On This Day, 15 October 1918

Birmingham Mail 

Tuesday 15 October 1918

A SCENE IN BIRMINGHAM POLICE COURT

DEFENDANT AND THE MAGISTRATE.

The termination of a case against Albert Casey, 33, Galton Street, who was summoned for the variation of a maintenance order and for a common assault on his daughter, was marked by a scene at the Birmingham Police Court to-day. Defendant expressed rigorous dissatisfaction at the decisions arrived at, and as he was leaving the Court he shouted to the Bench, “Old fogies like you ought be the front.”

He was immediately brought back and informed by the chairman that unless he apologised he would be committed to prison for contempt of court. Defendant enquired what he had got to apologise for.

The Chairman (Mr. J. Phillips): For the impertinent remarks you made just now.

Defendant: Well, I think so, that’s all; that’s my idea.

Mr. Walker (magistrates’ clerk) pointed out that defendant was secretary of a branch of the Workers’ Union and he ought to be ashamed of himself. He did not wonder at the country getting in bad state if he were the sort of man they had.

Defendant (heatedly): You try a case and don’t know the circumstances.

The Chairman said they had gone into all the circumstances, and in ordering defendant’s removal from the Court he told him he ought to be thankful to get off without going down.