REDCAR – Brutal Assault

Accreditation the Middlesbro are and Stockton Gazette 27/03/1868

REDCAR – THE BRUTAL ASSAULT 

            At Guisborough Petty Sessions, on Tuesday (24/03), Matthew Clark, an Irishman, surrendered to his bail on the charge of assault upon Mary Fawcett, on the eighth inst., At Redcar. Mr Griffin appeared for the prosecution and Mr Fawcett for the defence. The following evidence was given:-Mary Fawcett, the complement, who appeared in a very feeble com mission, said she was a single woman and lived at Redcar. On Sunday evening, 8^th of March, she walked with a person named George Cooper down Redcar Lane. It was a little past eight o’clock. One walking down the lane from Redcar, the prisoner over took them. He stopped and shook his hands with culpa, and afterwards insisted on shaking hands with her. It might be half a mile from the church. He then walked on, and she and Colbert turned back. A few minutes after she had some person running behind, and turned their head, saw the prisoner, and was not down. She saw a man running, I knew nothing after it. On recovering, she was at home, and had been seen by Dr Locke. George Cooper, miller, Redcar, said: I was with Mary Fawcett, in regulating, on Sunday night. I saw no one as we went down except the prisoner and another one, water colours. He was worse for drink. I shook hands with him, and told to go home. I and Mary Fawcett turned back towards Redcar leaving the prisoner and the man with him to go their way. When we got a little way back, Mary Fawcett said, “They’re coming.”

I turned round and saw the prisoner throw the storm, which it Mary Fawcett on the nose. I picked the storm up, and to control. The stone (produced) made the wound. They then run away. She was sensible when she came to itself, but was insensible a bit, I believe. By Mr Fawcett: no man overtook us to my knowledge. I note Smiles Adamson; he did not overtake us before the deed was done. I saw man in a field 20 or 30 yards away. I do not know who he was. There is no footpath in the field. By Mr Griffin: it was moonlight. William Johnson, farmer’s boy, who evidently gave his evidence on willingly, said: I live with Thomas Bainbridge near Redcar. Prisoner is another servant at the same farm I and the prisoner had been to Redcar together. We were drunk. I do not know anything at all about what took place that night. I remember we passed George Cooper and Mary Fawcett. I knew Cooper before. I can’t remember anything after that. I could not get Clarke home. He could not walk. I left him laid down by the roadside. By Mr Fawcett: I saw them fall. I heard a shout. I had hold of Clark all the time, trying to get him home. I know Smiles Adamson Robert Dobson left Redcar with us. Smiles Adamson overtook those. By the bench: When the woman fell we were about 10 or 12 yards from the one. By Mr Griffin: I told my master that I saw the woman fall. I will not swear that prisoner did not throw the school. Mr T. W. S. Locke, surgeon of Coatham, said he went to see Mary Fawcett a little before nine o’clock. It was almost as light as day. Mary Fawcett was covered with blood. He found the bones of the nose smashed to pieces, and lacerated walled from the nose to the right time the cavities of the nose were visible. It was very dangerous wound. She was not out of danger yet. The storm produced would cause such a will. By Mr Fawcett: The wound might produce erysipelas. The case had done very favourably, but the danger was from the nervous system. She would be marked for life. Sgt Marwood, of Redcar, said he apprehended the prisoner the same evening, and charged him with throwing the stone. He walked to Redcar. By Mr Fawcett: it was a little before 10 when I apprehended. I do not think he was asleep. He was about a mile from Redcar, and the same distance from Mr Bainbridge’s. Mr Thomas Bainbridge, farmer, the prisoner’s master, said the saw prisoner at the police station. He recollected meeting Cooper, but not throwing a stone at a woman. This was the case, and Mr Fawcett addressed the Bench for the defence, after which the bench retired, and on their return said it was a very bad case indeed, and committed the prisoner to prison for six months, hard labour.