The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-04-26 00:00:00

COMPLAINT AGAINST A POLICE-OFFICER.

Police-officer No. 9 was accused by Ann Leonard, an Irish-
woman, residing in the neighbourhood of Marybone, of hav-
ing abused her on Sunday night last. The complainant
stated that about six o'clock on Sunday evening she went out
to purchase some milk. She saw several persons fighting in
the street. She saw the defendant pushing a man against a
gateway. The man had his tongue out, and the officer was
abusing him severely. She said, " Policeman dear, don't
murder the man. if he's done anything wrong, get a sum-
mons for him, but don't murder him in that manner." Upon
this the policeman turned round upon her, and struck her a
terrible blow on her head with his staff. His stick was full
of blood when he took it away.
Another female was called, who stated that the officer was
quite drunk at the time. She said he was very furious. He
looked as if he were going to kill everybody. She was afraid
of him, as she thought he was going to murder everybody
who came near him. She saw the blow given, and saw the
complainant fall from the effects of it.
A third Irishwoman, who stated that she had been only
one week in Livepool, said, that she saw the complainant
going quietly past for some milk. She said something to the
policeman, who was quite drunk, and he turned round and
knocked her down.

The officer declined asking any question, except from the
complainant. The latter he asked if she did not take him. by
the collar and tear his coat open ? She replied, No. The
defendant said between eight and nine o clock on Sunday
evening he saw a great and very disorderly crowd in Mary-
bone. A person told him that a man, whom he saw between
two others, was the one who had just before abused Bonfield,
another officer. There had been a considerable disturbance
in the neighbourhood during the afternoon, which the officers
had scarcely been able to suppress. He went up to the in-
dividual pointed out, and took hold of his collar, for the pur-
pose of ascertaining whether he really was the person who
had knocked Bonfield down or not. The man immediately
seized him by the collar. Another person seized him by the
stock, and the complainant coming up fastened on his collar
on the other side. She pulled away at him most violently,
and was nearly choking him. With some difficulty he drew
his constable's staff from his pocket, and aimed a blow at one
of the men, but as he was not complete master of his move-
ments, it struck the woman.
Mr. Ellis here reminded Mr. Hall, of some persons who
had beep in custody for making a disturbance in Vauxhall-
road and Marybone on Sunday afternoon.

Edward Meredith was called on behalf of the officer. He
stated, that he was an assistant in a spirit vault. Shortly
after eight o'clock on Sunday afternoon, there was a great
disturbance in Marybone. There was a great crowd near
Mr. Rigby's vaults. The crowd went over towards Midg-
hall-street. He (witness) saw a man between two other men.
whom he knew as the individual who had struck Bonfield.
He told officer No. 9, (the defendant,) and the latter ran
over and took hold of him. He was immediately seized by
the collar, first by the man whom he had made a prisoner of,
then by another man, and lastly by the complainant. They
pulled the officer about and were choking him. He told
them unless they loosed him he must strike. He did strike
with his staff, but witness did not see who he hit. Two
other witnesses were called, who corroborated the above tes-
timony, and said the complainant and two men had nearly
choked the officer. One of these witnesses described the
mob as most riotous. They had knocked him down several
times.

Mr. Hall said, that had nothing to do with the case.
An Irishman, who stated that he resided in Addison-street,
was called. He described the whole of the affair from the
commencement. According to his account, Bonfield had
taken a man into custody from the mob, on charge of having
assaulted another. This man was rescued from him, and
the defendant afterwards took him. He was, however, at-
tacked, not only by his prisoner, but by the complainant and
a man in the crowd. They abused him dreadfully, and were
choking him when he pulled out his staff. A woman
wrenched it from his grasp, when he (witness) took it from
her, and returned it to the officer. They pulled his head
down, and he struck out with his staff, and he (witness)
believed, without intending it to hit the complainant.
Bonfield was called. He stated that he did not take the
man into custody, as he had not seen the assault committed ;
he told the complaining party to procure a summons ,Ar
him. Mr. Whitty stated, that having heard that the officer
was drunk, he went to him and ordered him to go to the
Vauxhall-road Bridewell, and there await his coming. Mr.
Whitty went in about ten minutes. The officer had been up
all night in consequence of some domestic affliction, and
his eyes were red. He had therefore the appearance of a
man who had been drinking, but he was perfectly sober.
_ _

Mr. Hall said, the conductof the officer (the defendant,)
in taking into custody the man who was alleged to have struck
Bonfield, was most improper and illegal. No officer had a
right to take a man into custody for an assault, unless he
saw him commit it. The man whom he arrested from the
crowd might have entered an action against him for false im-
prisonment if he had thought proper. His proper course was
to have summoned the man to appear and answer the com-
plaint. After a further reprimand, Mr. Hall dismissed the
complaint.