying stiytched out on the ground. He thought she was dead. She was able to say that Parker had pulled her off her horse. Her nostrils were bleeding, her eyes were blackened, and her cheeks were swollen and black. The place where he found the girl was about 50 chains from where the accused was working. Later in the evening, when they were looking for the accused, he called out to witness and Messrs. Harding to “ come and take me.” To Air. Hutchison : Most oHlie bruises were about the girl, when found was unable to give a collected statement as to what had occurred. AVhen the men "went to get the accused he fell down as though he had fainted. Witness could not say whether he was shamming or not. The mother stated that her daughter told her that accused said he would cut her throat if she did not keep quiet. He also said he would throw himself in the river.

Sydney Harding gave evidence that after the assault accused admitted in his presence that,lie had interfered with the girl s clothes, hut that was all, except that he had struck her in the face. Accused said that it he had had a gun he would have shot himself.

Dr. Little deposed that he examined the girl, but beyond the bruises on the face he could see no other marks of violence. He considered the injuries must have been caused by many,punches. The girl would probably have been unconscious for five or ten minutes as a result of the blows. Constable Murphy said lie had visited the locality where the assault was alleged to have been committed. The marks where the girl had been dragged—about fifty yards—were visible on the grass, and over a hank. He found a safety pin, which accused admitted was similar to the one he used to fasten his trousers.

Constable O’Brien, who arrested accused, slated that next, day Barker asked after the girl’s condition, and said he must have been mad.

Senior-Sergeant McKeef'rey, of Rotorua, submitted a signed statement, which accused had •voluntarily made in the liolorua gaol. Tu tiie statement, he admitted the .assault, but said rape had not been committed. lie said he hit the girl to make her stop crying out. When he saw the girl could walk hi l uon I hack to his work. Continuing, the senior-sergeant said he suggested to the accused, not really knowing at the time, that lie had been thieving. Accused replied: “No. worse than that, I’m charged with rape.” He said he would not deny what he did.

Accused pleaded guilty to indecent assault charge, and was commit tod In the Hamilton Supreme Court for sentence. The charge of attempted rape was dismissed.