CALLOUS CLERGYMAN

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 559, 16 June 1933, Page 7

CALLOUS CLERGYMAN

FAILED TO STOP AFTER KNOCKING DOWN CYCLIST. CASTIGATED IN COURT. "Callous in the extreme," was the comment of the Ch'ief Constable of Oxford on the eonduct, after an accident, of the Rev. Arthur Dyfrig James, a master at Christ College, Brecon. J It was stated that after knoeking | down and badly injuring an elderly i cyclist named james Salter, in Oxford, James stopped about 80 yards furth'er on, but did not go back. He then drove on to an hotel, garaged his car, and went to the pictures. He .found the police waiting for him on his arrival back at the hotel. He denied knowing anything ahout an accident, but later, it was alleged, he said: "I'll be honest with you .and tell you the truth," making a seeond statement, in whieh he said that he felt a jolt. P.C .Miller told the magistrates that James several times denied that he had an accident, but later made the remark about telling the truth'. ) Hub-Cap in Churchyard. In the witness-box, James denied that he had lied to the police, or that he h'a.d made the. statement ahout being honest with them. i He also denied that the hub-cap, ^ torn from one of the wheels of his , car by th'e impact with the cyclist, ' - whieh was af terwards found in a ' churchyard near where he stopped, was put there by him. . . . IR'eplyirig to the chief constable, h'e declared: "I have not lied — at least, not consciously. j "With regard to the first state- | ment it was not until I was halfway thrpugh it that I connected the acci- ! dent. witli the jolt I felt. | . "As soon as I recolleeted the incident I told the constable I wanted to make another statement, and asked that the first should. be destroyed, be- ' caiise I realised' that, in the circum- ! stanpes it would be damaging." j , james , was fined £2 2s for failing to; stop after- an accident and £2 2s for careless driviiig. A summons for driving dangerously was dismiss'ed.