Mexborough and Swinton Times November 2, 1928
Prison for Neglect.
Conisborough Man’s Appeal Fails.
In the Court of Criminal Appeal on Monday, John Hinchcliffe, who was sentenced at the West Riding of Yorkshire (Wakefield) Sessions to 12 months’ hard labour for neglecting his six children at Conisborough applied for leave to appeal against conviction and sentence, for legal aid, and for leave to call further evidence.
A police officer said that the man spent time idling or lying about on the grass. When an inspector of the N.S.P.C.C, visited the house on two occasions he found no food in the house the first time, and only a little bread and margarine there the second time.
The Lord Chief Justice said tie eldest child was eight years old and the youngest seven weeks. The substance of the charge against him was that he did not provide sufficient food. The wife and children were clean, but ragged and destitute. Hinchcliffe, who drew 35s, unemployment pay each week, had bronchitis and had said he did not intend to work as long as he could get public relief.
Whatever might he said of the sentence it did not err on the side of severity, and the application would he dismissed.