Category: Magistrates Court

OFF TO THE NICK FOR A SEVEN PENCE TRICK

Two local men were charged at court with 6 offences of obtaining the sum of 7d from each of 6 residents in the Castle Hill area – by means of a trick. The men were employed by a local coal dealer to deliver to each respective customer, two cwts of coal. They were given a list of the customers which gave full particulars of the load and the price to be charged.

The two men, Cyril Lewis Winter of Birches Cottages, Leek Wootton and Charles Alfred Cox of Guy Road, Kenilworth, charged customers 7/6d, the charge of which should have been 6/11d, an overcharge of 7d. The accused asked for 80 other offences to be taken into consideration, and it was stated that 19 of the people overcharged, were old-age pensioners, of which 16 were widows and 26 were over the age of 60. All were working-class people.

The bench had little sympathy with the accused men. According, Mr. F. Lee, chairman, sentenced each of them to 3 months in prison on all 6 counts. The sentences would run concurrently, luckily for the men.

DAIRYMAN WHO SOLD TOO MUCH MILK

Kenneth Gee of the Bungalows, Grounds farm was before the bench on the none payment of a £360 fine. This was imposed on him last September for selling milk in excess of the quantity allowed by law.

Gee stated that all his assets were tied-up in the dairy business in which he was in partnership with his brother. He was receiving £15-a-month in wages and the 4.5 acres of agricuitural land which he owned was secured against a bank overdraft. He offered to pay £10 a month and the bench commented that, as he had already paid back £100, it would take over two years to clear the balance.

After a short retirement, the magistrates ordered Mr. Gee to pay £20 per month or in default, three months imprisonment. (A bit harsh)

ARMY ISN’T FOR HIM

In March, James Morris of Rouncil Lane, was summoned to court on charges of desertion from the army. He was remanded in custody by the bench, to await a miltary escort. When arrested, he stated, “I am a deserter, I don’t like the army”.

RANDALL ROAD – FROM THE ‘MIDDLE AGES’

In a letter, Harold Williams of 39, Randall Road, wrote that he had withheld his rate payments due to the lack of attention to his road. Although houses had been occupied for the past 15 years or so, as yet, no surface had been laid down, on either the road or footpath. When summoned to court for non-payment of his rates, he offered to pay 10s a week. He added that stop-cocks are without lids, bringing danger to children or adults when out after dark. In addition, after the slightest of showers, the road is flooded, sufficent enough for even a toddler to be drowned. He also stressed that the condition of this road is worse than ones in the ‘Middle Ages’, at a time when garbage was just thrown into the streets. The rate-collector said that the state of the road was not the issue here. An application for distress was granted by the court.

Magistrates (JP’s)

Mrs. G. M. Mills, (OBE), Park House, Park Hill, Kenilworth (chair)

Mrs. J. M. Avery, Whitegates, Rounds Hill, Kenilworth.

Colonel R. J. Cash, (CB CBE MC TD), Walcote, Blackdown.

Mr. E. L. Claridge, Valley Fields, Offchurch.

Mr. M. H. Green, The Pleasance Farm, Chase Lane, Kenilworth.

Mr. W. S. Hattrell, Sherbourne Priors, Sherbourne.

Mr. A. D. Huckvale, The Quest, 8, Priory Road, Kenilworth.

Mr. W. M. Maddocks, Beechwood, Kenilworth Road, Coventry.

Mr. S. H. Newsome, The Great Gatehouse, Castle Green, Kenilworth.

Mrs. C. H. Smalley, Stockcroft, Malthouse Lane, Kenilworth.

Mrs. Swift, 5, Hyde Road, Kenilworth.

Major H. R. Watling, (CBE), Clinton House, 78, High Street, Kenilworth.

Mr. Frank Weetman, East Chase Farm, Chase Lane, Kenilworth.

CLERK OF THE MAGISTRATES; Mr. E. W. Backman, 1, Regent Grove, Leamington Spa.

Magistrates (JP’s)

Mr. F. W. H. Lee, Lewberry Close, Ashow. (chairman)

Mr. E. K. Bourne, Wood Farm, Bubbenhall.

Mrs. G. M. Mills, Mount Vernon, 101, Northumerland Road, Leamington Spa.

Mr. S. H. Newsome, Elmdene, Windy Arbour, Kenilworth.

Mrs. C. H. Smalley, “Stockcroft”, Malthouse Lane, Kenilworth.

Major H. R. Watling, (OBE), Clinton House, 78, High Street, Kenilworth.

Mr. Frank Weetman, East Chase Farm, Chase Lane, Kenilworth.

Clerk of the magistrates; Mr E. W. Backham, 36, High Street, Warwick.

Source – Kelly’s Directory 1950

THE MAN AND HIS ‘WOBBLING CAR’

The solicitor defending a Kenilworth man, declared to the Magistrates: “He says he was fairly treated by the police and did not want me to be clever, he has also refused to allow me to look into this and seek out loop-holes in the prosecution’s case“. William Eric Barnes, of Castle Hill, was charged with drunken driving and careless driving.

He pleaded guilty on both counts and was fined £30. He was disqualified for a year and his licence endorsed. “By his mental attitude to the offence, Barnes had tortured himself”, said his solicitor. Prosecuting, Inspector Albert Cox, said the defendant had stopped his car on Gibbet Hill and the car behind him was forced to stop. Then Barnes rolled backwards into the car. Just as one of the passenger’s in the car behind went to walk up to Barnes’s car, he drove off. The other car then followed him, and during the journey Barnes ‘wobbled’ and swerved his car all over the shop. Barnes eventually stoped when he reached the Virgins & Castle public house. The other car stopped and the driver went up to Barnes’s car and opened the driver’s door, at which point the defendant almost fell out into the road. He was later examined by a police surgeon and certified unfit to drive. (In other words he was drunk as a judge)

When charged, Barnes said: “I have heard all this on the films but I did not know it could happen to me in real life“. Defending him, his solicitor said the incident had occurred after a Christmas luncheon party on December 21st. Barnes had been drinking spirits and before he went home in the evening he ‘knocked back’ an additional three pints of beer. His solicitor added; “Mr Barnes has made a firm resolution that he will not take any drink whenever he drives in the future”. (We’ll drink to that!)

PARENTS DID NOT APPROVE OF MARRIAGE

In the hope that the two parties can resolve their differences and need not come back to court, the magistrates adjourned the case for three months of the application by 18-year-old Margeret Storey, of Dudley Road to marry Ernest Cairns of Coventry.

The girl’s parents objected to the intended marriage until their daughter was older and the couple had saved enough money to buy a house.

Miss Storey said she had known her fiance for about two and a half years. She added, we have not looked for anywhere to live yet because it is not much use until we get consent to marry, I am earning £7 a week and we have got about £50 worth of ‘bottom drawer’ stuff as well as about £130 in the bank. If we get married we will live in Coventry, and save up to buy a house.

She is willing to promise the magistrates that she would not get married untill she and her fiancé have found adequate rooms. We are going to be married in a Roman Catholic Church and I want to be received into the church before we go ahead.

FAILED TO REGISTER AS AN ‘ALIEN’

It was emphasised by Mrs G. Mills (chair) of the court about the importance of foreigners employed in this country conforming to the registration regulations. A fine of £1 was imposed on a German girl living with a family in Common Lane, under an Au Pair agreement.

She had failed to register as an ‘Alien’. Through a member of the family with whom she is staying, the girl pleaded quilty to failing to notify a change of address to a registration officer within 72 hours of re-locating. Inspector S. J. Wall said the offence came to light as a result of a communication from Bolton police, the town where she had lived prior to coming to Kenilworth. When she had called at Kenilworth Police Station the officer told her to return with all her documents but she did not come back.

Mrs Mills, said only a small fine would be imposed, but the girl must understand how neccessary it is to register with the police when changing her address.

BETWIXT AND BETWEEN

Milkman Harold Payne, of Clarkes Avenue, now knows the feelings a lump of pastry experiences when it is moved twixt a rolling pin and boards. In April, he was standing between two vehicles and while still upright was rolled one way – then the other. This was Mr Payne’s experience that was described in court.

The incident occured in Worcester Road where Mr Payne had stopped his milk float to deliver some pinta’s. When he was walking alongside, a car driven by the defendant, Harold Sillifant, attempted to overtake. The vehicles were so close that the car pinned Mr Payne against the side of his float, and he was rotated between the vehicles. When Mr Payne yelled out, Sillfant, it was alleged, went into reverse causing the milkman to be rolled back again to where he had started from. On the ‘return trip’, Mr Payne did more than hoot, he thumped on Sillifant’s car as well as shouting: “For God’s sake, stop”.

Inspector Albert Cox, said that so tightly was Mr Payne squeezed that his body left an impression on the side of his vehicle. He was lucky not to have any serious injuries.

Sillifant, of Worcester Road, was charged with driving ‘without due care and attention’ and was fined £5 with £1-16 in costs, plus an endorsement on his licence.

Magistrates (JP’s)

Mrs. J. M. Avery, Cherry Tree House, Leamington Hastings.

Mr. E. L. Claridge, Valley Fields, Offchurch (Chairman)

Mr. W. V. Curtis, Long Meadows, Burton Green.

Mr. C. J. Forsyth, Cryfield House Farm, Gibbert Hill, Coventry.

Mr. M. H. L. Green, Lyndhurst, Kelsey Lane, Balsall Common.

Mr. R. R. Hall, 38, Heathcote Road, Whitnash.

Mr. W. S. Hattrell, Sherbourne Priors, Sherbourne.

The Right Honourable Lord Leigh, Stoneleigh Abbey.

Mr. W. M, Maddocks, Beechwood, Kenilworth Road, Coventry.

Mr. T. K. Meredith, Woodcote Lodge, Rouncil Lane, Kenilworth.

Mrs. G. M. Mills. (OBE), Park House, Park Hill, Kenilworth.

Mr S. H. Newsome, Kenilworth Road, Coventry.

Mrs. C. H. Smalley, Stockcroft, Malthouse Lane, Kenilworth.

Mrs. Swift, 5, Hyde Road, Kenilworth,

Mr. J. Watts, Park Hill, Kenilworth.

Mr. C. E. Webster, 214, Warwick Road, Kenilworth.

Mr. Frank Weetman, East Chase Farm, Chase Lane, Kenilworth.

Clerk of the Magistrates: Mr. E. W. Backham, 1, Regent Grove, Leamington Spa.

Source – Kelly’s Directory (1962-63)

JIMMY HILL’S OFFSIDE MOVE FAILED

Coventry City’s manager, Jimmy Hill of 137, Whitemoor Road, explained to the court, how he pulled into an offside position in an attempt to avoid a road accident. Whilst driving along Dalehouse Lane, Mr Hill was involved in the collision with Peter Stubbs of Finham Crescent, who was in court charged with driving without ‘due care and attention’. Mr Hill had brought the case to court himself, not the police. He was hoping the defendant would be shown the ‘red card’.

The crash occurred at the junction of Dalehouse Lane and Common Lane. Mr Hill said; “I saw a car driving towards the end of Common Lane, and I was 30 to 40 yards away from the ‘T’ junction. I expected the car to stop because I was on the main road and had the right-of-way, as I got nearer I realised the car wasn’t going to stop”. He added that he pulled towards the offside in order to go around the car but after braking I skidded, and we collided.

In court, Mr Stubbs said that as he approached the junction he slowed right down and noticed a car coming from the right, about 100 yards away. His intention was to turn right. “I started to move off, I got about a quarter of the way across the road when I realised the car was coming faster than I thought”. To get into the correct position on the road, Mr Stubbs accelerated. He said that the other vehicle was travelling towards him in the centre of the road. He contended that he had driven onto his correct side of the road when the other car hit him, and there should have been room for Mr Hill’s car to pass behind him.

The magistrates did not play ball and the case was dismissed, Mr Stubb’s defence was far too strong for Mr Hill.

BOUGHT TUCK WITH WHAT HE TOOK

A 13-year-old boy contented at the juvenile court that his employer was under paying him. He was charged with stealing money from a milk delivery firm where he was a part-time employee. Inspector Albert Cox said the boy worked for the milk firm and accompanied his employer on his rounds.

After making deliveries on November 29th, the boy returned to base with his employer and whilst counted the takings he slipped five £1 notes into his pocket. In the evening he went to Leamington and treated his friends to a ‘slap-up’ meal. None of other boys asked him where he had got the money. On November 18th, while making deliveries, he slipped more money into his pocket, this time it totalled thirty bob (£1-10s). He also admitted stealing on two other occasions, totalling £2-5s, which he squandered in cafe’s and on a book.

In court, the boy, who was put on probation for two years, said his employer sometimes never paid him, and when he did it was only 5 shillings instead of the apparently agreed 15 shillings.

Mrs. L. Smalley, presiding, told the boy that he should pay more attention to his schooling rather than getting money and spending it in cafe’s. He was ordered to pay a total of 30 shillings in court fees.

COURT HAD A ‘BONE TO PICK’ WITH LORRY DRIVER

Parked in Warwick Road on September 16th last year was a lorry loaded with a pile of bones. It aroused the attention of P. C. Fernie who discovered that the vehicle was not covered by an excise licence (road tax), nor a category ‘C’ licence, for which this size of lorry required. The owner of the lorry, Henry Hales of Coventry, was charged on both offences. He pleaded guilty and was fined £4. He was told to ensure that in future he must get the necessary licences for his vehicle.

ICE CREAM MAN IN A HURRY TO SELL ICES

For exceeding the speed limit in his ice-cream van, the man, Raymond Oughton of Coventry was fined an ice cool £7, and had his licence endorsed. His speed on the Birmingham Road was stated to be between 52 and 56 m.p.h. He pleaded guilty.

TROUBLE WITH WHITE LINE

A Somerset lorry driver who, on November 12th last, was stopped by a police officer for crossing a continuous white line on the Coventry Road. He told a constable; “That’s it, I’ll pack up my job and go on the National Assistance“.

It looks like Thomas Lawrence kept his promise, as he informed the court by letter, that he has been un-employed since December 14th. He was fined £7 for his troubles.

COULDN’T WAIT A FEW MORE DAYS TO HAVE SOME BOOZE

“I have been drinking for the past 12 mouths, so I suppose this will cost me a ‘fiver’, said a Leamington teenager, after he had been asked by a policeman if he was old enough to drink.

Ronald Fripp’s prediction did come true, he was indeed fined a ‘fiver’ for drinking whilst under age.

A police officer had made a routine call at the White Lion public house in Radford Semele, on December 13th. He asked Fripp if he was 18. The youth at first said he was, but later admitted he was only 17. His 18th birthday was only eight days away.

In court, Fripp said; “I just went in for a game of darts and looked upon myself as being 18“. For buying drinks for Fripp, John Roche of Leamington, was also fined a ‘fiver’. Their attitude while being questioned in the pub was described as being ‘flippant and arrogant’.

COULD NOT STOP HERSELF

The court heard it was the old, old story of yielding to temptation once and then finding it difficult to stop after that. The 19-year-old girl, who described herself as ‘industrious and conscientious’ was Marion Daniels of St. John’s Ave. She admitted two charges of taking money while employed at Waverley Garage as a petrol pump attendant and asked for two similar offences to be taken into consideration. Explaining her actions, she said; “It only started with a few shillings, and once I had took one lot, I couldn’t stop myself”.

After noticing discrepancies in the takings, said Inspector Albert Cox, the garage manager sprang a trap on January 17th and found that the till was £3 light. Inquires by Detective Constable Wilson ascertained that £5 had been taken by Daniels during November.

Telling the girl that she would be put on probation for two years, and that she must make restitution of £12-5s to the garage. The chairman stated that she had obviously realised the seriousness of her actions and that she was in need of some help.

PETROL THEFT COST HIM £10 AND HIS JOB

Henry Wallingford Minto of Coventry was fined £10 at court for stealing a five gallon can of petrol from his employers, Mother’s Pride Bakeries of Baginton. Inspector Albert Cox said that the manager of the firm checked the boots of cars belonging to employees and found the petrol in Minto’s vehicle.

Detective Constable Wilson, investigated the case and his inquires led to Minto being charged. The petrol was said to be worth £1-1s-3d. Minto was stated to have since lost his job with the firm. He had not been in trouble with the police before.

MORE DRUNKEN DRIVERS THAN EVER

In 1961, Kenilworth Magisrates convicted 12 drunken people but that fell to just one in 1962. But drunken drivers increased from 6 to 9 over the same period. Addressing the annual meeting of the Kenilworth Licensing Justices commitee, Inspector Albert Cox pointed out that partcular attention had been paid to the comsumption of ‘intoxicating liquor’ by young people on licenced premises. He added that a 20 year-old man and an 18 year-old girl had been convicted of buying drinks for juveniles under 18. Also, two young people were found guilty of drinking in public houses while underage.

In the division there were 35 public houses and fully licenced hotels plus ten off-licences. The population was recorded as 32,842, that’s 938 people to each fully licenced house. The figure quoted does not apply solely to Kenilworth town. The area administrated by Kenilworth Police covers extensive territory. Licenced premises have been generally well conducted and no proceedings had been taken against licence holders.

MUDDY FOOTPRINTS GAVE THE GAME AWAY

Clues left behind by a 13-year-old local boy who helped himself to a cashbox, containing 15 shillings from one of the best-kept houses in Kenilworth, stuck out a mile. They were muddy footprints embossed on a carpet near an open window. That was on December 8th. This week the boy was on another carpet, the proverbial kind, when he appeared at the juvenile court where he was put on probation for three years.

He was told by Mrs. L. Smalley; presiding, “You have been given a chance, I hope you will respond to it“. His muddy footprints on the carpet put the police on his trail which revealed that he had committed other ‘misdemeanours’.

In November, he had stolen two money boxes, milk cheques and some money, totalling £2. Some of the money had belonged to his father, no less. When interviewed, the boy admitted the theft at the house where he left his footprints. He had noticed a window open and climbed through it and then helped himself to the loot.

TOOK MONEY BACK THAT He HAD PUT IN THE SLOT

After his wife had left their Kenilworth cottage, and their three children were put into care, Joseph Nicholson, now of no fixed abode, stole £5-7s from his own electricity meter. Inspector Albert Cox said that Nicholson, who pleaded quilty, went to Coventry after taking the money and later travelled all the way to Northumerland.

He and his wife who had lived in Bockendon Grange Road, had parted company just before Christmas. The theft was discovered when Nicholson’s wife returned to the cottage. She saw the meter had been forced open and the money had disappeared. Kenilworth Police traced the accussed to an address in Northumberland and was remanded in custody.

Presiding, Mr W. Hatterell, said in view of the fact that Nicholson had been in prison whilst awaiting trial and that he had suffered domestic trouble, the court were going to be lenient with him. He was fined £5 and ordered to pay the stolen money back to the East Midlands Electricity Board.

TOBOGANNER’S CARS CAUSED AN OBSTRUCTION

There was not much space anywhere on the road perimeter of the Abbey Fields to park cars on the first Saturday of January. So many toboganners had turned up in vehicles and two local men were among the seekers of the joys of snow. They had clumsily parked their cars on Abbey Hill near the junction of Abbey End (near the War memorial). At court, they were both charged with causing an unnecessary obstruction.

One of the men was Michael Jones of High Street, who said Inspector Albert Cox, had parked his car only four yards from the Abbey End junction. It caused cars negotiating the bend to take evasive action to avoid collisions. The other man, Barry Hirons, of Queens Road, parked his car nine yards from the junction. Both pleaded quilty by letter and each fined £1.

Five other motorists, who lived outside of Kenilworth were fined £2 each for similar offences, double that of Kenilworth residents!

LAMP PRANK

It was little wonder that the curiosity of a police patrol was aroused when they spotted a red light, late at night, going along Warwick Road. It was bobbing about as it moved along. As cars got close, it bobbed all the more. In fact, it seemed to making some kind of signal. The police car took heed of the signal, which was bad luck for two lads of the R.A.F. The airmen, David Cresswell and Gerald Roy, who are presently stationed at Wellesbourne Airbase, were the culprits of the prank. They said they were hitch-hiking back to camp after the car in which they were travelling was involved in an accident. The lamp was the property of Kenilworth Urban District Council.

The airmen had found it at the side of the road and it was not lite. They explained at court, that they proceeded to light it to warm themselves up as it was a cold night. The trouble was they had become far too attached to the lamp, and it became their travelling companion. By the time the police caught-up with them they had thrown it into a garden. For stealing the lamp, which both admitted, the airmen were fined £1 each.

RAFMAN DID NOT HALT

21-year-old Reginald Cavell Bailey of R.A.F. Wellesbourne was before the court following a collision on the Abbey Hotel crossroads. It was stated that he did not stop at the halt-sign on December 8th and went straight into a Midland Red bus. In a statement, Bailey, who pleaded quilty, said he was not familiar with the roads in Kenilworth. Luckily, nobody on the bus was injured.

His licence was endorsed and was fined £10 for driving without due care and attention.

FLED THE SCENE BUT NABBED NEAR PUB

Coventry motorist Peter Franklyn did not stop after clouting another car whilst recklessly overtaking at Crackley. But he eventually pulled up a bit further along the route, outside of a pub in New Street. He was still sitting in his car when the driver of the clobbered car caught up with him. Recognising Franklyn’s car, he stopped and then saw the occupant getting out of the car but as he did, he just flopped onto the ground.

He was charged with driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs, dangerous driving and failing to stop after an accident. The bench showed little sympathy and he was banned from driving for two years and fined a whopping £50. He was also ordered to pay a doctor’s fee of 3 guineas.

Inspector Albert Cox said that on examination by a doctor, it was estimated that Franklyn had consumed the equivalent of at least 7 pints of beer. At court, Franklyn said that he had been ‘terribly distressed’ about his domestic troubles and had also been out of work. (but had enough money for booze – apparently)

BAND’S TOM-TOM – GONE

No matter what happens the show must go on, a term often used by entertainers. It must have been in the minds of the members of a band whose ‘tom-tom’ drum had disappeared just before they were due to play at a dance at the Abbey Hotel.

“It was only done as a prank and we were going to return it but we didn’t have the guts to take it back” said 18-year-old Nigel Hook of Ashfield Road. He was jointly charged with John Banham of Fernhill Farm with stealing the drum, valued at £12. They both pleaded guilty and were fined £3 each.

COURT IN COURT

Brian Richard Court, a 19-year-old Kenilworth garage forecourt attendant who said, “A little but often” at court, was put on probation for two years. The defendant, of Beauchamp Road, pleaded quilty to embezzling 7s-6d from his employers, Bridge Service Station and falsification of accounts.

Inspector Albert Cox, said that instead of registering the money paid to him by customers for paraffin he just kept it. He asked for several other similar offences to be taken into consideration. When questioned by the police, Court admitted ‘pocketing’ money given to him by customers, especially when he had ‘run short’. It was stated he was of previous good character. (Well, that’s alright then)

CAR WAS CASULTY OF ‘CAR CLINIC’ VAN

On the evening of February 10th, a Saturday, Mr. Albert Lucas of High Street went out for the night with some friends. When he returned at about 1am, he parked his car outside his house and went inside with his companions.

Shortly afterwards he heard an ‘almighty bang’. When he ran outside he saw that a van with Car Clinic on the side had hit his vehicle, and hadn’t stopped and was continuing along High Street towards Coventry.

Police traced the van and the man, Bernard Overton to an address in Green Lane, Finham. He was subsequently charged on three counts: driving without due care and attention, failing to stop and not reporting an accident.

Overton who, it was stated; “Was not paying proper attention to his driving”, was fined a total of £25 and had his licenced endorsed.

The so-called Car Clinic will not be top of Mr Lucas’s list for the repairs to his vehicle in the future.

A BAG FULL OF BOTTLES

Carrying a bag full of bottled drinks he had stolen from a public house, a 14-year-old boy was riding a bicycle towards Coventry. Travelling in the opposite direction was a car-full of coppers. Two detectives and a constable, who had been tipped off about the robbery.

Constable Victor Sandel spotted the bag on the boy’s bike and thought he recognised the shape of bottles inside it. The boy was stopped and the bag was found to contain the stolen bottles. At first he denied taking them, saying that he had ‘found them in a ditch’. But on further questioning by PC Sandel, he admitted the offence.

We was charged at the juvenile court with stealing the property, valued at £1-8s-4d.

He said a glass window was half-broken, so he pulled the remaining piece out in order to gain enterance to the premises. The boy was conditionally discharged for 12 months.

THE INVISIBLE PARK ROAD HALT-SIGN?

At court, a theory as to why so many motorists fail to stop at the halt-sign at the Park Road junction with Albion Street.

Inspector Albert Cox said that the sign on the wall of the ‘Wyandotte’ public house, indicated the direction to Towers Hospital in Park Hill. But, many motorists who are just looking for the hospital sign then miss the ‘halt’ notice, explained the inspector. He gave the theory after George Rouse of Bedworth, who was in court on a charge of careless driving at the said junction, where he had collided with another vehicle.

Rouse stated; “As long as I have been driving I have never seen a halt-sign so close to another road”. Inspector Cox said the other driver was Mr Tyler of Red Lane who was travelling along Albion Street in the direction of Mill End. Rouse drove out of Park Road and collided straight into Mr Tyler’s car.

Imposing a nominal fine of £2 on Rouse, the bench recommended that the ‘appropriate authority’ look into the position of the halt-sign’s. Kenilworth Council recently received a letter from the clerk of the magistrates court commenting on many previous observations of the signs. The local surveyor is checking upon them to see if they can be moved to a better position.

NO SHOW AT COURT

Hotel worker William Clynch who was out on bail on a charge of maliciously inflicting grievious bodily harm upon Antonio Ruffolo, failed to appear at court to face the music. There is now a warrant out for his arrest.

It was stated in court, that Clynch an employee at Chesford Grange Hotel, wounded Ruffolo, who was at the time working in the hotel’s kitchen. Ruffolo, it was stated, had to attend hospital for his injuries resulting in him having seven stitches in his forehead and four in his nose.

OFTEN BEGGED FOR ‘CRUSTS’

Kenilworth man, Trevor John Steel of St. John Street who appeared before the court previously for neglecting his six children was placed on probation for three years. He had been remanded for three weeks pending further reports.

The magistrates said to him; “We feel that with help and guidance you should be able to overcome these difficulties and settle down”. At the previous hearing, the court heard how the children had worked in their spare-time, cleaning cars and doing odd jobs to raise money to pay for their Christmas dinner. Also, they had often gone to Mrs Steel’s mother, to beg for ‘crusts’.

A FOWL BUSINESS IN DALEHOUSE LANE

Up before the bench was John Powell of Hall Close, Stoneleigh. He was charged with stealing poultry from a farm in Kenilworth. The 45 year-old, a Coventry abattoir worker earning £15-a-week, took out a ‘sideline’ of supplying chickens to various sources but it turned out to be a risky business venture.

Police had been informed that between last December and April this year, 72 fowl had gradually disappeared from Kingswood Farm in Dalehouse Lane. They were valued at £65.

Although efforts were made by the owners and police to prevent the thefts, the intruder still managed to enter the pens with foxy artfullness. Every night, said Inspector Albert Cox, the pens were securely locked but the thefts continued. A close watch was maintained and double doors were even fitted. But the intruder was not deterred.

Powell’s name was linked to the thefts and the police visited his home at Stoneleigh where they found he had 10 chickens, one of which was dead. He told the police that he had purchased them three months earlier. But on further questioning, he eventually admitted stealing the birds from the farm. He said; “I just kept taking them”. He added that the first twenty he took he sold them in a Coventry pub and others around various parts of the city.

On placing Powell on three years probation, Mrs L. Smalley, presiding, said “If you go on in this way you will end up in prison”. He was said to have had a number of previous convictions. He was ordered to pay £70 compensation to the owners of the farm.

WILD DRIVING AFTER BUST-UP WITH BROTHER

“I wasn’t paying much attention to my driving because I had just had a row with my brother” said Peter Connelly of Leamington, who was fined a heavy £25, and had his licenced endorsed by the court for dangerous driving.

It was stated that Connelly, who pleaded not guilty, was being followed by a police car when travelling along the Leamington Road towards Kenilworth on March 17th.

When he stopped at traffic lights in Leamington, he stalled the engine. By the time he had re-started the engine the lights had changed to red again but he still pulled away. With the blue light on, the policemen gave chase. They saw Connelly approaching a temporary set of traffic lights at Chesford bridge. Instead of waiting, he overtook a stationary car at the lights and proceeded across the bridge swerving all over the place and then turned sharp left. The police eventually caught up with him in the car park at the nearby Chesford Grange Hotel, where they felt his collar.

DATES WERE DIFFERENT

A Kenilworth woman motorist was fined a total of £8 for driving a car when a test certificate was not in force and for not having an excise licence. She is Anne McLellan of ‘Kingcroft’ in Red Lane, who pleaded quilty to the charges.

When McLellan was using her car in The Square on March 20th, P. C. Dick pointed out the offences to her. She replied; “I think my husband has the licence, but must have forgot to put it on the car”. (Yeah, right)

When she later produced the licence and test certificate at Kenilworth Police Station, there was a problem. Both documents were dated after the offences had occurred. (Oh dear….. Mrs McClellan)

FRIENDLY TOWARDS GYPSIES

A Kenilworth man who rented his caravan in Rouncil Lane to gypsies because, he said; “I feel we should help these people” was fined £5 at court for using land as a caravan site without a licence to do so. Before the bench was Norman Fox of Warwick Road, who pleaded guilty to the offence.

He was also charged with being £51 in arrears with his rates, which he was ordered to re-pay at £2-a-week. Exchanges between Kenilworth Council and Fox about the licence had been going on for some time. “The situation has become a complete farce and holds the local authority to ridicule” said Mr. C. Riley, Clerk of the Council.

Regarding the gypsies, Fox told the magistrates; “I feel we should help these people, they are pushed from one place to another and they get frightened. I have always had the idea that the Council are biased against these caravans”.

‘HARSH’ PENALTY SLASHED

An appeal was up-held at the recent Warwickshire Quarter Sessions bought by motorcyclist, 19-year-old Terry Vallance of Moseley Road. His solicitor stated that the 5 year driving ban imposed upon him by Kenilworth Magistrates a few months ago was an ‘un-duly harsh penalty’. The chairman of the quarter sessions, allowing the appeal, stating evidence had since come forward which had not previouly been presented at the Magistrates court hearing. Accordingly, he reduced his ban to just one year from the date of the appeal.

The evidence being that the brake pedal had sheered off his machine early on in the chain of events, so he could not stop. Vallance had pulled out and overtook a sports car which was in turn overtaking an un-lit parked car. He lost control and his machine mounted the offiside pavement, shot back across the road, took-out a hedge and then demolished a bollard. The accident happened near the Warwick-Leamington road juction at the bottom of Warwick Road.

His solicitor, Mr. Cox, stated he had been put into a sudden emergency when the sports car pulled out, he then careered over 200 yards along the road until he finally came to a halt. Vallance could not recall the accident because of injuries to his head, pelvis and ankle, he indicated that he did not want to ride motorcycles again but did seek to drive a car. (That’s wise)

JUVENILE GIRL CAUGHT ‘ON THE POP’

Her part-time job at a local cafe evidently caused a 14-year-old Kenilworth girl to work up a raging thirst. The place to quench her thirst came in the cellar of the premises and she took full advantage. At the juvenile court, she was charged with stealing eight bottles of ‘Baby Cham’ and 18 bottles of mineral water.

Inspector Albert Cox said the offences came to light when the cafe proprieter spotted bottle tops on the cellar floor. He knew no one had authority to open the bottles in the cellar. Suspecting something was untoward, he informed the police.

When the girl was questioned, she admitted it saying; “Yes sir, it was me, I took two bottles yesterday and three today. In all, I suppose I have taken twenty bottles”. The girl was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay 30 shillings in court costs.

She does not work at the cafe anymore.

SHEEP WORRIER WAS SOON A DEAD DOG

Retribution descended rapidly on a black labrador which worried livestock. Within a few hours of its offence being discovered it had been destroyed, said Peter Roseby of Brooklyn Caravan Site in Leek Wootton.

At court, Roseby, the dog owner, was fined 10 shillings for not keeping his dog under control. The bench heard that sheep and lambs had been huddled into the corner of a field on the farm of Arthur Silk, which adjoined the caravan site. He noticed a black labrador amongst the flock which was worrying them. He fired his shotgun into the air and the dog ran off. When he inspected his sheep he found that a two-week old lamb had been severely injured and a number of sheep had been damaged.

UNPLEASANT PHEASANT DEATH

Feathers plucked from a poor old pheasant were literally on the bench at the latest juvenile court hearing. The bird had been shot by a ‘party’ of three boys from Coventry on April 15th.

But the trio had made a trio of mistakes. Firstly, they killed the bird out of the pheasant shooting season, which was from 1st October to 1st February. Secondly, they did not have a game licence and finally they were trespassing on the land on which they ‘bagged’ the bird. The three boys all pleaded quilty to the offences. Prosecuting, Inspector Albert Cox stated that they shot the bird and a squirrel on the 200 acre, Hurst Farm at Stoneleigh.

Mr George Powers, the tenant of the farm, saw the boys walking across a field carrying a dead hen pheasant and a squirrel. He went over to them and asked what they were doing, the boys said nothing. Mr Powers then carted them off to Kenilworth Police Station where they revealed the whole sorry story, the game was up. After the feathers had been plucked so that they could be presented as evidence, the bird was given to Mr Powers.

Mrs L. Smalley, presiding, warned the boys of the gravity of the offences, saying they could well have been fined up to £20 each for killing game. But they were ordered to only pay £4 each.

FAKE NAME WOMAN

A 24-year-old housewife, Ann Croal, a resident of flat No. 1, at “The Woodlands” in Birches Lane, appeared before the court on charges of obtaining money by credit fraud. The defendant also told the bench that she had been feeling lonely.

Inspector Albert Cox, said that Croal went to Morley’s Dairy shop in Warwick Road and asked for goods on credit. After it was explained to her that it was highly irregular, the proprietor gave her goods to the value of £2-11s-3d. Croal said her name was ‘Mrs Bull’ and also gave a false address.

On April 11th, she obtained 19 shillings worth of goods on credit from St. John’s Stores, also in Warwick Road, saying; “I’ll pay you tomorrow”. She gave the same name and another false address, 76, Birches Lane.

As a result of complaints, police made investigations and Detective-Sergeant J. H. Smart discovered that 76, Birches Lane was an empty bungalow. However, after further inquires, Croal was traced. At first she said; “No it was not me. I think you have made a mistake”. But she later admitted it, saying; “It was me, I had no money and I had to do something to get food”. Mrs Croal and her family, it was stated, had only lived in Kenilworth since March and didn’t have any friends here.

Mrs L. Smalley, presiding, said, “In Kenilworth there is no need to be lonely, there are plenty of clubs and women’s organisations”. She was put on probation for two years.