Mexborough and Swinton Times November 29
Denaby Ruffian Gets Three Months
On Friday last, at the Doncaster Borough Police Court, James Dalton, miner, Denaby, was charged with assaulting William Swaby, and his wife, Mary Anne Swaby, of St James’s Street, and also PC Jackson.
William Swaby said he met the prisoner at a 10:15 on the previous evening in St Sepulchre gate. He did not speak to prisoner, and had never seen him before. Prisoner kicked him on the ankles and dealt him a violent blow under the ear, and knocked him down. Prisoner was drunk.
Mary Ann Swaby said on hearing her husband had been assaulted she went into Priory Place, where she saw the prisoner and another man. Prisoner struck her under the ear, and knocked her down, afterwards he hit her several times between the shoulders.
Police Constable Jackson stated that he went to the Golden Lion with the male prosecutor to arrest the prisoner. He asked the man his name, and he replied, “My name is Riley.” Witness asked the prisoner his address, and prisoner said, “If you want that you are better asked superintendent Blake.”
Prisoner refused to accompany witness to the police station, and witness had difficulty in getting one of the hand cuffs on. Prisoner was very violent, but witness managed to get him as far as Duke Street, when prisoner hit him heavily on the jaw. At the Priory Place the prisoner sat down on the pavement, and refused to go any further. With the assistance of another officer witness got his man to the police station.
Alderman J.F. Clarke (in the chair) said that the list of convictions against the prisoner was the longest he had seen for some time. Prisoner was a pest to society, and such a ruffian they did not often meet with. Prisoner would be sent to prison for a month in each case, the sentence to follow consecutively, and in default of his paying the costs to remain there another seven days.
Prisoner: I think you had better add the seven days to the three months, and I hope you will enjoy your Christmas dinner as well as I shall.