Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 01 February 1913
Pony Driver’s Offence
“A Deliberate Act of Cruelty”
Cruelty to a pit pony was the charge preferred against Thomas Jeffcote, a driver, of Denaby. The offence complained of took place in the Cadeby Pit on Jan. 6th.
Mr. Frank Allen (prosecuting) said that on the date in question a corporal was on the 2’s landing and saw the defendant. The defendant’s duty was to cart dirt away in tubs, and when the corporal saw him he had two full tubs attached to his pony. There was a bend in the rails in the direction the defendant was going, and in consequence his tubs were liable to come off if he did not take due precautions. The defendant omitted to do so, however, and the tubs came off the rails. The defendant then started to kick the pony, and the corporal went up to him. He then saw that he had purposely put down his lamp so that he could kick the animal on the off-side hind leg.
The corporal asked him why he had kicked it, but the defendant, instead of desisting, went on kicking for some minutes.
Defendant pleaded guilty.
The Chairman said it was a deliberate act of cruelty, and they would inflict a penalty of 40s. or 21 days.