GUILTY OF INDECENT ASSAULT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3826, 2 August 1928, Page 3

GUILTY OF INDECENT ASSAULT.

Robert M'Conkey, an elderly man, aged 53 years, whose address was given as Feilding, and occupation that of a. carpenter, made his appearance before Mr. Justice Smith and jury at the Palmerston North Supreme Court on Tuesday charged with indecent assault upon a girl (his step-daughter), at Aorangi on June 30. Accused pleaded not guilty and was defended by Mr. H. R. Cooper (Palmerston North) and Mr. Power (Feilding).

The Court was cleared during the hearing of the evidence and his Honor made an order that details of the case should not be published.

■Counsel addressed the jury and His Honor, in summing up pointed out that the age of the girl did not affect the case. The jury was entitled, if it thought fit, to convict on the uncorroborated story of a. girl but it was always the practice of the Court to warn juries that it was dangerous to do so. His Honourthen proceeded to point out certain facts which, however, might be taken as corroboration. There was also the question of credibility who was telling the truth, the accused or his step-daughter—His Honour directing attention to discrepancies in the evidence of accused and witness for the prosecution.

The jury returned after an hour’s consideration, with a verdict of guilty and M'Conkey was remanded until Thursday for sentence.