Sheffield Evening Telegraph – Tuesday 13 June 1939
Denies Peeping Tom Suggestion
A Denaby haulage hand, who was alleged by the police to have gone to a wood to be a Peeping Tom,” was given another chance by Doncaster West Riding Magistrates to-day when he was charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm.
He was George Coley (22), of Doncaster Road, Denaby. It was alleged by the police that he had thrown a stone which had hit Donald Levi Boot, of 3. Northgate, Mexborough, on the back of the head, cutting it, with the result that a fracture was suspected and since which he had been continually ill.
Inspector Waugh said that on Thursday, June Ist, in the evening, Boot went into the Denaby Wood with his young lady. They sat down on the edge of a cornfield with their backs to the wood. They had been there some time when the young lady drew Boot’s attention to a man, about five yards away, kneeling in the grass and acting as a Peeping Tom. They took no notice of him but walked away.
Violent Blow
About a hundred yards away he heard something whizz by his head. He looked round but could see no one. They continued to walk away when Boot felt a violent blow on the back of his head and fell to the ground. His young lady saw large stone bounce off his head and it struck her on the shoulder. Bott was bleeding from a wound on the head and went to the Montagu Hospital, where he was treated for a suspected fracture of the skull.
Constable Todd said Coley denied all knowledge of the incident and was very insolent to the police. He again interviewed him and Coley replied: I don’t know anything about it and had nothing to do with it.” Later prisoner came to the police station and made a voluntary statement. Coley told the Court that he was walking through the wood with a friend when they saw the couple on the edge of the cornfield.
Given Chance
They stopped to watch as, alleged accused, the young man was ‘‘getting fresh” with the girl. The young lady saw them, and Boot picked up a handful of stones and started pelting them. He dropped behind a tree trunk, which one of the stones struck. He picked it up and threw it back. He did not see what happened, but heard a thud. He denied that he was there for the purpose of a Peeping Tom, or that he knew that several complaints of that sort of thing had been made recently.
Colonel St. A. Warde-Aldam, presiding, said the charge would be reduced to one of assault and Coley would be fined £5. We take very serious view of this case,” he added. Whatever the circumstances it is a very serious matter. You are liable to be sent to prison for six months and have not a very good record.