Weekly News. — 1892-03-10 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

CIIAROE A.;AINST SOLDIER.—John Grey (21), a soldier of the North Stafford Regiment, was indicted for an indecent assault on Bessie Mary Welch, aged 7, at Corte Castle, on November 14th.—Mr. Budge appeared for the prosecution.—The girl lived at West Mill, Code Castle, with her parents, and on the day in question she was sent to fetch a loaf for her grandmother. She Paw the prisoner against the bridge. When she had obtained the loaf she went down the lane witb prisoner, who offered her 6d and a penny. The little girl then described the nature a the assault.  Prisoner returned to her grandmother's house with her and stayed outside.—The grandmother, who lives at Arfieet Mills, said when the girl returned with the loaf she noticed she had a dirty face. Grey was keeping company with her daughter, the aunt of the prosecutrix. Witness heard nothing of the alleged assault until the following morning.—By a juryman: The loaf was quite clean.—ln answer to the Judge, witness said she did not notice that the girl was gone an exceptional length of time when she fetched the loaf.— Robert Welch, father of the prosecutrix, proved fetching his daughter from her grandmother's. She was very pale, and on the way complained of the way in which urey had ill-treated her. He fetched the doctor at once, and afterwards gave information to P.S. Custard —The girl's mother gave evidence of the condition of the child when she came home. The witness was questioned by the prisoner as to her relations with her neighbouis. A miller named Battrick said he saw the prisoner near his shop on the evening in question. He had a little girl whom he could identify with him He was informed the girl had bought a loaf at his shop.— Thomas Stockley, a Corte boy, also deposed to seeing the two together. The prisoner was drunk.—Dr. Hawkins gave the result of his examination of the girl. —P.S. Custard said he received information of the assault, and found the prisoner at Orfieet Mills. He spoke to him about the girl, and he said "Yes, I know they blame me for it, but I am innocent." Prisoner consented to go and see the girl, and when she saw him she identified him. When charged, prisoner said, `' I don't remember seeing the girl last night; I was drunk." On the way to Wareham he said "If my girl goes against me, the first time I go on guard I'll blow my brains out."—Prisoner, on oath, said he was granted leave for the purpose of being married to Mrs. Welch's sister. When he got to Corte, he was not received by Mrs. Welch in a hearty manner, and it did not appear that he was welcome. He asked for his sweetheart, and Mrs. Welch said she did not think she would come, as they had not been on friendly terms. He made a long statement, in the course of which he denied that he met the girl or committed the assault complained of. -The Judge : Has the engagement with the sister been broken off ?—Prisoner: No, sir, certainly not, and never will; she believes me to be innocent.—Major Williams, of the North Stafford Regiment, said the prisoner had served more than four years; he was once convicted for drunkenness by the civil power, and twice he bad been convicted for drunkenness in the regiment. Latterly his character as a soldier had been bad. He had been convicted for several small military offences. Formerly his character was good. —The prisoner complained that his sweetheart had been sent away in order that she should not give evidence.—The Judge, in addressing the jury, remarked there was no class of murder that he disliked trying more than these. He would rather try two murders than one of these cases. In the latter it was so serious that people were inclined to tell the truth, and in these cases there were considerations of various kinds mixed up which tended to the very reverse. His lordship commented strongly on the fact that the prisoner's sweetheart was not there, as he was entitled to have the advantage of her testimony.—The jury found the prisener not guilty, and he was discharged.