AN AUCKLAND CASE.

Shannon News, 9 February 1923, Page 4

AN AUCKLAND CASE.

WAS THE WITNESS THREATENED ?

" AUCKLAND, •* Last Night. Statements.made by a girl witness in the case in which two women ana a man were charged at the Supreme Court with having unlawfully used an instrument, were mentioned when the case was resumed to.day. Senior-De-tective Hammond gave evidence and. produced a statement made to him by the girl and signed by her. None of the defending counsel elected to crossexamine him. He expressed a desire to make a statement* but His Honor did not think the rules of evidence permitted- • „.■ 1 ' that if the detective had confined himself to stating to the girl the true position, that if, after making a statement as to her part in the affair, she did not make a clean breast of it, she could be prosecuted, bis attitude would not have bee® improper. If the detective had said to her when taking a statement: “You tell the whole truth and we shall not prosecute,” he was quite within his rights. His Honor added that he thought it necessary to make these observations in justice to Detective Hammond. The jury returned a verdict of ; guilty against Jessie Armstrong, Agnes Hill and Oswald Jensen jnr., of using an instrument. The jury recommended mercy for Hill and Jensen. Sentence was deferred. ....