"PEEPING TOM” SCARE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 678, 1 June 1929, Page 6

"PEEPING TOM” SCARE

ARREST IN INVERCARGILL SETTING A POLICE TRAP INVERCARGILL, Friday. A middle-aged married man, who was represented by Mr. T. Meredith, pleaded not guilty in the Police Court today to a charge of having been found on enclosed premises by night without any lawful excuse. In asking for a remand, counsel stated that defendant had assured him he had good reason for being on the premises, and counsel had advised him to call witnesses. Counsel asked for bail and for an order suppressing the name in the meantime. Senior-Sergeant Fox stated that the alleged offence was regarded by the police as a typical “Peeping Tom” case as far as defendant was concerned. Constable Nesbit had received a complaint from a woman in Ettrick Street stating that, on the freshly-dug ground outside her sitting room window, she had noticed tracks. Complaints of a somewhat similar nature had been received from four sources over a widely-scattered area.

It had been arranged that on Thursday evening a watch should be kept on the house. A daughter of complainant agreed to sit in the sittingroom and the blind was purposely left slightly askew. Constable Nesbit waited from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. The constable would say that he saw a mail sneaking up to the window. He looked into the room, first on one side and then on the other. Scores of women could not sleep on account of their fear of “Peeping Toms.” The senior-sergeant mentioned that St. Helens Hospital was a favourite haunt of Such people, and complaints had been received from the matron. It did not follow, however, that accused had offended before. Those circumstances should be taken into consideration when bail was being considered.

The magistrate granted an order suppressing accused’s name in the meantime, and allowed ball for £25 on accused’s own recognisance, and one surety.