YOUTH CHARGED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26635, 4 December 1947, Page 6

YOUTH CHARGED

JUBILEE PARK INCIDENTS APPEARANCE IN CHILDREN’S COURT The masked man who menaced women with a knife in Jubilee Park on Noyember 10 and 21 'admitted the offences in the Children’s Court in Dunedin, yesterday when he appeared before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M. At the request of the child welfare officer for Otago, Mr E. W. G. Thorpe, the youth, who is 16 years of age, was remanded m custody for a week so that he could be medically examined. \ Chief Detective T. Y. Hall described how • the youth threatened a young woman walking through Jubilee Park about 1.30 p.m. on November 10. Menacing her with a knife, he tried to force her to enter the bushes with him at the side of the pqth. The youth did not assault the woman when she refused, said the chief detective, but she was greatly distressed when she left the scene.

On the second occasion the youth wore a mask, and his hat was pulled low over his face, Mr Hall continued. Jumping from the bushes, he pointed his knife at a woman, hoping to rob her, as he was short of money at the time, being unemployed. He had been unable to keep several jobs during the year, and his parents could not control him. *

“This young fool has caused considerable worry to the citizens of Dunedin, especially the women,” the chief detective concluded.

The child welfare officer described the youth’s behaviour as erratic, and said that something had to be done to protect the public. At his request, the case was adjourned for a week so that the youth could be examined by Dr Malcolm Brown.