FOUND GUILTY ON SERIOUS CHARGE

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 66, 9 June 1927, Page 1

FOUND GUILTY ON SERIOUS CHARGE

YIELDED TO IMPULSE TRIAL AT HAMILTON (From Our Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, To-day. Henry Morris, a married man and ex-policeman, stood his trial at the Hamilton Supreme Court yesterday, on a serious charge, before Mr. Justice Herdman and a jury. He was charged with attempted rape at the Tokaanu Mental Hospital where he was head gardener. Evidence was given that in February last the girl’s parents, who resided in a house on the asylum property, went for a trip to Auckland, leaving their 17-year-old daughter and little son in the house and arranging for a girl friend to sleep there during their absence. Morris, who was a friend of the family, called at the house on the morning of February 2 and after offering the girl a basket of fruit, which he had never done before, he seized her and a struggle ensued. A neighbour appeared while the struggle was proceeding, and Morris bolted. All witnesses agreed that the girl was respectable and good-looking, accused himself testifying to that. Prisoner stated that when alone with the girl he yielded to a sudden impulse to kiss her, and put his arm round her, assuring her that he meant no harm, but on the arrival of a neighbour he bolted. The jury returned a verdict of guilty, with a recommendation to mercy. Mr. Allan Moody, who appeared for prisoner, stated that accused had a perfectly clean record, and the girl had suffered no harm.

His Honour said he would take this point, together with the jury’s recommendation, into consideration. Pending the probation officer’s report, he postponed sentnece until Friday.