” There were two or three fights, but that’s not unusual . ” said John Casey, of 120 Salisbury Road , Welwyn Garden City , to Magistrates on Friday , when he appeared charged with being concerned with John Barron , Shelia Burn and David Bell in unlawfully committing a breach of the peace at Welwyn Garden City on March 24 .
P.c. P. Wade said that he was on duty with P.s Jeffries in The Woodman public house on March 24 when he heard a disturbance in the public bar .
P.c. Wade said that with Sergt. Jeffries they ejected Bell .
Bell told the Magistrates : ” I had been to a wedding ; I did not intend to be a trouble to anybody “
Continuing his evidence , P.c. Wade said he saw Casey strike another man by the glass door . ” The mans head went against a glass panel and broke it . “
” The two men disappeared into the passage way. I forced my way through and saw two men and a woman struggling on the floor of a small bar opposite . “
” One of the men was Casey . The other two were Barron and Burn . Sergt. Jeffries and I pulled the two men apart . The woman was holding Casey’s hair . Sergt. Jeffries marched Casey to the exit . I tried to get the man and women into the passage . Bell came through the door and struck Barron Barron knocked Bell to the floor . “
” The was a fair amount of obstruction , but with Sergt. Jeffries we ejected Bell into Cole Green Lane , where Bell was arrested .
” At 1 a.m. on March 25 , in company with P.s. Jeffries , I went to 129 Salisbury Road , Welwyn Garden City , where Sergt. Jeffries informed Casey that he had been seen striking a man and would be reported. Casey replied : ‘ I admit hitting him but he pushed my friend . ‘ “
‘ PICKPOCKETTING ‘
” At 3.30 p.m. on March 26 I went to 3 St. Audrey’s Green , Welwyn Garden City , where I saw Barron . I told him that he had been seen by me fighting . He replied ‘ I was being pickpocketed and I got into a fight . ‘ “
” I then saw Burn at the same address and told her she had been seen in the disturbance . She replied , ‘ You can ‘t do anything to me, I was outside the door : I had nothing to do with it . ‘ “
Bell told the court : ” Perhaps I caused the trouble , but I don ‘t know anything about it . I can’t remember clearly . “
Casey said : ” Bell and I were waiting for the rest of the party when Bell and Barron came to grips . Next thing Barron and I landed on the floor with someone pulling my hair and kicking me . “
” I think got the worst of it . It was either hit or be hit , and was looking after my friend , who was quite drunk . I don ‘t suppose he remembers anything . ” He concluded .
Barron told the Magistrates : ” We were leaving . As I went out into the passage Bell and I collided. His hand was near my pocket , and as I turned he struck a blow at me . “
” Bell and I exchanged blows for a couple of seconds , when he fell to the floor . Next thing Casey and me were on the floor struggling . “
Burn said that she saw nothing of what happened , but was pushed to the floor . ” I don’t remember pulling Casey’s hair . ” she said .
The charge against her was dismissed .
Bell was charged 40 shillings for being drunk and disorderly . All three men were bound over for a year on the surety of £5 and another £5 for causing a Breach of the Peace .
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