Derby Mercury - 17 December 1884

PETTY SESSIONS, Saturday.
[Before R. H. G. Gladwin, C. B. Kingdon, H. C. Okeover, G. M. Dixon, and C. W. Jervis Smith, Esqrs.]

EXTRAORDINARY ASSAULT.— Mr. William Dakin, of Shirley Park Farm, charged Thomas Tunnicliff and Alfred Tunnycliff with assaulting him, on Monday, November 24th.— Complainant said: I and my man were getting up some potatoes in a field, when these men came by, along a road through the fields from Shirley to Osmaston, by the wood side. They shouted, and asked whether I would give them a potato or two to roast? They were going toward Osmaston and one was dressed as a sweep. I gave them four big ones out of the cart. Thomas Tunnycliff put them into his pocket. They went a little further on and commenced throwing stones at us, and we then started home. The stones fell about us and in the cart. The men turned back and followed us. I had potato fork with steel prongs in my hand, and Thomas took hold of it and hit me on the nose with his fist, making it bleed very much, taking the form off me, which he wilfully damaged. They both used fearful language. I ran away to avoid further violence. I did not strike either of them in return. The men were not satisfied with the potatoes I gave them.— George Henry Gould, servant to Mr. Dakin, corroborated his master's evidence, and said of one of the defendants pushed or struck witness as he was attending to the horse and cart.— The Chairman, Capt. Gladwin, said that the defendants were guilty of an unprovoked and serious assault, and they would be fined 2l. each with 17s. costs in each case; or a month, with hard labour in default of payment. The men were removed in custody.