The Sun. — 1864-12-20 (London, England)

THAMES.  MURDEROUS OUTRAGE ON A WOMAN.—Dennis Driscoll, a notorious thief and brother of a ticket-of-leave convict lately returned from Portland Prison, was brought up on a warrant charged with violently assaulting Margaret Gibbons, a woman about 30 years of age. The complainant stated that on the 15th of October last, at a quarter before 12 o'clock,she was leaving the Half-moon and Seven Stare publichouse, in Rate Ml-highway, when the prisoner, who was in the street, called her an informer, to which she replied " You never knew me to be locked up for stealing a pig's head," He then swore at her, and used most foul language, and knocked her down by a blow with his fist on the face, and when she was down he kicked her on the back of the head, She got up and retreated to a side street and was knocked down again• The prisoner kicked her again until she was quite insensible. When she came to her senses she was in the London Hospital, where she remained under medical treatment for five weeks. She was now a pauper, and had left the workhouse of St George-in-the-East to give evidence. In answer to questions by Mr Paget, the witness sail she wont to the station-house in King David-lane, Shadwell, one night, and gave information to Police-sergeant Sutherland, 46 K, that several police constables were being attacked and beaten in Ratcliff• highway, and he sent other officers to their assistance. The prisoner had been in custody for stealing a pig's head.  John Holley, police-constable, No. 501 A, said he found the woman Gibbons in the passage of a house in Bluegatefields, Shadwell, on the night in question. She was bleeding copiously from wounds on tho head, and quite insensible. He caused her to be conveyed to the hospital. Her life was in danger for several days. The prisoner was sought after until yesterday and then apprehended. John Stimpson, police sergeant, No. 21 li., said the prosecutrix gave useful information to the police of a serious outrage. Several constables were severely maltreated, and one of the constables, named Kenny, was stabbed on the eye with a penknife. A man named Macarthy, a ticketof leave convict, was tried and convicted and sentenced to seven years' penal servitude. His two sisters Julia and Margaret Macarthy were convicted at the same time. Julia was sentenced to 4 months and her sister to 18 months' imprisonment. Two others were tried, convicted, and sentenced to 6 months' imprisonment each. Mr Paget—Was the prisoner concerned in that outrage, which I well recollect ?  Stimpson could not say, but his brother returned from transportation with the convict Macarthy. The prisoner, a morose and impudent ruffian, said he only brushed the woman, and that he was not a thief but a hard working man.  Mr Paget said the prisoner had committed a most savage and dastardly assault on a woman who had done good service to the public. The prisoner had narrowly escaped penal servitude for life. If the woman had died of the injuries received the prisoner would have been tried for murder, and in the event of a conviction his life would have been forfeited. He sentenced the prisoner to be imprisoned for six months and kept to hard labour, and further to find bail to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for three months longer, The sureties required would be two householders in £25 each, and the prisoner's own personal recognisance in £5O. The imprisonment would amount in all to nine months unless sureties were provided.