THE STAGGERING MAN
A Kenilworth man, Russell Carpenter of Warwick Road, appeared before the court on charges of being “drunk in charge of a motor-car”. Inspector Albert Cox said that at 10.50pm on Monday 11th November, P. C. Angus Dick saw Carpenter ‘staggering’ along Warwick Road and later watched him get into the driving seat of a car at the rear of the Bear and Ragged Staff public house. When questioned by the constable, Carpenter did not say anything. He was then taken to Kenilworth Police Station where a doctor stated that he was not fit to drive. (In other words, he was drunk as a judge). Mr W. H. Hibbs, defending, said that whilst in a pub, Carpenter surrendered the key of his car to a friend. Later, the defendant left the pub and as he walked along Warwick Road, the person to whom he had given the key, pulled up along side him and gave it back to him. He went to his car not to drive it but to lock it up, said Mr Hibbs. But the trouble was, he was inside the car. The magistrates did not believe a single word, and fined him a staggering £20 – more than a weeks-wages for a lot of people at the time.
“THERE’S NOTHING TO DO IN KENILWORTH“
There is a degree of truth in the often levelled criticism that there is ‘nothing to do in Kenilworth’. But it does not cut much ice when used as an excuse by the ‘nothing-to-doers’ to get mixed up with mischief and crime. Seven boys had an appointment at the juvenile court, where they got a frosty reception from the bench. All were Kenilworth lads between the ages of 13 and 16. They were either connected individually or jointly with a whole string of offences. They included break-ins and thefts from local cricket and football clubs. Namely, Kenilworth Cricket Club, Thomas Bates Cricket Club and Rangers Football Club. They were also involved in driving away motor-cars without the owners consent, driving without insurance, stealing car ignition keys and driving while under age, etc, etc. The case of the pilfering from the Thomas Bates pavillion which concerned three of the ‘magnificant seven’, aged 13, 14 and 16 was adjourned for three weeks, pending further inquires. Guilty pleads were entered on all the other charges. Penalties included, fines, probation, and disqualification from obtaining driving licences. In court, one of the older boys advanced the ‘nothing-to-do’ theme by stating to the bench; “This was not hooliganism, there is nothing to do in Kenilworth, we did it once and then we thought it was easy”. (Well, that’s alright then)
CHAT WITH HER PAL COST HER A FEW BOB
At court was Marion McMaster of Randall road, who, when she saw a former work colleague along Warwick Road decided to stop her car and have a natter. Trouble was, where she decided to park, only feet from a pedestrian crossing, was contrary to the highway-code, let alone dangerous and obstructive. A police officer booked her on the spot and the magistrates fined her £2 and endorsed her licence.
BEATLE FANS DAFT DANCE
“Although we appreciate that the Beatle’s music does do things to these young lads, I think this was going a bit too far, it was dangerous” said Inspector Albert Cox at the juvenile court. He was speaking during a case in which two 16-year-old boys were charged with wilfully obstructing the free passage of traffic. The bench heard that traffic was held up in Rosemary Hill because the two boys felt it was a good idea to start ‘Jiving and waving their arms about’ in the middle of the road with Beatle’s music blaring from a transistor radio held by friends on the pavement. Amongst the audience was by P. C. Victor Terry, who quickly stopped the boys performance. And for the record, their jiving on a ‘Long and winding road’, cost them fines of £1 each.
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