Earl Grey 1940s - 1950s

Folkestone Herald 14-12-1940

Lighting Order

Harry Powell, of the Royal Oak Inn, North Street, summoned at Folkestone Police Court on Friday last week for a breach of the light­ing restriction regulations, told the Magistrates that he had been bombed out of his house and had been given permission by the brewers to put some of his furni­ture in the Earl Grey Inn, High Street, to prevent it getting wet. He thought he switched all the lights off, but unless someone else had been in and left one on he could not have done so.

P.C. Harman said at 8.15 p.m. on November 30^th he was in High Street when he saw a light shining from a first floor window at the Earl Grey, the window being about 2ft. 6ins. wide, and open 12 inches at the bottom.

Defendant was fined £1.

 

Folkestone Herald 5-6-1943

Local News

At Folkestone Transfer Sessions on Wednes­day the licence of the Earl Grey Inn was transferred to a representative of Messrs. Fremlin's, and the licence of the Harbour Hotel to a representa­tive of Messrs. George Beer and Rigden.

Folkestone Gazette 17-7-1957

Local News

Milk bottles were thrown during a fight between seven men in Foord Road, it was stated at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court, on Friday, when Dennis Derek Paine (18), a serving soldier, of Canterbury Road, Folkestone, and Henry David Samuel Stephens (20), labourer, of Hill Road, Folkestone, were charged with maliciously wounding Fusilier Thomas Crawford.

Sending Stephens to prison for six months and Paine for three months, the Chairman (Ald. N.O. Baker) said “We are determined not to have this sort of thing happening in Folkestone. It is a most un-Bntish and diabolical thing to fight with milk bottles”.

Accused, represented by Mr. D.A.H. Alexander, pleaded Not Guilty.

Dr. D.J. Entwistle said that at 11.20 p.m. on June 18^th, Crawford and the two accused were brought to the Royal Victoria Hospital. Crawford had a two-inch wound and another about a quarter-of-an-inch long on the back of his head. He was covered in blood. A piece of glass was embedded in his scalp, and there was another piece in his hair, he added. The doctor said Stephens had a very small cut behind the right ear and bruises on his left hand. Paine had a super­ficial cut on the palm of his left hand.

Fus. Thomas Crawford, Royal Scots Fusiliers, Napier Barracks, Shorncliffe, said he went with Fusiliers Ruddock and Cowan to the Earl Grey, where they drank whisky, cider and stout. They were there for three or four hours. Sitting at the next table were four men, including Paine and Stephens. There was no argument in the public house, and they all left at closing time. He saw Stephens take off his jacket and break a bottle against a lamppost Witness said he and his friends went to the Pier Hotel, but could not find a truck back to camp. They walked back again and were standing in a stop doorway when a man came up and asked for a match. Then somebody hit him over the head. Crawford, who admitted that he also picked up a bottle, stated that afterwards Paine to him “I am sorry. I could not see you lying there like that. It had to be us or you”.

Replying to Mr. Alexander, witness said his regiment arrived at Shorncliffe Camp that day. When they were in the public house they had whisky, cider and stout. He was not used to drinking draught cider. Crawford denied that he picked up a milk bottle in High Street, but he saw two of the other men, including Stephens, pick up bottles. Stephens broke his against a lamppost. When he was walking up Foord Road he saw the man again. “I knew they were after us, they were that close”, said witness. “When you see somebody breaking a bottle, you can expect trouble”. Crawford told Mr. Alexander that he did not think that the men were after him when they left the public house, but in Foord Road a “sixth sense” told him that there would be trouble. Somebody asked him for a light and then he was hit on the head with a bottle. After Paine had spoken to him he told Paine “It is nothing. What is a wee drop of blood between friends?” Crawford said he was kneeling on the ground and he saw Stephens strike him with a bottle and kick him.

Fus. Richard Ruddock stated that as they were walking back to camp the “crowd” they met in the public house followed them. Somebody came up and asked for a match. He heard a bottle smack, he added. Witness said he did not see anybody with milk bottles but he heard them smashing.

Fus. John Cowan stated that he did not remember much about what happened after he left the Earl Grey.

P.C. Secker told the Court that at 10.55 p.m. on June 18^th he was in Dover Road when he heard the sound of breaking glass. He ran from Hillside into Foord Road where he saw four or five young men striking another man (in civilian clothes) about the head. The man was trying to protect his head with his arms. “His face was streaming with blood and I broke up the fight”, said the officer, who alleged that Paine and Stephens were two of the men who struck blows. Later Paine went up to Crawford and said “How are you, mate? It was either you or me, and I was lucky”. P.C. Secker said when he asked Paine what he meant, he replied “He was going to put the bottle on me but I got there first”. Paine told him the bottle was broken when he hit Crawford. Later, Paine made a statement in which he was alleged to have said he was not going to “drop” anybody. If there was anything to come he could take it. He went on to allege that the other fellows followed them out of the Earl Grey and picked up milk bottles. Knowing what Scotsmen were he picked up a milk bottle as well. When he reached the amusement arcade in High Street he knocked the neck of the bottle off against a lamppost. He carried the broken bottle along Tontine Street to Foord Road. When the Scotsman came at him with the bottle he got there first. P.C. Secker said he found the remains of a bottle lying by a lamppost outside the amusement arcade and there was a lot of glass lying about in Foord Road.

Paine, giving evidence, said he went to the Earl Grey with Stephens and two other men at about 8 p.m. Until they left at 10.30 p.m. relations were cordial with Crawford and his party. While he was in the public house he had about four pints of beer. Normally he drank eight pints during the course of the evening. When they left the Earl Grey he walked down High Street followed by the “Jocks”. He heard somebody say “They have picked up bottles!” He and two of his friends also picked up bottles because they thought the “Jocks” might start trouble. After the Scotsment had walked towards the Royal Pavilion Hotel they threw their bottles away. He and his friends walked round the Pavilion Hotel and back into Tontine Street. He saw the Fusiliers walking ahead. As they entered Foord Road the “Jocks” were standing in a doorway. “I don`t know what happened”, said Paine. “They were all going at each other. I picked up another bottle in Tontine Street because I thought the “Jocks” had bottles. The first thing I knew was a bottle whizzing out of the doorway and then I threw mine. I then waded into the general fight which followed. I did not strike Crawford with the bottle, but it might have hit him when I threw it”. “I went back to see whether the Scotsman was all right because he was covered with blood”, continued Paine. “I told him I was sorry, but it might have been any one of us”.

Replying to Mr. N.S. Franks, prosecuting, defendant said he threw the bottle at Crawford, but did not know whether it hit him.

Mr. Franks: The way to inflict harm on a person is to knock the neck off a bottle – it was nice and jagged?

Paine: Yes.

It was not a very friendly thing to do in any case? – No.

Stephens told the Magistrates he had four pints of beer in the public house. His girlfriend was with him. When they left he heard somebody say “Watch out, they have picked up a bottle”. Two of his party then picked up bottles. When they reached Foord Road he saw the Scotsmen in a doorway. He heard the smash of glass and a milk bottle hit him on the side of the head. He did not know who threw it. In the fight that followed he took a “poke” at somebody Fists and glass were flying everywhere. He did not hit anybody with a bottle.

Mr. Pranks: If you were inno­cent why did you not stop and help the policeman?

Stephens: I did not think he needed any help.

There were seven men and one policeman? - When the uniform appeared the fight broke off.

D.C. Wilcox said Paine had two previous findings of guilt and Stephens had appeared be­fore courts on six previous occa­sions. He had been fined, placed on probation, sent to an approved school and to de­tention.

The Chairman told Stephens that he was older than Paine and had a worse record. Every­thing possible had been done to put him on the right road.

A further charge against Stephens for taking a motor cycle without the consent of the owner on June 21^st was dismissed.

 

Folkestone Gazette 31-7-1957

Local News

 A third man involved in a bottle fight in Foord Road was sent to prison for three months at Folkestone Magistrates’  Court on Friday when the Chairman (Ald. N.O. Baker) warned that the Magistrates were not going to have fighting of that sort happening in Folkestone. “People going round picking quarrels like this at night are not going to be tolerated”, he told George Jolly, 24-year-old-kitchen porter, of London Street, Folkestone, who pleaded Guilty to maliciously wounding Fusilier Thomas Crawford.

The affray was stopped by P.C. Secker. Previously two men had been sent to prison for their part in it. Secker was commended by the Magistrates for the way in which he broke up this gang at night. “We appreciate the service you rendered in this matter, and we hope you will not have the experience again”, the Chairman told the police officer.

Mr. K. McVarish, prosecuting, said accused and three other men “beat up” three Fusiliers on June 18^th. The Fusiliers had only been in the Folkestone area for three days. That night they came into the town and went to the Earl Grey public house. They sat at the next table to four men, including Jolly. Jolly`s party resented something said by the soldiers, and their resentment affected them so much that one of the party was seen to pick up a milk bottle when they left the public house. Later the four men set about the three soldiers and Fus. Crawford was struck about the head with a broken milk bottle. A police officer came on the scene soon after the start of the fight and saw a crowd of men going for Crawford. One of the men was Jolly. Mr. McVarish then read a statement alleged to have made by Jolly, who said his party were looking into a motor cycle shop in Foord Road when they saw three Scotsmen in the doorway. As they passed the doorway the three men jumped out. They had empty milk bottles in their hands.  He was struck and then somebody threw a bottle. It missed him when he ducked. He said “If that is what you want you can have it”. Two soldiers ran away and the other man was lying on the ground.

Jolly admitted to the Magis­trates that he was concerned with the others in assaulting the soldiers. “I did not use any form of violence, other than my fists”, he added. “I did not use any instrument or weapon. It was just a street brawl”.

D.C. Wilcox said Jolly, who had three previous convictions, was an orphan at seven years of age. He was bailed to appear before the Court on June 28^th. He went to London on June 20^th, where he worked until arrested on July 18^th. All his employers said he was a good worker but he associated with bad characters.

The Chairman, sending Jolly to prison for three months, said the Magistrates had heard his record and it was not good. They had been told, too, that he had been associating with bad companions.

Folkestone Gazette 7-8-1957

Local News

A fourth man involved in an attack on a soldier in Foord Road on June 18th appeared at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on Friday. He was John Christian Grant, 30, hotel porter, of Coolinge Road, Folkestone.          

Represented by Mr. W.E.F. Taylor, defendant pleaded Guilty to maliciously wounding Fusilier Thomas Crawford. “He got in tow with criminals and was involved in this affair”, said Mr. Taylor. “This is the third time this case has been before the court and very properly the magistrates have sent the first three defendants to prison. I ask you to say that Grant is of different character. The other three men involved had criminal records but Grant has not. When he realised what happened he was so shocked, horrified and frightened at his position that he ran away. He could not face the music because of his previous good character”.

Fining Grant £10, the Chairman (Ald N.O. Baker) told him that the Magistrates took a very serious view of the case. “We do not want this kind of thing to occur in Folkestone again”, he warned. “It is something foreign to this part of the world and we think this gangster business has got to be dealt with ruthlessly”. “Fortunately”, he told Grant, “you have a good character and we will be able to differentiate in your case”.

Mr. Norman Franks, prosecuting, said Grant was one of four men seen belabouring Crawford in Foord Road on June 18^th.

P. Sgt. Robertson told the Court he took a statement from defendant, who was alleged to have said he saw three “Jocks” standing in a doorway in Foord Road. Suddenly the “Jocks” came at them. One of them swung a fist at him and missed, He struck out and also missed. The other men were defending themselves when he heard a crash of glass.

Mr. Franks told the Magistrates that Grant was first bailed to appear on June 24^th. He surrendered to his bail and was charged with the offence. He was released on bail in his own surety of £10 but failed to appear. A warrant was issued and defendant was arrested in London on July 26^th.

The Chairman said Grant would forfeit £10 for failing to surrender to his bail.

Folkestone Gazette 8-1-1958

Local News

Summons against a police sergeant for alleged assault and two summonses against a Folkestone licensee’s son, alleging conduct which might have caused a breach of the peace, were withdrawn at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

John Norman Coumbe, of 35, High Street, Folkestone, was alleged to have used insulting words whereby a breach of the peace might have been caused to have conducted himself in a manner calcu­lated to provoke a breach of the peace might have been caused to have conducted himself in a manner calcu­lated to provoke a breach of the peace and to have de­terred police officers from doing their duty by abusing and obstructing them. P. Sgt. Joseph Gibson Robert­son was alleged to have assaulted Coumbe.

Mr. Brian Clapham, appearing for the police, said in the case of Coumbe the position was that the summons was taken under the Public Order Act, 1936, arising from an incident which took place at about 10.30 p.m. on December 5^th last in Folkestone High Street. Mr. Coumbe was the son of the licensee of the Earl Grey. “I, and those instructing me, have looked into the legal posi­tion and in my view there is considerable doubt whether the Public Order Act, 1936, applies to the incident. In the circum­stances my application on be­half of the prosecution is to withdraw both summonses which arise out of the same in­cident”. Mr. Clapham recalled that the provisions of the Public Order Act, 1936, Section V, had been considered by the Divisional Court, and in August, 1949, before the Lord Chief Justice, in a rather similar case, although there was no police officer involved, it was held that the Public Order Act was not applicable to the incident.

Mr. Gower, appearing for Coumbe, said in the circum­stances he would like to men­tion the summons against P. Sgt. Robertson for assault, which arose out of the same in­cident. “I should say", he continued, “had the first summons pro­ceeded to trial it would have been very strongly contested on merit and not on points of law So far as the second sum­mons against Sgt. Robertson is concerned, my client does not in any way wish to appear to be conducting a campaign against the sergeant. In these circumstances it* would be the proper course to close this incident by with­drawing the summons we have issued against Sgt. Robertson”, added Mr. Gower.

The Magistrates` Clerk (Mr. R.S. Sidle) said he had con­sidered the provisions of the Act and was inclined to agree.

The Chairman (Ald. N.O. Baker) said the Magistrates had heard the explanation put for­ward by counsel and were pleased to accept the withdrawal of the cases.

Folkestone Gazette 22-1-1958

Local News

A baker`s roundsman met two young men in a Folkestone public house and invited them back to his flat for a drink. What was alleged to have happened in the flat led to David John Brown, 17-year-old merchant seaman, of 265, Cheriton High Street, and Fusilier Gary Cresswell, 19, of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, Shorncliffe, being committed for trial at Kent Assizes.

At Folkestone Magistrates’ Court, on Friday, they were charged that on January 9^th, when they were armed with knives, they robbed William Henry Fridd of £1 6/6 and a pair of cuff links. Brown and Cresswell were ordered to be detained in custody until the Assizes, which open on March 10^th.

Fridd, a baker’s roundsman, of 12a, Augusta Gardens, Folke­stone, told the magistrates that about 9.30 p.m. on January 9^th, he went to the public bar of the Earl Grey public house. As soon as he entered, Brown asked him if he would like a game of darts. Witness said he knew the accused by sight and agreed to play darts, after buying a drink The game was won by Brown and he (witness) bought him a pint of brown and mild. He asked Brown if he would like to have a drink at his flat. The defendant agreed, and asked Cresswell if he would like to join them. The three of them walked to Alexandra Gardens, where he got a taxi to Augusta Gardens. Fridd said he did not think the defendants were drunk, although they had been drinking. In the taxi one of them asked whether he had plenty to drink. They went into the sitting room of the flat, which was empty because his wife was away. There was some drink left over from Christmas on the sideboard, and he told defendants to help themselves, while he cut some sandwiches in the dining room. Fridd explained that Brown buttered some bread while he went into the kitchen to boil some eggs. When he returned to the dining room Brown and CressweU were together. There was a bottle of port and two wine glasses on the table in the sitting room. The port did not belong to him. "Brown and Cresswell fol­lowed me into the sitting room”, continued witness. “Cresswell pulled a black-handled carving knife from the front of his trousers He held the point of the blade at my throat. I asked him what he was on and he said “Empty your pockets”. Brown was standing behind me. I told Cresswell he could not get away with it because I would report it. Cresswell replied “It is all right we will frame you and tell them you are a “queer””.  Fridd said Cresswell asked him to empty his pockets There was only 7/-, which he placed on the table. Brown picked up the money and put it in his pocket. Brown then went into the dining room and he heard the defendant rummaging through the drawers and cupboards. Cresswell was still in the sitting room with the knife at his throat”. “Then Cresswell seemed to come to his senses and put the knife down”, said Fidd.  He called Brown in and told him to empty his pockets. Brown pulled out my 7/-, my wife’s cigarette case, which had been in one of the drawers in the dining room, and some nuts. Cresswell brought out my jar of hair dressing and my tie. I went back into the dining room, which was in disorder. The defendants followed me, and Brown pulled out a yellow-handled carving knife and held it at my throat. He asked me where the notes were. I told him I had not got any. Cresswell held the black-handled knife at my throat”. Witness went on to allege that Cresswell saw his rounds­man’s bag on the back of the door. He threw the rounds­man’s book on the table and helped himself to the money in the bag - £1 in small change, which he put in his pocket. “I called his bluff and went for his throat”, continued Fridd. “I caught hold of him and backed out of the room and along the passage to the front door. The knife dropped out of Cresswell`s hand. When I got to the front door I let go of Cresswell`s throat, ran down the steps and shouted for help”.  “The defendants ran off towards Sandgate Road”, added Fridd.

Shown an envelope, witness identified a pair of cuff links inside. He said they were worth 7/6.

Mr. T.H. Jones, prosecuting, “Did you make any suggestions of an improper nature to either of these men that night?”

“No”, replied Fridd.

Replying to Brown, witness denied he offered to let them sleep at the flat until morning, or that he said he would give Brown 10/-.

“Why did you ask me up to your flat?” asked Brown.

Frydd: I asked you along because when my wife is there it is quite usual for us to ask a soldier along for a drink or supper. I had not seen you for a long time, since you worked in the ’buses, and I asked you up for a Christmas drink.

Cresswell: What was your intention, taking two complete strangers up to your flat at that time of night?

“I was not taking two complete strangers”, replied witness. “I knew Brown and he asked you up”.

P.C. Cockcroft said at 11.30 p.m. on January 9^th he was on duty with P.C. Judd in Cheriton Road, where he saw Brown walking towards Newington. Told he answered the description of a man wanted for robbery, defendant replied “I don`t know what you are talking about”. The officer said he asked Brown if he had been in a flat in Folkestone with another man. Defendant replied “Yes, a fellow asked me in for a drink, but I asked someone else to go with me because he is a “queer””. While he was being searched in the police car, Brown said “I have not got a gun on me”. Asked whether he had a knife, defendant replied “I have not got a knife on me. We picked them up at the flat”. P.C. Cockcroft said at the police station Brown became excited and said “We were looking for money”. He was charged, and replied “I did not rob him with a knife. Although I had a knife in my hand, I did not threaten him at all”. The officer stated that when Brown was searched a pair of cufflinks and two written notes were found. The notes were not in his possession when he was searched in the car. They were written on paper from the room where he was detained. He had 3/0½d. in his possession.

P.C. Jenvey said at 11 p.m. on January 9^th he went to a basement flat at 12a, Augusta Gardens, Folkestone. A fireside chair had been overturned in the living room, there were a number of nuts and a white-handled carving knife on the floor close to the door. On a table was a bottle of wine, two glasses containing a small amount of wine, a tie, cigarette case and a bottle of hair dressing. A cupboard in the corner of the room appeared to have been ransacked, and a number of papers were scattered over the floor. Witness said another cup­board in the dining room had been ransacked and there was a black-handled carving knife on the floor. A roundsman’s money bag, containing 6d., was hanging behind the door. The bedroom was in disorder and appeared to have been searched. Later the same night, continued the officer, he went into the room where Brown was detained at the police station. The defendant said “Does he say that he has never seen me before? If he does he is a ---- liar. He invited me up there and told me that he would give me ten “bob”. I knew what he was like. The “Jock” started on him with a knife and I joined in. Then I ransacked the room”. The Sergeant said he asked Brown if he would like to make a statement and he replied “I was going to make a confession. How much will I get for this?”

In his statement Brown was alleged to have said he met Fridd at the Earl Grey public house and he asked him (defendant) to go up to his room. He saw the “Jock” and as he did not like the look of the chap he asked the “Jock” to go up with him. At the flat Fridd gave them some Martini and whisky. He was putting some butter on bread and the next thing he knew was that the “Jock” was holding him (Fridd) by the scruff of the neck and had a knife at him. Brown was alleged to have stated that he took advantage and looked in some cupboards. He was not looking for anything special. He went to take some money from a bag behind the door, but Fridd said it did not belong to him.

D.C. Holdaway said at 10 a.m. on January 10^th he saw Cresswell in the office of the R.S.M. at Napier Barracks. He told the defendant the nature of his enquiries and Cresswell replied “Yes, I was in the house. I was with this Merchant Navy bloke. We did not rob him, and I did not brandish any knife”. Told he would be arrested and charged, defendant answered “Yes”. At the police station Cresswell was handed a copy of Brown`s statement. He read it and said “No, that`s not right”. After caution he elected to make a statement and in which he said that at the flat the man gave them drinks. As they were drinking the man told him he would be all right with the drink and took Brown into the next room. A couple of minutes later Brown came out and said “Watch that bloke. He has just offered me 10/-“. Cresswell was alleged to have said that the man asked them to sleep at his flat. He caught hold of the man by the scruff of the neck. He may have picked up a knife, as Brown said, but he could not remember – he was drunk. In his statement, Creswell was alleged to have said that he told Brown they would take the man to the police. Then a scuffle took place and the man ran out of the room into the street. He rummaged through some drawers because he was looking for food. “I did not take any money”, he was alleged to have stated. “I probably said I would when I was threatening him. I say all sorts of things when I am drunk.” D.C. Holdaway said he showed a copy of Cresswell's statement to the other defendant. Brown said it was true. When he told the soldier that the man had offered him 10/-, the soldier went for him. Brown alleged that he asked the man for 10/-, but he said he had no money. That was when he had a look round to see whether the man was telling the truth. “I was very drunk and I do silly things when I am drunk”, Brown was alleged to have said. “The man did not make any suggestion to me or touch me”.

Brown told the court that at the time he made the first state­ment he was excited and wor­ried. The bit about Cresswell brandishing a knife he may or may not have seen. At the time he was drunk. He did not see Cresswell take any money, but he was over by the door where the bag was.

Both defendants applied for bail, but the application was opposed on behalf of the police, and the men were ordered to remain in custody until their trial at Kent Assizes.

Folkestone Gazette 26-3-1958

Kent Assizes

Fusilier Garry Cresswell (19), Royal Scots Fusiliers, Shorncliffe, was found Not Guilty at the Kent Assizes at Maid­stone, of robbery with violence at Folkestone on January 9^th - being armed with a knife and robbing William Henry Fridd of £1 6/6 and a pair of cuff links.

The case for the prosecution was that at the invitation of Mr. Fridd, a baker’s roundsman, of Augusta Gardens, Folke­stone, Cresswell and DavidJohn Brown (18), a merchant seaman, of Cheriton High Street, went to Fridd’s house after they had been drinking in a public house. At the flat it was alleged, said Mr. R. Du Cann (prosecuting) that Cresswell pulled out a black-handled knife which had been in the dining room, an held it up to Mr. Fridd’s throat and told him to turn out his pockets. Brown was standing behind Mr. Fridd, who told them that they would not get away with it. One said “All right, we will frame it and tell them that you are a queer”. When Fridd produced 7/- Brown picked it up and went into the next room. Cresswell then apparently came to his senses, put the knife down and called Brown. He told Brown to empty his pockets and he produced the 7/-, a jar of hair cream and a tie which had been taken from the flat. Later, said Mr. Du Cann, Cresswell picked up another knife and again threatened Mr. Fridd while he helped himself to the contents of Fridd`s baker`s bag hanging on the door. Mr. Fridd, he alleged, caught hold of Cresswell and, after a struggle, Cresswell ran away. The police were called and they found the rooms in disorder. When seen, Cresswell said that he did not rob him and did not use a knife. In a statement he said that Fridd gave them drink at the flat and then took Brown into another room. He soon came back, saying “Watch this bloke, he has just offered me 10/-“. Fridd, it was alleged, asked them to sleep in the flat, and so he caught him by the scruff of the neck to take him to the police.

In reply to a question, Mr. Fridd said that there was no truth in the suggestion that he was a homosexual. He denied offering Brown 10/- or inviting the men to sleep at his flat.

Giving evidence, Cresswell said that he was out of barracks without a pass. He had drunk two half bottles of port and four pints of “black and tan” during the evening. They went to Fridd`s flat by taxi, Fridd telling the driver “The usual place”. When they got there Fridd gave him a Martini and then some whisky. Brown went with Fridd into another room and then came back and warned him, saying Fridd had offered him 10/-. Fridd also said he had a double bed and all three could sleep in it. “I was angry. I grabbed him by the scruff of the neck. I had a knife in my hand which I had been using to crack some nuts. I said to him “I know your type. I have read all about them in the Sunday papers”. There was a scuffle and he broke away and ran out”. Cresswell said that he did not take any money.

Cresswell was found Not Guilty, and Brown, who had previously pleaded Guilty to the charge, was brought up from the cells.

D.C. E. Holloway said Brown was a single man and had not been previously convicted. He had served with the Merchant Navy, but was discharged after deserting from his ship in America. Since he had returned home in September last, he had not had any regular employment. He was three weeks in custody before being released on bail.

Mr. David Hollis, defending, said that Brown was easily led, and had been associating with undesirable people. Although it was a serious offence, he hoped the Judge would not find it necessary to deal with him in a hard manner.

Mr. Justice Byrne postponed sentence and asked the probation officer to see him and try to find out whether he could return to sea. Later Brown was again brought up and Mr. Justice Byrne said that armed robbery was a terrible thing, but the circumstances in this case were different from what one would expect.

With Cresswell, who had been acquitted, he had had too much to drink. In the flat, in view of the jury’s verdict, there was little doubt that a suggestion of an indecent nature had been made by Fridd “and you menaced him with a knife and stole some of his property”.

After a report by Mr. E. Cotton, Probation Officer, the Judge put Brown on probation for three years, warning him that if he offended again it would be Borstal or prison. “Make no mistake”, added the Judge.