The Maryport Advertiser Friday, November 17, 1882 Serious Assault at Workington

Serious Assault at Workington

The Maryport Advertiser - Friday, November 17, 1882

SERIOUS ASSAULT AT WORKINGTON   At the Workington police-court on Wednesday, James GRIFFITHS, labourer, was   brought up in custody on the charge of having indecently assaulted Hannah   KENNEDY, on Saturday night, the 11th inst. -  Complainant stated that she  was the wife of James KENNEDY, of 47, Senhouse-place.  Knew the prisoner  James GRIFFITHS, who came to lodge with her three weeks past last  Saturday.  On Saturday last the prisoner went out at six o'clock and  returned about nine.  Only the children and herself were in the house when  he returned.  Her husband was at work at the Lowther Ironworks.  About  ten o'clock she was putting sticks near the grate for kindling the fire in the  morning.  The prisoner, who had been getting his supper, got up and came  towards her, put his arms round her neck and used indecent language.  She  shouted to him several times to go by, and the little girl began to cry.   The prisoner then struck at the little girl.   She ran to the front door to  get it open, and was just putting her hand on the door when the prisoner caught  her by the throat and pulled her in.  He then went and bolted the scullery  door.  She was frightened when she saw him bolting the back door, and she  ran to get out of the front door when he caught her and threatened her, saying  that if she raised an alarm he would take her life before morning.  He  pulled her back again into the kitchen, and she went to get the poker to knock  through to the neighbours.  He took the poker from her, saying that if she  made a noise she would not be able to tell the tale in the morning.  The  prisoner then got hold of her, pressed her head against the kitchen table, and  assaulted her again.  She kicked him and struck him, and he struck her back  with his flat hand, and said, "If you strike me again I will do for you."   He afterwards told her to deliver up any coin she had in the house.  She  replied she hadn't got any: she had paid it all away.  The prisoner got  hold of her a third time and tried to pull her into the scullery.   She gave  him and shove and he fell against the pantry wall.  the prisoner then  attacked her again and she kicked him and he sprang back.  She then caught   hold of the child and went upstairs.  The prisoner kept shouting of her to   come back, and she replied it was time to go to bed.  She just had time to  get the door shut when the prisoner came upstairs and asked for some  matches.   She put him some matches underneath the door, and he said he  didn't want the matches: he wanted his supper.  He then burst the door  open, and she went downstairs after that and made him his supper.  After  she had got the supper ready, he said, "You can take it yourself: I don't want  it."  While the prisoner was getting the poker from the fireside she  succeeded in getting the door open, and ran to Mrs. BULMAN's. -  Mrs.  BULMAN deposed that Mrs. KENNEDY ran into her house with her hair hanging  down.  She said she was afraid of remaining in the house with the lodger  -  Fanny TUBMAN, wife of Isaac TUBMAN, said she remembered Saturday night  last.  Saw Mrs. KENNEDY in a frightened state.   She said she was  afraid of the lodger. -  James KENNEDY said when he came home from work his  wife told him what had happened.  Prisoner said there wasn't a word of  truth in it, but if he had a mind to believe it he could stick with it. -   Police-constable HETHERINGTON deposed that he apprehended the prisoner in  Senhouse-place on Sunday, and charged him with attempting to commit a rape on  Mrs. KENNEDY.  He replied, "It's all right.  There was another man in   the house at the time."  - The prisoner, who denied the charged, was  committed to prison for three months with hard labour.     *******

 

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