COATS'S DEFENCE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 66, 9 November 1931, Page 3

COATS'S DEFENCE

(Press Assn.-

TRIAL CONTINUED ACCUSED'S COUNSEL ADMITS BURIAL OF GIRL SYMONS "FOUND AT BOTTOM OF TIP"

— By Telegraph — Copyright).

WELLINGTON, Saturday. The trial of George Coats for the alleged murder of the girl Phillis Symons, entered upon its sixth day this morning when the case for the Crown was coneluded, and the defence opened. Resuming his evidence Chief-De-tective Murray produced a second statement made by accused who said the girl left him on the night of June 26. He aceompanied her up Adelaide Road nearly to John Street. The girl then told him she did not want | him to go further and he left her. She did not say who or where she was going to. He gave her 10s. In. a third statement to witness, accused said he might have told De Maine and Glover that he had tapped Phillis on the back of the head, and that while she was unconscious he had performed an illegal operation on her. It was all said in a joke. It was true he told Glover that if Phillis did die there was a place at Hataitai where hundreds of tons went over every day. Said It Jokingly He left Glover to draw his own conclusions, but he said it jokingly. Witness said that throughout his association with accused, there were occasions when Coats began to tremble violently and exhibit signs of nervousness. Chief-Detective Murray's evidence coneluded the case for the Crown. Counsel for the defence said he proposed to call evidence. In opening his case he said the country was about to hear for the first time the aceused's explanation. In this respect the case was perhaps unique. He asked where was the necessity for Coats wanting to get rid of the girl. The Crown's case was wholly inadequate in this respect. Coats was a working class young man. The lives of the two together were happy. The evidence was that they were extremely fond of each other. The girl became depressed for various reasons and she frequently expressed an intention of ending it all. One thing that prevented her from doing it for a long time was the fear that Coats would be implicated if she died a violent death. Idea of Suicide. It was suggested that the- girl conceived the idea of suicide at Hataitai when Coats one night related the incident of a dog being buried there. On June 26 the pair went for a walk. She guided their steps to Hataitai. After sitting on a sack at the tip the girl got up and, missing her for some time, Coats looked around and found the girl at the bottom of the tip. Coats was stunned for a moment and thpn, knowing where a shovel was, he feverishly dug a hole and buried the girl. Coats lost his head because of the position "he thought he was placed in, Counsel suggested that the girl had tied the scarf around her head to prevent her seeing where she was going. Doctors for the defence would say that in their opinion the injuries Were due to a fall and not to a weapon. The evidence for the defence will be heard on Monday. At the conclusion of counsel's address the court adjourned until Monday.