South Yorkshire Times, January 24th, 1970

Man May Have Attacked Wrong Person – Woman’s Theory

A Mexborough woman who was attacked last week in Harlington Road, Mexborough,  claims her assailant might have been waiting to assault a passing girl.

The woman,Mrs. Elizabeth Bradder. (23), of 18, Crossgate, Mexborough, was on her way to Mexborough Urban Council Offices to pay her rent when she was stopped by a man “aged about 30″ who attacked her with knife”.

Knife Marks

She told “South Yorkshire Times” last Friday “He tore the front of my jumper and there are marks on my chest from the kinfe”.

Mrs. Bradder said: “I think I screamed, but it all happened so quickly. I can’t remember what I did. There were some boys nearby, so perhaps they frightened him away”.

She managed to find her way to her home, where her mother-in-law was looking after her two children aged four years and six months. A neighbour gave her brandy and telephoned the police and her doctor. Her injuries were not severe, but she was in a state of great shock.

The money Mrs. Bradder was carrying was lost. She said “I may have dropped it in the struggle—I don’t think he was as after that”. She thought assailant may have been waiting for a young girl, who would not have been as able to defend herself.

Mrs. Bradder’s husband, Cedric (24), a bricklayer, took time off his work to be with his wife after the attack.

Yesterday (Thursday) police at Mexborough said. “There have been no new developments and we are still continuing with our enquiries”.