Denaby Assault Summons Dismissed – Suggestion of “Intimidated” Witnesses.

August 1925

Mexborough and Swinton Times August 22, 1925

Denaby Assault Summons Dismissed.
Suggestion of “Intimidated” Witnesses.

Alleging that a gang of about 15 men set on him at 1.15 a.m. on August 2, Lawrence Craven summoned for asault at Doncaster, on Tuesday, Alan Fenn, Osric Gascoigne, Arthur Setters, miners and William Setters, Labourer; all of Denaby.

The summonses were dismissed because of the defendants complete denial of their being present when the assault was alleged to have been committed, and the lack of supporting evidence for complainant’s story. complainant bore marks of blows.

Craven said he was going to meet his wife of the train from Blackpool at Conisborough Station when he saw the crowd of men outside the new Conisborough Labour Club. One of them said, “You’re for it.” William Setters struck the first blow, and witness was knocked by each of the defendants in turn, and someone kicked him while he was on the ground. giving him the black eye he still had. All the blows were struck with fists, but complainant could identify no other men but defendants. He could not explain why they set on him, as he had not spoken to any of them for some time and had had no trouble with them or with anyone else in the neighbourhood.

Cross-examined by Mr. Furniss, Craven said he was “a bit of a boxer” before the war but not now. He had been in “the Drum” for some time at midday on the Saturday and visited the place again on Saturday evening. Afterwards going on to the Station Hotel, but he declared he had only one glass of beer at each place. He admitted that each of the defendants had been to see him since he took out the summonses, that William setters told him he had been at Blackpool that Saturday and that each of the others denied being where he said they assaulted him, but he denied making any promises to withdraw the summonses.

In further cross-examination, when pressed as to whether he had summoned some of the defendants because he had been told afterwards that they were there, Craven said he had “heard rumours.” Craven then said “two or three people told him” that Arthur Setters was there, and that was why he summoned him.

Mr. Baker asked by the chairman (Mr. Cooke-Yarborough) if there were any eyewitnesses of the assault, replied “We are unable to get any witnesses because they are all intimidated”

The Chairman: Then it isn’t much use your going on. We cannot convict on the unsupported evidence of one man against four.

The summonses were dismissed, the bench holding there was no prima facie case, and not calling on the defendants to give evidence.