Girl’s Boy Friend “Went’ Berserk” Court Told

When a 55-vears-old man came across a young girl sitting with her head in her hands, at midnight, he was naturally worried, and spoke to the girl. However, the girl, who did not recognise the man, screamed for her boy-friend, who, without asking any questions, punched the man in the face, Doncaster West Riding Magistrates heard on Friday.

As a result of the assault, the man, George Noble of 16, Balby Street, Denaby, was accused of conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace and of being drunk and disorderly.

He pleaded “Not guilty,” and the case against him was dismissed by the Magistrates. but in view of a disturbance which followed the assault, he was bound over for two years in the sum of f20.

Ann Hoult (16) of 26. Blyth Street, Denaby, said she was walking home with friends on the night of September 28th.

When they reached Blyth Street, one of the party, Tom Marshall, left the others, so Vera Booker went to look for him.

Miss Hoult said that she and the other boy, David Rose, were waiting in an alley for the others. She was sitting on some steps, and Rose was leaning against a wall, when a man, whom she later discovered was Noble, walked up to her.

“ Frightened”

He asked me what was the matter. I said I would be all right. Then he asked me what my name was and I said I would be all right. Then I shouted for David because I was frightened.

“I did not know it was Mr. Noble at first. I heard David say. ‘Whats going off’ then I ran up the street to Tom’s, because I knew they would start fighting with David being drunk,” she said.

Vera Booker, of 77, Windmill Avenue, Conisbrough, said that when she arrived on the scene later, Noble’s wife was arguing, with Rose. Also there were Noble’s daughter and son-in-law.

She said police arrived on the scene, and Rose was taken to the police station.

P.C. E. W. Tervill said he was on duty in Balby Street when he heard a commotion in Blyth Street.

He went there, and saw about 14 or 15 people around Rose, Noble and Mrs. Noble.

Noble’s face was swollen and he was bleeding from the nose, Both men seemed to be trying to fight, and Mrs. Noble was restraining Noble, while someone else was restraining Rose.

Commotion

“As I approached, Noble complained that he had received his injuries because Rose had thumped him. Then a commotion broke out and they seemed to want to start fighting again,” he said.

“There appeared to be more people backing Noble, and I was of the opinion that a serious breach of the peace would be caused if I arrested Noble, so I took Rose to the police station.

When I interviewed Noble, he said, ‘I don’t need you to settle my complaints, I will get even, and then it will be him who will be complaining’,” P.C. Tervill added.

Mr. J. P. Allen, defending Noble, said that Noble was returning home when he came across the girl, and, quite naturally, he was concerned for her. “There is no question of indecent assault, or anything like that,” he added.

If one found a young girl in that state at that time of night, one would have wondered what had happened. She shouted for David. David came and, you will hear, promptly struck Mr. Noble in the face,” he said.

Noble said he had been out that evening with his wife, and had drunk three pints of beer and a Guinness. His wife took an old woman home, and he went to his daughter’s, a few streets away. He was returning home when he came across the girl. The steps are only about eight yards from his house, he said.

“Known Her”

“I did not recognise the girl. If it had been bright daylight I would have known her and she would have known me. I asked her what her name was, and she said `Ann Hoult’ and then shouted ‘Day-day.’ I looked round and this boy hit me,” he added.

His wife, Mrs. Catherine Noble, said she was in the outside toilet at the time, and heard everything which was said. “When I got there this boy was fighting with my husband. He was absolutely berserk,” she said.

Mrs. Noble added that her husband was sober.

Mr. Allen told the Court: “Mr. Noble’s condition at that time might quite seriously have been affected by the assault. This business about him being drunk seems to have been founded on very flimsy evidence.

“Ann Hoult said she knew David was drunk and would probably start fighting.”

Dismissing the case against Noble, the Chairman of the Magistrates told him: “We are not going to have a repetition of this behaviour in Denaby, and we are going to bind you over in the sum of £20 for two years.”