Magistrate’s Court FIGHTING IN SQUARE

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29344, 25 October 1960, Page 20

Magistrate’s Court FIGHTING IN SQUARE

Shearer Fined £5 A 22-year-old shearer, Neville Allan Somerville, of Maxwallton, Cheviot, was fined £5 by Messrs A. Henderson and C. D. Sealey, Justices of the Peace, on a charge of fighting, when he appeared in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, Somerville pleaded not guilty to a charge of fighting in Cathedral square alt 9.15 p.m. on Sunday, when he first entered the dock. Ivone Mitchell Jones, aged 19, a painter, jointly charged with Somerville, also pleaded not guilty. Somerville admitted “taking a swing” when asked to plead and later changed his plea to guilty. Senior Sergeant G. M. Cleary said a constable saw Somerville exchanging blows with Jones. They were both taken to the cells at the Central Police Station. “There were eight of 'them and my cobber. They had hold of my cobber and grabbed my collar. As soon as I shook one hand free, I hit this joker here (indicating

Jones). He might not have been the one who had hold of me, but they were in his type of dress —the bodgie style,” Somerville said, when asked if he had anything to say. Somerville was advised by Mr Sealey to stay in the country and out of trouble.

Jones was remanded to appear on October 31. He was allowed bail of £25 in his own recongnisance.