Assaults Were Unprovoked

South Yorkshire Times, May 7, 1966

Assaults Were Unprovoked

Miner Brian Black promised magistrates he would behave himself or three years when he placed on probation last month. The same day Doncaster West Riding magistrates, were told on Tuesday, Black carried out five unprovoked assaults on people, including a 73 years old man.

Black (23), miner of Cedar Grove, Conisbrough, was sentenced to a total of six months imprisonment. He admitted assaulting PC Frank Cox in the execution of his duty, assaulting Mrs Nefelly Bulmer, assaulting Mr Walter Marshall; assaulting Mr Bernard Richardson; assaulting Miss Brenda Lee; being drunk and disorderly, using threatening behaviour likely to cause a breach of the peace and damaging a table and glasses to the extent of £2 at the Denaby Main hotel. He was stated to have several previous convictions for similar offences.

Black, who told the police “When you get that way you don’t know what you are doing,” said in Court “I don’t remember anything about the offences.”

Chief Insp. C. H. Kelly said that on April 29 Black had given magistrates an assurance that he had contacted Alcoholics Anonymous to help him and promised to be off good behaviour for three years, the period of his term of probation.

“These offences were committed that same day. He went into the Denaby Main Hotel and for no apparent reason began shouting obscene remarks at people. He smashed a table to pieces on the floor.

“When Mrs Bulmer, wife of the licensee, was called she did not get chance to ask him to leave. He turned and hit her a blow with his fist and she has since had to have hospital treatment,” said the Chief Inspector.

The Chief Inspector went on, “Several male customers ejected Black, outside he picked on 73-year-old man Mr Marshall and pushed him down some steps and hit him a blow, Mr Marshall sustained an eye injury. “Police were called and it was found Black had boarded a public service bus. When he was asked for his fare he grabbed the conductress, Miss Lee, and clawed at her. For this unprovoked attack she suffered severe bruising of the arm although she was wearing a thick coat at the time.

“Later Black went to the Reresby Arms, Denaby, where he was ejected for causing a disturbance. Outside he began throwing stones at the hotel windows and when licensee Mr Richardson went to speak to him Black struck him a blow in the eye.”

The chief inspector said that Black again forced his way into the hotel and had to be forcibly ejected. Police arrived at the scene, he said, and Black immediately punched PC Coxon a violent blow.

“Black could not be got into a police vehicle and he had to be half walkerd and half carried to the police station. Once in the police cells his violent conduct continued for several hours and could be heard by people outside” said the Chief Inspector.