ASSAULT ALLEGED.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 August 1921, Page 6

ASSAULT ALLEGED.

YOUNG MAN CHARGED. EARLY MORNING OCCURRENCE. Assault on a young married woman was the charge preferred against a young man, Roger N. Sharrock, who appeared before Mr. A. M. Mowlem, S.M., in the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning. The complainant was Myrtle E. Julian. Detective Cooney prosecuted, and Mr. A. A. Bennett appeared on behalf of Sharrock, who elected to be dealt with summarily. The case was unusual in that, according to the story of the complainant, the offence took place in the early hours of Saturday morning when she was on the way home from a dance. She said she left the Workers’ Hall in company with three other young ladies, and walked along Powderham Street as far as Dawson Street, where the other three left Mrs. Julian, wdio continued on towards her home. She alleged that shortly after this she was accosted by Sharrock, who apparently wanted to kiss her, and when she resisted a tussle ensued, in the course of which she was knocked down, and her throat and mouth were injured. When she reached home she told her husband of what had happened, and he informed the police on Saturday morning, and they later arrested the accused. He was afterwards bailed out. The defence was practically a denial of complaimint’s version of the happenings on Saturday morning. Sharrock said that at her request he had agreed to see Mrs. Julian home, and they went along arm in and when’ they reached the corner of Mt. Edgecombe Street some mugging around” took place, to which the complainant was a willing accomplice. He admitted kissing her. According to him she did not object to his caresses, but said they were too near home, and her 'husband might come out arid interrupt the proceedings." In the course of the ''mugging” accused said they were “moving about a bit,” and lie slipped on the damp clay footpath, and Mrs. Julian fell down with him. He did not get his clothes soiled, and could not account for Mrs. Julian getting in nd on her dross. Ho

denied having caught hold of her by the throat, and also said that when they last said “good-night” he saw no sign of her lips bleeding. In reply to the Bench he said he let complainant go home “quite peaceably.” Accused said there were two other couples on the opposite side of the street, and he desired an opportunity of calling the. men as witnesses to confirm his story. He could not. however, say where they could be found, as he only knew them casually. Counsel pointed out that accused had not had much time to prepare, a defence, .and His Worship subsequently granted an adjournment till 2.30 on the condition that accused had no communication with -the witnesses until the police had interviewed them. When the Com/ resumed it was reported that one of the witnesses had been located. This young man, Harold Hardwich, testified to seeing Mrs. Julian and her friends at the Workers’ Hall, and he said he went home with two of [the girls. He. did not know their names. 'He went, together with the two girls iand another young man, whom he also did not know. His party passed Mrs | Julian, on the way, and she was on the i other side of the street, accompanie ' ’ by another girl and Sharrock. Witness j and his companions were afterwards j joined by the girl who was with Mrs. ' Julian. He had not been approached by ■ Sharrock in eonnection with the case, | and the first intimation he had of being j required to give, evidence was when he : was rung up from the police station. He i was sure Sharrock was there. To the Bench: When they stopped at the corner of Dawson Street he did not i sec any skylarking. Mns. Julian and her j companion were with Sharrock on the i other corner. Dorothy Freda Gooday said she and Mrs. Julian, a Miss Coutts, and witness’ sister left, the hall together. They parted at Mt. Edgecombe Street. She did not .see Sharrock. Hardwich caught up with them before they got to Dawson Street. There was no "kissing” going on; “they never even had their arms round us.” said witness. She first hoard that Mrs. Julian had been assaulted when Mr. Julian came down to the house the same morning, just after they had gon.--to bed. Mrs. Julian was not on the other side of the street, as had been stat ed; the party were all together. Evidence on similar lines was given by Alice C.Out’ts, At the conclusion, application was made by Mr. Bennett for a further adjournment to enable another witness (the young man whose name was unknown) to be traced. Counsel contended that, as the whole case would hinge upon the question of credibility every opportunity should be given to accused to state his case. His Worship agreed to the request, and announced that the hearing would be resumed on Thursday morning. Accused would be released on the same bail as previously.