Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 07 January 1881

A Brutal Assault at Mexborough on Christmas Day

At the Doncaster West Riding Police Court on Saturday, before Lord Auckland, J. Montagu, Esq., W. Warde-Aldam, Esq., and A. Sturrock, Esq., a labourer, named Thomas Stead, of Mexboro’, was charged with assaulting an engine driver, of Conisboro’, named William Brooks, on Christmas Day, and the evidence given below will show that it was one of the most brutal attacks imaginable.

The complainant stated that at about ten o’clock on Christmas Day he was walking along High-street, Mexboro’, and when approaching Mr. Waddington’s shop he was followed by the defendant and two other men whom he did not know. He heard one of them say, “We reckon to do one b—— every year before Christmas.”

When he had got a little further the defendant pushed him against a drunken man. He walked a little further without saying anything, and the defendant struck him under the jaw, knocking him into the middle of the road.

Whilst he was on the ground the defendant and two others kicked him in the face and body. He had two wax-work dolls which he was going to make a present of. One of these was smashed and the other was stolen. A gold key which he had on his watch-guard, and which cost 12s. 6d., was also broken.

He was left insensible and was bleeding considerably.

In answer to the defendant, complainant said he gave him no provocation for the assault. He did not speak to him or to any of the men with him.

The defendant said the complainant was drunk at the time and was pulling a man about in the street. The complainant denied this.

Herbert Downing, of Mexboro’, deposed that he and his wife were walking down High-street on the day named, when they saw the defendant knock the complainant down and afterwards kick him grievously. He thought he knew one of the other men who also assaulted the complainant. He heard the defendant make the remark, “We always kill one b—— every year for Christmas.”

He went to Brooks’s rescue. All the men kicked the man about the head and body in a shameful way, and his wife exclaimed, “They have killed the poor man!” He thought Brooks must have been killed for he did not move and was insensible.

He ran after the men and soon overtook them. When he had got up to them he said, “Aye; you have killed this poor man. If you are men you won’t leave him where he is.”

The defendant then said, “I will do thee, thou b——,” immediately taking aim at his head. But he moved on one side and the man fell past him.

He went away as quickly as he could, because he knew if he stopped he would have been kicked in the same way.

The defendant still excused himself by saying that he assaulted the complainant because he was interfering with another man, which complainant said was false, as he was speaking to no one.

Lord Auckland said this was clearly proved to be a very cowardly, brutal, and unprovoked assault. It had been done with the greatest brutality possible, and the man might have been killed, as the defendant seemed to wish he should be.

The bench had decided to send him to the House of Correction for one calendar month and to order him to pay the costs of the hearing—£1 5s. 6d.—or, in default, to be further imprisoned for one month.

The defendant said: All right. I have no money at all.

The defendant was soon afterwards conveyed to Wakefield.