SEAMAN CHARGED

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 427, 7 May 1937, Page 6

SEAMAN CHARGED

SEQUEL TO DRINKING Scene In Auckland Court Press Association —Copyright Auckland, May 6. A* drinking party in which three men and three women were concern- , ed last December one of the men. Frederick Kay Corbett, a seaman, aged 19, being charged before Mr Justice Callan in the Supreme Court to_day with gravely assaulting one of the women. I The charge was of doing actual bodily harm to Elizabeth Rushford, with alternative counts of as.sault so as to cause actual bodily harm and of assault. The Crown prosecutor, Mr V. R. Meredith, represented the Crown and Mr Dickson conducted the defence. Mr Meredith said Mrs Rushford ■ was a widow, 55 years of age. On the afternoon of December 22 she and two other women and three men went to a room in an apartment house with some beer. Her story was that Corbett violently assaulted her, striking her with a beer bottle and trying to choke her. The injuries she rejceivbd were serious. “All Very Drunk.’’ In a statement to the police Corbett said he discovered his watch was missing and lost his temper with the woman when she abused him, said Mr Meredith. When he found she was seriously injured he telephoned for an 'ambulance. Giving evidence on his own behalf, Corbett said he saw Mrs Rushford {slip something into another woman’s bag before the other woman went away. He missed his watch, and when he accused Mrs Rushford of taking it she “came at him.” He struck her very lightly. He denied having hit the woman with a bottle. “She was very drunk.” he said. “We were all very drunk.” The jury returned after an hour to ask what would be the effect of a rider asking for the. utmost leniency on the ground that Corbett had acted under provocation. His Honour said the word provocation had not been helard before in the case and the jury should consider very carefully before using it. Provocaton was not a legal defence. Selfdefence was one thing and provoca. tion was another. After two hours the jury returned with a verdict of not guilty, and the emot.onal scene which this started among women in the Court had to be suppressed by orderlies. Corbett was discharged.