Serious Assault on a Mexborough Woman.

July 1900

Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 27 July 1900

Serious Assault on a Mexborough Woman.

A labourer named Thomas Buckley was in custody on a charge of having committed serious offence against Harriet Sewell, a single woman, Mexborough, on Monday, July 16th.

The prisoner was described as a labourer of no find abode, but he is said to be a native of Mexborough

Superintendent Blake said the prosecution would not be able to put the woman who had been assaulted into the witness box, as she was in a fit state to give evidence; in fact a doctor informed him that she was an imbecile.

Sarah Corker, the wife of William Corker, living at 60, Clifton street, Denaby, said that at about quarter to five on the afternoon of Monday, the 16th inst., she was near the Montagu Arms Hotel. Mexborough, when she saw the prisoner pulling the woman Sewell down the Montagu yard. He had hold of her wrist and was pulling against her will. The witness had known the woman for years and knew she was of weak intellect. She was trying to get away from the prisoner. There was a grass field at the bottom of the yard, and the prisoner was taking her into the field. In consequence of what the saw, she went and said something to George Flinders A, a cab driver, and shortly afterwards Flinders and another man took the prisoner to the police-station.

George Flinders, bus driver, 48. Annerley street, Denaby, said the witness. Sarah Corker, said something to him as the afternoon of the date named, in consequence of which be looked over the wall in Station road into the Montagu Hotel field. The witness then describe what he saw.

He spoke to a man named Thomas Turner about the matter, and they arranged to catch the prisoner.

Thomas Turner, filler, 81 Firbeck street. Denaby, who said he was also a cab proprietor and in consequence of what told him be climbed over the Montage hotel field wall in Station road and got down into the field by means of a Telegraph post. He went up to the place when the prisoner and the woman were. He described to the Bench the position in which he found them. He and Flinders seized the prisoner and took him to the policestation.

Dr. B. Sweeten, of Mexborough, who had examined the woman Sewell gave medical evidence.

Police-conatable Hunt said be received the prisoner into custody from Flinders and Turner Rieder’ and Tar nee. He first charged the prisoner with indecently assaulting Harriet Sewell, but after making further inquiries, recharged him with a more serious offence.

When formally  charged by the Bench, the prisoner  made the following statement, which was entered in the depositions:

I was going down the Main street in Mexborough, when the woman stopped me and asked me for money, and I gave her sixpence. She took me down this yard and into a field. When I saw the people on the bridge I asked her for my sixpence back. She said she had dropped it in the yard. I never seen the woman In my life before and I do not know what she was. I can swear I had nothing to do with her.

The prisoner was committed to take his trial at the Assizes.