Evening News, Thu 21 Feb 1924 1
GIRL’S PERIL
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SALACIOUS YOUTH
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A BUSH EPISODE
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A well-dressed young man, Martin Richard Pola (22) pleaded not guilty at Kogarah Court yesterday to a charge of having behaved indecently before a 13-year-old girl at Sylvania on February 2.
The girl stated that accused asked her to go into the bush with him.
Mr ER Abigail, for the defence, urged the bench to take into consideration the fact that the man had not even plied placed his hands on the girl, who was accompanied by a younger child.
Mr McMahon, SM: On the evidence it was an attempt to induce a girl to into the bush for a certain purpose. The history of these cases shows that a man does not attempt violence, unless he is absolutely mad with passion, until he has lured his victim away.
Pola was sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment. 2
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St George Call, Fri 22 Feb 1924 3
KOGARAH POLICE COURT.
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Wednesday, 20th February.
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(Before Mr McMahon, SM.)
Martin Richard Pola (22) was sentenced to six months with hard labour for wilfully and obscenely exposing his person in Belgrave Street, Sylvania.
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Truth, Sun 24 Feb 1924 4
PROWLING POLA ALLEGEDLY
ACCOSTS LITTLE GIRL
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SIX MONTHS' GAOL METED OUT AT KOGARAH—
SYLVANIA INCIDENT — REMAND ON SECOND
CHARGE.
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“NEVER COMMITTED INDECENT ACT”
A Sentence of six months was the reward of a young man who visited the Kogarah Court on Wednesday, as the direct result of a prowl about Sylvania on February 2.
An intelligent thirteen-year-old little girl told the court of a harrowing experience, and left no room for doubt that Kogarah district is still a favored resort for sex cranks.
Martin Richard Pola was the name of the accused, who was charged with behaving indecently. His age was given as 22, and he was described as a builder’s labourer. Pola is not a local lad, but came from distant Paddington on the day he found himself in the clutches of the law.
The child who was subjected to the suggestions of a foul mind, said she understood the oath and was duly sworn before giving her evidence.
She said that she was walking along Belgrave-avenue, Sylvania, from her home, after lunch, and the accused came into the middle of the road towards her. She went to the side of the road, but he followed closely, came up to her, and stopped her.
He asked her where Cubitt’s-road was, but she said she did not know.
“I WON’T GO.”
At that stage the accused acted in a blackguardly manner and endeavored to entice the girl into the bush, but she replied, “Dad’s coming along the road, and I won’t.” She ran to a neighbors place, and there told a woman of her experience. The woman called to Pola, and he came over, but denied that he had accosted the girl. The father of the girl also arrived on the scene, and, on being told of the girl’s story, rushed at Pola and tried to hit him but missed. Pola said, “They say it is me, but it was not, so help me God, it wasn’t.”
MISSING “TED.”
Anyhow, the Kogarah police were ’phoned, and Constable King met the punt as it reached Tom Ugly’s point, coming from Sylvania.
He arrested Pola and asked him some questions. Pola denied the girl’s, charge, and said that he had come to Sylvania to pick blackberries with a chap named “Ted”. He did not know his other name or where he lived.
Pola elected to give his version in the witness-box, and said that he had never committed an indecent act in his life. He was healthy and single.
The girl was recalled, and, among other things revealed that she had a baby walking by her side when she was accosted by the accused, and made an unwilling witness of his obscenities.
Mr Abigail thought his client should be given the benefit of the doubt, but the Magistrate, Mr McMahon, said that he could not do other than convict on the evidence. He did; and ordered a six months’ stay in Long Bay Gaol for Pola.
Pola has appealed.
It was significant that on the same day Pola was arraigned on a I charge of a similar nature, alleged to have taken place at Kogarah Bay, earlier that morning.
He was remanded until next Wednesday.
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St George Call, Fri 29 Feb 1924 5
KOGARAH POLICE COURT.
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Wednesday, 27th February.
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(Before Mr McMahon, SM.)
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Martin Richard Pola, of 107 Lawson Paddington, was charged with and obscenely exposing himself in Park Street, Kogarah, on 2nd February. Mr Les Gannon who appeared on behalf of Mr Abigail asked for a further postponement for a week, as an appeal lodged in a similar case last Wednesday, in which the defendant was convicted in this Court—a conviction to-day might prejudice the appeal in the other case. The police objected to the remand, and the case was proceeded with.
Constable Percy George Hale said that about 6 pm on 2nd February, in company with Constable King in the yard of the Kogarah Police Station, he saw the defendant, and said to him “You answer to the description of a man who exposed his person to two girls in Park Road, Kogarah, this morning.
Defendant replied “What me. I never spoke to two little girls there, I may have spoken to one.” Later defendant was lined up with eight other men for identification, and was identified by Jessy Hillingworth and Eva McIntosh. Defendant admitted speaking to the girls, but denied exposing himself to them.
Constable King gave corrobative [sic] evidence.
Ivy May Hillingworth (she was in company with Eva McIntosh), in evidence, said defendant, who she identified in Court, stopped her and said “Do you know where Rupert Street is.” I said “I don’t know,” then he said “Do you know where Jude’s corner is?” I said “Along there.” He then did a rude thing.
Evidence was also given by Jessie Hillingworth and Evelyn Mabel McIntosh.
Defendant denied having spoken to the two girls, or exposed himself. He was in Park Road that morning. Didn’t ask anybody where Jude’s corner was. He was looking for a man named Mitchell. He was to meet me at Jude’s comer. The girls’ statements in Court are untrue as far as I am concerned.
Ted Mitchell stated that he had an appointment to meet defendant at Jude’s corner the Saturday he was arrested. I was to meet him in the morning. The arrangement was made on Friday. Defendant didn’t know my name except that it was “Ted.” I worked with defendant about a mouth. As far as I know he is a decent man.
Defendant was sentenced to be imprisoned for six months with hard labour.
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The Propeller, Fri 29 Feb 1924 6
ALLEGED MOLESTATION.
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Martin Richard Pola, aged 22 years, pleaded not guilty at Kogarah Court to a charge of having behaved indecently before a 13-years old girl at Sylvania, on February 2.
The girl, in her evidence, alleged that accused asked her to go into the bush with him.
Mr E Abigail, for the defence, urged the bench to take into consideration the fact that the man had not even placed his hands on the girl, who was accompanied by a younger child.
Mr McMahon, SM: On the evidence it was an attempt to induce a girl to go into the bush for a certain purpose. The history of these cases shows that a man does not attempt violence, unless he is absolutely mad with passion, until he has lured his victim away.
Pola was sentenced to six months imprisonment.
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The Sydney Morning Herald, Mon 7 Apr 1924 7
LAW NOTICES.
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Monday, April 7.
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APPEALS.
The following appeals against magistrates’ orders and convictions will be heard in No. 3 District Court, Queen’s-square, at 10 am:—Alfred James Anderson, maintenance (part heard); Frederick Mason, assault police; Henry Holden and Charles Arnold, Liquor Act; Edmund Smith Holferd, vagrancy; Martin Richard Pola, vagrance; Joseph Keiran Waring, maintenance; Flora Valentine, insulting words; Andrew Sydney Johnstone, maintenance; Robert James Drummond, maintenance.
1 Evening News, (Sydney, NSW), Thu 21 Feb 1924, p. 7. Emphasis added and in original.
2 There is a gaol photograph available from SRNSW: NRS2467, [3/6111], State Penitentiary photographic description book, 14 Jan 1924-5 Jun 1924, No. 20052, p. 197.
3 St George Call, (Kogarah, NSW), Fri 22 Feb 1924, p. 2.
4 Truth, (Syd, NSW), Sun 24 Feb 1924, p. 13. Emphasis added and in original.
5 St George Call, (Kogarah, NSW), Fri 29 Feb 1924, p. 2. Emphasis added.
6 The Propeller, (Hurstville, NSW), Fri 29 Feb 1924, p. 1. Emphasis added.
7 The Sydney Morning Herald, (NSW), Mon 7 Apr 1924, p. 7. Emphasis added.