Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 12 July 1929
Police Court
Elderly Woman Assaulted
Trouble at Kilnhurst
Emily Bentham, married, of Kilnhurst, appeared at Rotherham West Riding Polies Court on Monday to answer two summonses for alleged assault on Sarah Ann Hardy, of 12. Thomas Street, Kilnhurst and Mabel Hellewell, of 16, Hooton Road, Kilnhurst, alleged to have taken place on June 22nd June 24th respectively.
Mr. A. S. Furniss appeared for the complainants, and said that defendant had been a great terror to the whole district since she went to live there. She had constantly been in trouble On June 22nd she committed a most violent assault on Mrs. Hardy and knocked her down to the floor, kicked her and pulled a handful of hair out of her head. After doing this the defendant and her husband threatened to smash Mrs. Hardy’s home up for her.
There was a similar scene on the following Monday night which was June 24th, and on this occasion defendant hit Mrs. Hardy. Mrs Hllewell, who was standing close by, made some remark to another person about defendant hitting such an old lady, whereupon the defendant hit Mrs. Hellewell a violent blow, and pulled her hair.
He (Mr. Furniss) asked the magistrates to take a very serious view of that case in view of the large number of assaults which were being committed. He said that it happened in many cases that the people who were the victims of such assaults had not sufficient money to take out summonses, and he would like them seriously to consider the case with that in mind.
Sarah Ann Hardy, married. 12, Thomas Street, Kilnhurst, said that she was over 60 years of age, and had lived 46 years in the district without having any trouble of that sort. On Saturday, June 22nd, she heard Mrs. Bentham shouting her name and calling her to come out, threatening what she would do to her. After this had been going on for some time, her two sons, aged 18 and 15 years respectively, went out and asked Mrs. Bentham what she wanted with their mother. She heard that the boys were in trouble, and she went out and saw that Mrs. Bentham was assaulting the younger boy, and Mrs. Bentham’s husband was getting hold of the bigger boy. When Mrs. Bentham saw witness come out she left go of the boy and went for her. Mrs. Bentham then called on her son to fetch a poker, which he did, and she hit her with this. Eventually she managed to get away and went into her house. On Monday night there was another assault, and on this occasion Mrs. Hellewell, who was standing nearby, was also assaulted by defendant.
Maurice Hardy corroborated his mother’s evidence.
Mabel Hellewell, married, of 16, Hooton Road, Hilnhurst, said that on Monday, June 24th, she heard a disturbance in the street and she went to are what it was. She saw that Mrs. Bentham was having some trouble with other people. She saw Mrs. Bentham strike Mrs. Hardy, and she turned and made some comment on the matter to a lady who was there. Immediately Mrs. Bentham turned and gave her a violent blow on the face. She, witness, did not take any part in the trouble.
Defendant, in evidence, said that the whole trouble out of the fact that a letter had been sent to a pit where one of her sons was trying to get work, making some statement about him. Her husband had been told that Mrs. Hardy was responsible for this and she, defendant, had said that she would see Mrs. Hardy and tell her what she thought of her. Later, Mrs, Hardy’s sons came to the door of her house asking what she wanted their mother for. Her husband opened the door, and they said. “Us two will tackle you.” They then started fighting with her husband, and then Mrs. Hardy came running out of her house, as though she was going to take part. She (defendant) stopped her, and Mrs. Hardy, kicked her, causing a lump on her side. On Monday night, June 24th, Mrs. Hellewell had struck her first, and she then hit Mrs. Hellewell.
Cross-examined, she said she was not always in trouble there. When she saw Mrs. Hardy on the Saturday night she was running across the yard to go to someone else’s house. Referring to Mrs. Hardy, the defendant added: “They call her the wireless set, because she is such a gossip.”
Mr. Furniss: Then I suppose you are the live wire? ( Laughter).
Defendant was fined 30s. for the assault on Mrs. Hardy and 15s. for the assault on Mrs. Hellewell and was bound over in the sum of £5 to be of good behaviour for 12 months.
When the defendant was told the decision of the Bench she said: “You will never get it, because I haven’t the money to pay it.”