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ASSAULTING A REFEREE.

CASE AT ELTHAM. | Levi Bunn was charged at the Magistrate's Court, Eltham, yesterday, before Mr. W. McKcan, S.M., witli having, on July 31, at Kltliam, assaulted Joseph HcnW Thompson. Mr. P. O'Dea appeared for defendant, who pleaded not guilty. Joseph Henry Thompson, land agent. Stratford, said'ho was appointed referee for the football match played at Kltliam on July 31. He had occasion to warn Bunn for rough play during the first spell. When about to take the field after the interval he heard Bunn distinctly use the words: "Three hoots for the referee!" He asked Bunn to repeat the words. Bunn replied: "What words?" and witness repeated them. Witness turned to those present und asked them if any of them heard Bunn use the words. Two, at least, replied that they had. He then turned to Bunn and told him that he was disqualified for the remainder of the game, and ordered him off the field. Witness heard two words, "Take that," and received a violent blow which rendered him unconscious for ten minutes. When he regained consciousness he was lying out in the sun at the grandstand. He did not retaliate when struck. He could not put anything in his mouth for two days afterwards; His mouth was bruised and lacerated inside. Ulcers which troubled him for a week resulted from the blow. To Mr. O'Dea: He had refereed for a good many years. He had refereed in 'a senior match last year. He was fairly conversant with the rules, and had not given 13 free kicks against TCltham consecutively at the match. He remembered the Stra'tford-Inglewood match in July, but did not remember an altercation with a man because he had favored Stratford. He had never been accused of cribbing yards for the Stratford team. He had accused Bunn of dirty play. He had, on the same day, spoken to a Stratford player about irregular play; also another Eltham player.

Witness said the match was hard to handle, and he was hooted by the spectators. The only man who attempted to keep the crowd back was the Eltham policeman. Mr. O'Dea: The words used by Bnnii of which you complain were used at half time. Had you any control over the game then? —A referee had control till, he thought, midnight. Ernest Coutts, a membev of the Stratford team, and J. Butcher, an electrician, gave corroborative evidence. Constable Townsend, called by Mr. O'Dea, said that there was hooting during the first spell, and he thought it was for the referee. A number of consecutive free kicks were awarded Stratford, all in twenty-fives. There was no hooting of the referee in the second half;

Bunn, defendant, said he was captain of the Eltham team at the beginning of the year, and had been a footballer for ten years, during which lie had never been warned. There was feeling shown at the match, and this was the result of the "dirty treatment" they had received at Stratford. Some of the players were so disgusted with the rcfereeing at the Eltham match that they were nearly walking off the field. Thirteen free kicks were given Stratford consecutively, and he had never heard of such a thing in whole experience, It was a spectator, not witness, who had used the words, and- when witness was spoken to about having used the words he denied it. Thompson hit him and knocked him off his balance. Witness then struck Thompson. A Stratford player thereupon struck witness and knocked him down. To Constable Townsend: In the circumstances, he could not help hitting Thompson, but what he did was done on the spur- of the moment. Thompson was seen to strike witness by members of the Eltham team and spectators.

Joseph Scoon, builder, Baid lie was line umpire at the match. The trouble during the first spell was due to the number of free kicks given by Thompson. He could swear that Bunn did not use the words attributed to him by Thompson. He saw Thompson grab Bunn by the shoulder and strike him on the chest when telling him to go off the field. He was the nearest man to them. William H. Walsh, cheesemaker, of JCaponga, and a member of the Eltham team, gave similar evidence. James Morgan, clerk, and Walter E. Rowlands, cheesemaker, also gave corroborative evidence.

The Magistrate said there was not the slightest doubt that the assault took place. The referee was struck very severely, and there was nothing to justify BWin's action. He did not think that Thompson had struck Bunn. Defendant must be convicted and fined £2 2s with costs.

ANOTHER CASE. Edward Wallace McCullough, Stratford, farmer, was charged with having assaulted Levi Bunn at Eltham on July 31. Mr. L. M. Moss, who appeared for defendant, pleaded not guilty, and asked the Court to dismiss the case as an assault which was justified under the circumstances. He admitted the facts and the assault, and submitted that any man in McCullough's position, seeing Bunn's assault on the referee, would have acted as he had. McCullough was a clean young player, and the union had taken no action in his case. It was not a premeditated assault. The Magistrate intimated that an assault had been committed, and he could not overlook it. Mr. Moss asked for leniency, and the Magistrate said lie would inflict a nominal fine of 10s without costs.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19190904.2.82

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1919, Page 8

Word count
Tapeke kupu
904

ASSAULTING A REFEREE. Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1919, Page 8

ASSAULTING A REFEREE. Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1919, Page 8

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