Cambridge Chronicle 3 Aug 1872: Youth guilty of rape of Ruth Rayner

RAPE AT GREAT SHELFORD.

Joseph Douce, a youth 16 years of age, was charged with committing a rape at Shelford; and a second count charged him with indecent assault.

Mr. MAYD (instructed by Messrs. Barlow, Palmer, and Neville) prosecuted; prisoner was undefended.

The little girl upon whom the offence was alleged to have been committed is named Ruth Rayner, 11 years of age last November, and the daughter of a farm labourer living at Trumpington. On Saturday, July 20th, the girl was sent by her mother to the doctor’s at Great Shelford, whilst on the road she was accosted by the prisoner, who threatened to kill her if she frustrated him in his purpose. When the police office fetched the lad out of the field, and told him to put on his jacket, the lad put on one belonging to another person, and said several times it was his. The owner of it, however, came out and made him pull it off. Prisoner then put on his own jacket, and the girl said that was more like what the boy had on who assaulted her. Prisoner also gave a wrong name at first.

After hearing the various witnesses, including Mr. Edward Knowles, surgeon, Cambridge, whose defence told in favour of the little girl’s story,

The Jury found the prisoner guilty of the more serious offence, with a recommendation to mercy on account of his youth.

The learned JUDGE in passing sentence, said the evidence against the prisoner was clear and satisfactory. Although young, it was perfectly clear that the prisoner knew he was doing very wrong, because he had recourse to a great deal of ingenuity to conceal the fact of his being the person who committed the offence. The Jury had recommended him to mercy, and he (the Judge) trusted he should pass a sentence which would meet the justice of the case and at the same time prevent the youth from perpetrating such a crime again. It was right that prisoner should know he had rendered himself liable to five years penal servitude. Prisoner would, however, be kept to hard labour for three calendar months. He would have the benefit of the school-master’s attention if he desired it, and the governor of the gaol had been spoken to with reference to diet.