Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1872-03-16 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

CRIMINAL ASSAULT AT MIDDLESBROUGH. Jolltl Norton was brought up under remand, charged with committing a rape upon Elizabeth Watson, aged 17 years, at Middlesbrough, on the 12th ins.tant. Mr Dobson appeared for the prosecution, and Mr Bainbridge for the defence.. The parties had been at the wedding of parties named Riley, in Lower East-street, and afterwards accompanied the bride and bridegroom to Newport, complainant returning towards her home, in Dacre-street, about three o'clock in the morning. She was followed by the prisoner, and alleges that he committed the offence charged in a passage in Hutchinson-street, despite her struggles and screams, and again in a new building adjacent thereto. Prisoner put his hand over her month, and treatened to choke her. She told a man who was passing what the prisoner had done, and he told her to go to a policeman. Whilst screaming, a woman opened a bed-room window and shouted "P Aim." Prisoner then ran away. In cross-examination, prosecutrix denied being tipsy before going to Newport. At Newport she went into the yard, where prisoner f itlowed her, and she returned into the house without speaking. She did not, in the yard, arrange for prisoner to accompany her home. On leaving Newport, prisoner did not set off along with her. Prisoner overtook her, and talked with her until they got to a passage about seven houses from her sister's, where he palled her in. She did not first call his attention to the passage. Did not see a man pass whilst in the pass. age, nor did she go to the end to see if he had gone away. Did not propose going into the building. After this, a man passed the building. She ran after him; the prisoner followed, and knocked her down about twenty yards from the drill shed. Was positive she never went any nearer the drill shed than twenty yards. Prisoner was just tipsy. He said he would not leave until morning.—Annie Tatham. living in Marsh-road, heard cries of " Murder" on the morning in question, and on looking out saw a man " jowling " a girl's head against the drill shed. He afterwards went away. —Crossexamined: The person I saw was close against the drill-shed, standing up. I saw them the moment I opened the window. They were never down on the ground after I opened the window. My husband was at work. I shouted " George," to a man lodging in the house, and the man Tan towards Newport. The girl came past my window. I said, " Wnatever has brought you out at this time in a morning ?" She walked on, and never replied. I afterwards saw her go and talk to a man at the corner of the street. I did not hear what she said. Ido not know whether it was either complainant or defendant. The girl who afterwards came to her with Sergeant Sample, wore a similar dress.—Jonathan Dickenson, surgeon, who examined the prosecutor at seven o'clock the same morning, said he found some marks of scratches upon the back of her arms, but upon no other part of her body. Her dress was torn. Inspector Sample said he received information of this case at four o'clock on Tuesday morning. Be accompanied prosecatrix to the place where she said the assault was committed, and found marks of a violent straggle in four or five different places. He apprehended the prisoner at six o'clock the same morning, at his father's house, in Durham. street. He was laid upon a shake-down with his trousers on, which were covered with mud.—P.C. Savage said prosecutrix complained to- him of the treatment about hall-past three o'clock that morning. —When formally charged, prisoner pled" not guilty." Be admitted that a portion of the girl's statement was true, but that she was a consenting party to what had taken place.—Mr Bainbridge said it was rather difficult to get witnesses in such a case, but he would call the mother to show that she was not one of the best characters. He commented on the peculiar position of the marks of violence, as corroborating the statement for the defence. The mother, being called, said the prosecuaix was aged 16 years. She worked at the pottery. She came home at nine, half. past nine, or ten o'clock, except on occasions when she went to the play, and then she came straight home. (Laughter.) On Monday night, when her daughter did not return home, she thought she was staying at her sister's, as she often went to her sister's at night, but very seldom stayed there. Prisoner was committed for trial at York Assizes on Monday.