Attacking a woman is a serious offence

Hertfordshire Mercury, 27th July 1918

Transcript

At Hertford Borough Sessions, on Thursday, Samuel V. C. Warren (18), George Maynard (17), and Leslie Woodcock (14), pleaded not guilty to assaulting Gertrude Wilkinson, a member of the Queen Mary’s Auxiliary Corps, on July 18th.  The complainant, who is stationed at Elmsfield, said that at just after 9.00pm in Hagsdell Road, she saw the three defendants.  Maynard stopped her, took hold of her arms, pushed her against a fence, and smacked her face.  She screamed and fainted, and two soldiers came to her assistance.  Evidence as to fingermarks being seen on complainant’s face, and the condition she was in when seen by them, was given by Lance Corporal Watts, Lance Corporal Wood, Alice Reynolds, the Commandant at the hostel, and Police Sergeant Hadder.

The case against Woodcock was dismissed.  Maynard was sent to prison for 6 weeks, and Warren was fined 30s.

The Mayor said that their conduct was disgraceful and that they were a cowardly lot of brutes.  Mr Hudson Dixon, Probation Officer, appealed to the Bench not to send Maynard to prison, but the Magistrates would not alter their decision.

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