Fantastic Story – Series of Assaults at Denaby – Indiscriminate Attacks

December 1936

Mexborough and Swinton Times December 18, 1936

Fantastic Story
Series of Assaults at Denaby
Indiscriminate Attacks

“in the many years I have sat in court, I have never heard of more brutal, inhuman, and cowardly assaults committed on people than these. We really don’t know what to say to them. We really don’t know what to do to them. Whatever we do, we do not think we can do it strong enough to stop such things as this going on in Denaby Main or any other place. Some of these men might have been killed or might have lost her eyesight forever. You had had too much beer, and didn’t know what you were doing. The common assault was bad enough, but here is a man with his eye wrapped up and off work, with his wife and children suffering through you running up and down, going mad on Sunday night.”

This statement was made by Mr Mark Noakes, chairman of the Bench, at Doncaster West Riding Court on Tuesday when a series of amazing assaults committed in Denaby on Sunday, were described to the court.

The prisoners were: Henry Jenkinson (21), miner, 32, Annerley Street, Denaby; George T Clayton (20), fitter, 29, Clifton Street, Denaby; and Samuel Riley (23), soldier, 9 Clifton Street, Denaby.

They were charged jointly with inflicting grievous bodily harm on William Fisher, Henry Routledge, Thomas Banks and Albert Ball, and assaulting Charles Bestwick and Leonard Lockwood.

Dickinson and Clayton pleaded guilty and Riley, who was represented by Mr JP Cam, pleaded not guilty.

They were sentenced to 3 months imprisonment on each of the four charges of inflicting grievous bodily harm, to run consecutively, and one month on each of the current charges, to run concurrently, making 12 months in all.

Very Frank

Inspector Wolfe said that on Sunday night, December 13, between 10.40 and 11.40, a series of the most violent and uncalled for assaults took place against people for no apparent reason. For a distance of a mile every person prisoners met by himself they assaulted. A few of these persons were knocked out. Eventually the prisoners were arrested. “They were very frank about it,” said inspector will. “In fact one of them said he ought to be killed himself for what he had done.”

Albert Lynch, 22 Bowlby St, Denaby in evidence, said that about 6:30 PM on Sunday he met Samuel Riley, and eventually met all three prisoners, and they went to an hotel at Conisborough. He thought they had about two drinks and afterwards visited other public houses. Witness left them as they went home along the Low Road towards Denaby. They were walking faster than he was and he left them at Ferry terrace. He later saw Albert Ball, was holding his head, and then Fisher, who was holding his eye, which was gashed. He helped them to the police station.

Asked by inspector Wolfe as to how the prisoners were when you left them, he replied, “They were in a fighting mood.”

Another man came up while witness was at the police station and made a complaint.

In reply to Mr Cameron, he said that Riley did not seem more drunk than the others.

Inspector Wolfe questioned Lynch as to why had left the prisoners, and witness hesitated in answering.

“This man is afraid of these prisoners,” Inspector Wolfe declared.

Lynch then said: “I thought they might be in for something. Because of that I left them.”

William Fisher (47), 76 Bracewell St, Denaby, gave evidence had been assaulted. He said he was going to work, and when near the Northcliffe Club met three men. He got a bang in the eye and was knocked down, and as he was getting up one of the prisoners came back and said “What is a matter?” Witness implied, “I don’t know, but somebody hit me.” He then said, “Take that,” and hit witness in the middle of the face. It was Riley who gave him the first blow. There was no reason why they should have done such a thing.

Ran for help

Fisher then described how he ran for help and how the prisoners ran away. Eventually he was taken to the Fullerton hospital, and there his eye was stitched. He had not been to work since the assault and was not likely to go for some time.

Henry Rutledge, miner, 8 Halifax Ave, Conanby, said he went up by the Catholic Church, and when he was crossing the road saw the prisoners coming. They suddenly seemed to make up their minds to go the same way. It was wild and raining at the time, and witness had one hand holding his hat. Suddenly one of the men came to the left-hand side and, as Rutledge looked round to see where the other two were, he received a violent blow on the eye. He could not see who delivered the blow. It knocked his hat off, and he said, “Let’s be fair, three of you on to me.” He thought robbery was the motive.

Albert Ball, screen hand, 17, Doncaster Rd, Denaby Main, said he had been to take a girlfriend home was coming back to Denaby. As he was going up the Low Road three young fellows came up behind, and one of them let drive at him. He ran to the police.

Thomas Banks, 41, Wilson Street, Denaby Main, said he had been visiting a friend in Firbeck Street. When he got to the Catholic Church there were three young fellows having a conversation. One of them walked in front and the other two behind in for 200 yards. One of them then it’s him in the mouth, and the one in front ran back, but witness shook him off and ran away.

Charles Bestwick, 7 Sprotborough Road, Denaby, said he was going to work when he met three young men. As he was going past the Drill Hall one of them sidestepped and gave him a blow. He said, “What’s the game?” But they walked on. When he got to the Northcliffe club he saw Fisher holding his eye.

Leonard Lockwood, pit hand, 18 Firbeck Street, Denaby, said he was coming down the crags after taking a girlfriend home. He heard someone say “Give me a match.” He said, “Sorry, I haven’t got one,” and noticed Ihe had got a light before he reached them. That made him suspicious, and he quickened his pace. When he got to a lamp, one man hit him in the face. Witness turned round, and one of them took a running kick at him. Witness said, “I know thee, Jenk.”

Four Complaints

Sgt Schofield said that 11 PM on Sunday he received complaints from four people of having been violently assaulted. He commenced enquiries, but no one was able to furnish him with anything like a description of the men at that time. At 11.40 pm he received two further complaints of persons having been assaulted in the vicinity of the crags. One of the days was Lockwood, who said he was quite sure a man named Jenkinson was one of them. At 12:20 am he visited Jenkinson’s home and saw him there. His clothes were very wet, and it had been a wild night. Both his hands were swollen and his knuckles were bruised. The Sergeant asked him if he would care to account for his movement, and he said, “Yes, I was at Conisborough with Riley and Clayton out of Clifton Street.” Later Jenkinson said “We have been fools. I knew very well we couldn’t get away with it.” Jenkinson was rational and sober.

At 12:30 AM, the Sergeant continued, he saw Riley and Clayton at Denaby Police Station, and Jenkinson was present. They were charged with the offences and said they wish to make statements, in which they admitted the offences. Jenkinson in his statement, said “We were all very drunk and must have lost our reason. I cannot give an explanation of our conduct except that all four of us were drunk and bravado must have got the better of us. I wish to apologise.”

Riley said “All four of us were drunk, and bravado  got the better of us. I wish to apologise.”

Clayton in a similar statement, said there were two other men with him, and a man named “Bubbles,” whose name was Lynch. “We were all four very drunk,” the statement added.

With regard to Lynch, Sgt Schofield added, he could not possibly have been connected with at least four of the assault because he was with witness and another police officer.

Mr Camm: If they made a mistake about one man couldn’t they make a mistake about another?

No, they thought Lynch was there with them.

Sgt Schofield added: If Lynch only dares speak, he saw the first assault committed.

Mr Camm: Are you suggesting he is intimidated?

Yes, he is afraid of what may happen.

Sgt Schofield: Riley has been serving abroad, and I’m quite convinced they have been having some drinks and the conversation turned on what happens in foreign parts.

Mr Camm: Do you know Riley as a very good character in the army?

I cannot speak for that.

Mr Camm said that the defence was that Riley had been abroad on foreign service with the Royal Artillery and had come home on the Friday night before these offences were committed. On the Sunday night he had been out with friends and in the evening had been in three public houses, and he said he had consumed nine pints. He had difficulty in remembering what had happened, and he said he was not in a fit condition to strike any of these men.

Riley, in evidence, said he was too drunk to remember what happened. He signed the statement because he did not like to let his friends down.