South Yorkshire Times, January 13, 1951
J.P.’s To Help Police
After ‘Stop Hooliganism’ Plea’ in Conisbrough Case
Doncaster West Riding Magistrates, after hearing an assault case on Saturday from Conisbrough, during which it was stated that boy’s face looked “like a butcher’s block ” after the attack, accepted a police plea to help in countering ” hooliganism.
Prison Warning
The chairman (Mr F.S. Newborn) told a 16-year-old you that owing the seriousness of- the evidence against him, the Bench were allowing the Press to publish his name. In the ordinary way he would not have been named.
The boy, Peter Brannan, a labourer, of Daylands Avenue, and 17-vear-old Martin O’Neil, a haulage hand, of St. David’s Road, both of Conisbrough, were fined £10 each for assaulting Kenneth Wood (17), of St. Peter’s Road, Conisbrough, and inflicting grievous bodily harm.
O’Neil pleaded ” Not guilty” and Brannan ” Guilty.”
The chairman warned both youths that if they appeared before the court again on a similar charge they could be sent to prison and probably would be.
“You can take it from us that the Bench are going to support the police in putting down this hooliganism”, he added.
Chief Inspector Schofield Said that hooliganism is creeping in again. “We have had several cases recently.” He said that Wood was sitting on a seat in Coronation Park’ Conisbrough, with a friend when O’Neil and Brannan walked up to him, pulled him from the seat by his coat and hit him.
Knocked Under Seat
O’Neil helped Brannan and hit Wood in the face at least once with his fist. Wood was knocked under the seat and was screaming.
When other youths arrived, O’Neil and Brannan made off. Wood was so badly knocked about that he was ” just unconscious – out.”
He was taken home by a friend with his nose bleeding, left eye cut and lip swollen. His mackintosh and scarf were covered in blood. Next day he was unfit for work and was in bed all day.
O’Neil and Brannan later approached Wood’s mother and offered to pay his wages for the day off work.
The Police had had the greatest difficulty in getting witnesses—other youths; to talk about it.
James A. Bolton, miner, of Park Hill, Conisbrough, described Wood’s face after the assault as “like a butcher’s block.”
O’Neil said Wood and Brannan had a scuffle and fight, during which he held Brannan’s coat. He picked Wood up and put him on the seat and went away with Brannan. He denied striking Wood.