Unprovoked and Cowardly Assault

John Hicks, collier, Mexborough was brought up in custody charged with assaulting George Brindley, also a collier, living at Denaby.

Mr Hall appeared for complainant Mr Verity for the defendant.

From the evidence it appeared that on Sunday the 16^th inst, complainant and a young man named Edward Mellor were walking along the canal side, when they met the defendant with some others. The defendant went up to the complainant and struck him a violent blow in the eye, which knocked him down, following this up by kicking complainant on the body and on the eye. Neither complainant nor Mellor said did anything to provoke the attack. One of defendant’s companions made use of a vulgar expression. On that neither complainant nor his companion made any reply, except that it was a nasty trick to kick two lads.

In cross examination it appear that complainant and Mellor were strange hands from Lancashire.

In reply to the Bench, superintendent Blake said the disturbances at Denaby were now at an end still there was a good deal of angry feeling between the old hands and the new.

The defendant was further charged with committing an assault on Edward Mellor, at the same time and place.

The Chairman said the magistrates were determined to put a stop to these repeated assaults. There was no doubt a very serious assault are been committed on the complainant Brindley, and he still bore marks of the blows and kicks. You are the complainant and not been so severely and, but taking into consideration that the defendant had been in custody since Tuesday the would not deal so severely with him.

He will be fined 20 shillings including costs in each case.