Denaby Trio Jailed for Vicious Mexborough Assault

Walking home at midnight from a dance a 17-year-old Mexborough youth was subjected to vicious and unprovoked attack in the Mexborough Street, by two national servicemen and a Denaby Miner, one of whom threatened him with three darts held in his fist, alleged Chief Inspector A Todd at Doncaster West Riding Court on Friday.

The soldiers, Frederick Grimshaw, stationed with the Royal Armoured Corps at Bovington, and Jeffrey G Cox, of Royal Pioneer Corps stationed at Wrexham, both aged 19 and of Edlington Street, Denaby, and the miner, Roy Knowles, aged 22 of Wadsworth Street, Denaby, were each sent to prison for six months, for inflicting grievous bodily harm on Clarence Millington an apprentice printer of Church Street Mexborough. All pleaded guilty. Grimshaw and Cox also pleaded guilty to jointly damaging Millington’s clothing to the extent of £15 and were sentenced to one month’s imprisonment. Cox pleaded guilty to a third charge of being in possession of offensive weapon and was sentenced to 3 months’ imprisonment, all sentences to run concurrently.

Sending them to prison the Chairman (Mr, F. S. Newborn) said, “We are satisfied this was a dreadful assault on an inoffensive boy and we are also satisfied as a fine would not meet the case.”

Inspector Todd said as a result of the attack Millington was off work weeks and only went back to work against doctor’s orders. An x-ray at Mexborough Montague Hospital revealed that he had fractured ribs as well as a black eye and bruises and broken lips. He said that after the attack Millington went to bed but was in such pain that he was unable to sleep and it was then he went to the hospital.

The inspector said Millington was returning from a dance at the Empress ballroom, Mexborough, and after leaving a friend, walked up Bank Street. Suddenly Cox grabbed hold of him spinning around and in doing so Millington’s hand came out of his pocket scattering some coins over the pavement. He alleged that Cox then shouted, “ Look out, he is using the penny gag. The inspector explained that this trick, which was apparently known to defendants, was used by certain types when fighting, pennies or other coins been placed between clenched fingers so that more damage could be caused.

He alleged that Cox then put is right clenched fist against Millington’s face and said, if you use the pennies I’ll use these. The inspector said Cox was holding three darts in his hand, which were pointing towards Millington face. Millington was rather afraid. He put his hands up to show he was holding nothing and Cox put the dart down and said “Do you want to fight?” Inspector Todd went on.

Then, he said, Cox butted Millington in the face with his head on when he went to walk away Grimshaw tried to pull him into a passage. He alleged that Grimshaw then struck the youth in the face knocking him down. When he got up he hit him again and kicked him viciously in the ribs. When he was down, Knowles hit Millington on the shoulder. Inspector said by this time Millington’s face was covered in blood.

Inspector Todd said that when Cox was later interviewed by the police he said, “I struck him in the face because he gave me a dirty look.” Asked about the darts he said, yes I play darts. He alleged that Knowles said, “I only did it because I plucked up courage when my mate hit him”. He was also alleged to have told the police “because I’d got my pals I thought I’d have a bash”. In a statement made my Knolls he said that “Froggy” Grimshaw and “Cocky” Cox attacked Millington and he hit him on the shoulder. “This lad did not provoke us. I knew he would not strike me” the statement continued.

Cox also made a statement in which he said he approached Millington and said, “Are you trying to be funny? Statement said the youth did not reply so he hit him in the face with his head. When I hit him he had pennies in his hand statement said.

Before sentence was passed Cox was asked by the clerk, Mr, Earnest W. Pettifer if he had anything to say. “No” “No regrets?” asked Mr Pettifer “No” reply Cox. Cox was stated to have one previous conviction and the others more.