Cambridge Independent Press 26 Feb 1909: P.S. Pallant assaulted

ACCIDENT AT TRUMPINGTON.

POLICE COURT SEQUEL.

Hawker Sent to Prison

At the Cambridge Division Petty Sessions on Saturday, before Lieut.-Colonel Hurrell (in the chair), Canon Pemberton, W. A. Macfarlane Grieve, E. Parish, E. Few, and A. P. Humphry, Esqs. Hy. Gaskin, hawker, of no fixed abode, charged on remand with being drunk whilst having in his charge a horse and cart, at Trumpington, on February 13th, and there was a further charge of assaulting P. s. Pallant whilst in the execution of his duty.

Benjamin Stone, parish constable of Trumpington, stated that the previous Saturday the prisoner was driving through the village with his wife in a cart. Prisoner was drunk. The cart collided with a horse. Both the shafts of the cart were smashed, and the man and woman were thrown out, the woman being subsequently conveyed in an unconscious condition to Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

Mr A. W. Bishop, of Chaucer-road, stated that he was walking along Trumpington-road on his way home about 2 o’clock, when he saw the cart containing the prisoner and his wife pass him near the Botanical Gardens. The prisoner leaned heavily on the woman, and began beating the horse unnecessarily. Witness considered that the man was drunk, and thought it best to go home as quickly as possible and telephone to the police what he had seen.

Prisoner’s explanation of the accident was that he had leaned over to get his whip, and the collision occurred.

In regard to the second charge, P. s. Pallant stated that from information received he proceeded to Trumpington, and saw the prisoner coming towards Cambridge. He was staggering all over the road, and witness said that he should take him into custody. Prisoner used bad language, and became violent. Witness got him into a motor car to convey him to the Police Station, when the prisoner struck him, and then kicked him on the leg.

Prisoner said that he remembered nothing of the assault. He was unconscious after the accident happened.

The Magistrates sentenced the prisoner to a month’s imprisonment on the first charge and two months’ on the second, the sentences to run consecutively.