“Extremely Violent Gang” Appear In Court

Middle aged men and young ‘teenage boys were the victims of “an extremely violent gang” which toured the Conisbrough rea in a van assaulting people at random.

Doncaster West Riding Magistrates were told this on Tuesday by Chief Insp. William Heron in what Magistrate& chairman Mr. Arthur Atherton later described as “One of the worst cases this Bench has heard for years.”

Before the court were Paul Geoffrey Harrison, (18), labourer, of Manor Farm. Clifton Hill, Conisbrough; Richard Hughes (19), labourer, Wortley Crescent, Conisbrough; Leslie James Kelly, (19), apprentice fitter, Welfare Avenue. Conisbrough: William Herbert Hutchinson, (18), labourer, Mill Lane, Warms-worth; and Robert Inman (19), apprentice miner, Worthing Avenue, Conisbrough. Harrison admitted breaking and entering a store in May 1965 and stealing property worth £13, and also jointly stealing bubble gum worth 10s. He also admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm on James Watkin, and two offences of assaulting Arthur Newsome and Peter Rush, occasioning actual bodily harm.

Stole Bubble Gum

Hughes pleaded guilty to breaking and entering the same store as Harrison, stealing bubble gum, and assaulting Steven Drury, causing actual bodily harm. Hutchinson admitted causing grievous bodily harm to Michael Rush, assaulting Steven Drury and stealing bubble gum.

Inman pleaded guilty to two offences of assault occasioning actual bodily harm to Arthur Newsome and Michael Rush, and behaving in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace. Kelly admitted behaving in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace.

Kelly was fined £50 and bound over in the sum of £50 for two years. The other four youths were remanded in custody for three weeks for reports as to their suitability for detention centre training.

Chief. Insp. Heron described how the youths toured the area in a van at week-ends making unprovoked attacks on innocent passers – by. “They selected their victims at random, usually middle-aged men or young boys in the 15 to 16 age group who, in some attacks, have been rendered helpless as one member of the gang pinned the arms while other members punched them in the body.”

Dentures Broken

In one attack, on an elderly man, the victim was knocked to the ground and kicked in the face, said the Chief Insp. “His dentures were broken and lodged in his throat, choking him. His son cleared his throat and the man was taken to hospital with a broken jaw for which he is still undergoing treatment.

The Chief Insp. said that when Steven Drury was attacked, Hutchinson and Hughes set upon him as he was walking along a passageway with a girl. Mr. Arthur Newsome saw the incident, went to Drury’s assistance and he was set on by Harrison and Inman.

For Harrison Mr. Pickles said he had been taking an excessive amount of drink, which, for a boy of eighteen as a serious state of affairs. He said Harrison’s parents were prepared to keep a close scrutiny on the sort of company he kept.

Chairman, Mr. Atherton, “creating gang warfare upon innocent boys and people.” He added “If this is not stopped now it would not be safe for any respectable person to walk out in Conisbrough.” He told. Kelly, “Your offence is not quite as bad, but you are one of them.”