April 27th – Serious Charge Against a Goytrey Man

Charles Percival Rea farm labourer of Goytre charged on remand with attempting to feloniously assault Minnie Austin, a married woman, at Goytrey on the previous Monday. Prisoner pleaded not guilty.
Mr L E Webb prosecuted – prisoner was undefended. Minnie Austin, wife of William Austin, butcher,  Ton Cottage Goytrey, said that on Monday last her husband went out to work about 8 o’clock in the morning leaving her alone in the house. She was sitting on a rocking chair crocheting a shawl. The door was open – prisoner entered the house whilst she was so doing, without knocking. He said “good morning” and how are you this morning? she replied that she had a nasty headache.
With that he drew his chair up to the fire and sat down opposite her. He then drew his chair closer and tried to kiss her but she would not allow it. He replied that he would kiss her. She then told him to go away, he went to the other side of the fireplace. He afterwards came up to her, put one arm around her neck and threw her on the floor.
She struggled with him on the ground and defendant then tried to criminally assault her. She took up a small poker and struck him across the back. He took the poker from her and held her hands and afterwards attempted to assault her.
Prisoner came to the house about 10.45 and left at 11.40. She could not say how long she was on the ground. Prisoner had been in the house about quarter on an hour before he attempted to rape her. She told him she would tell her husband as soon as he came.
Whilst she was on the ground, witness screamed and called her husband and begged prisoner to leave her alone. When she said she would tell her husband prisoner said “Oh no you won’t, you’ll be afraid.” After that she said she would tell Mrs Watkins, his mistress. Prisoner did not make a reply to that.
After prisoner had gone witness stayed in the house until about 7 o’clock. Mrs Watkins, prisoner mistress came to the house. Witness did not complain to Mrs Watkins then, but followed her and made a complaint to her in her own house. Witness afterwards left Mrs Watkins house and went to meet her husband. She told him everything, returned in his company to Mrs Watkins house. She and her husband made every effort to find the prisoner that night and waited at Mrs Watkins until after 10 o’clock. He, however did not come in.
On Tuesday they tried to find PC Davies but failed. On the Wednesday morning however, she went to the constables house, made her complaint and then went with him to apply for a warrant for prisoner’s arrest. The nearest house to their’s was about 100 yards away. She had known the prisoner about three weeks. She had only lived in the neighbourhood about 2 months. She knew the prisoner by going down to Mrs Watkins’s and he had also been in her house with her husband.
Prisoner had, on one occasion, before the date of the assault, been in her house alone, bringing her a present from Mrs Watkins. She had never allowed him to take any liberties with her.
Cross-examined: She did not tell prisoner to come in. He did not say that he could not stay, neither did she ask him to sit down. Prisoner did put the coal on the fire, as she asked him to do so, while she was doing the shawl. She afterwards asked him to fetch some wood in, which he also did.
Defendant, after being cautioned, said that on Sunday the 22nd April he went up to Mr Austin’s house in company with Mr Austin. Mr Austin left to fetch some water while he was in the house, he then sold Mrs Austin a chicken for 8s 6d. She asked him then if he would come up on the morrow, Monday. He went there between 9 and 10 on the Monday. He found Mrs Austin’s door open and stepped inside. Directly he got inside she asked him to sit down, he refused on the grounds he had work to do and thought of going to Pontypool. She asked him a second time “Percy dear, do come and sit down.” She asked him to break up some wood, which he did. Conversation went on and she began romping with him and he pulled the chair from underneath her and threw her down but not with any intention to assault her.
Mrs Austin had been down to where he lived and would not let him alone. She was continually romping with him, she would never let him alone. If he was outside she would call out to him ” Percy dear or Percy darling, come on in and sit with me.”
The magistrates, after retiring to consider their decision, on returning said they had decided no jury would convict on the evidence and they therefore dismissed the case.

4th May – In pursuit of game;

Joseph Taylor and John Gibbs charged with being in pursuit of game on land  in the occupation of William Morgan Goytrey the previous Sunday. They pleaded guilty.
Fredk. Morgan, son of the prosecutor said that on Sunday afternoon between 5.30 and 6.30 he saw the defendants in one of his father’s fields. They had put a ferret into a hole. He went to them and asked them what business they had there. They would not give their names, he told them he should summon them. There were three other men in the wood besides the defendants.
By Col. Hair – He saw the ferret
By Taylor – There was a footpath in the field, it was a grazing field, how much damage did we do?
Supt. James – You are not charged with damage
Taylor – you needn’t interrupt a man when speaking
By Taylor – it was not a fact that the ferret was running around the field and witness and three other men ran after it. He said he was not in pursuit of game.

Taylor had been convicted three times and well known to the police as a notorious poacher.

Fined 20s each or 14 days

2nd November

Died on 28th October at Rhydyllwyfen Mr Benjamin Lloyd aged 75 halve and hurdle maker

23rd November

Frederick Hodgkiss charged with obtaining 2s by false pretences property of William Wilks of Goytrey on the 20th January last. Prisoner pleaded guilty.