Kentish Mercury, Saturday 13 May 1871.

A RUFFIAN DESERVEDLY PUNISHED.

On Saturday, Mark Parker, age 33, describing himself as a bone merchant, of 87, Church Street, Deptford, was charged with violently assaulting Elizabeth Overton.

The complainant appeared with both eyes badly discoloured, and from her statement it appeared that 12 months ago she was confined to her bed for some weeks through her ribs being broken by the prisoner, who had, on other occasions, cut and mangled her about, and occasioning her complaining against him only a fortnight since at this court. On the previous day she accompanied the prisoner in a horse and cart to Woolwich, where the prisoners stayed at the "Neptune" public house, in company of a prostitute, and ordered her to drive home with a horse and cart. She drove towards home as far as the "Antigallican Arms," Charlton, and then returned and found the prisoner in company with the same woman, and failed to persuade him to leave the woman. On returning home he immediately commenced an assault upon her, knocking her down and kicking her, and bruising her all over the body. She had no desire that the prisoner should be severely punished, only that she should be protected from his violence, he been in the habit of going from home at times for weeks together, returning only to be fed and cleaned.

Police constable Belcher, 284R, said he was fetched by the complainant's son to the house of the prisoner, and on entering found the complainant on the floor and the prisoner up on her. The complainant was covered with blood, and Bickel, one of the warrant officers of the court, in assisting to take the prisoner into custody, was struck by him on the forehead over the right eye.

The defendant said he was drunk, and was aggravated at complainant going home with the horse and cart; and with respect to the assault on the Constable, said it was done by an accident. He added that in giving him into custody there was an attempt to deprive him of a business his money had purchased.

Mr. Maude said it was not to be tolerated that such acts of violence should be continued towards the complainants, whom the law would protect not withstanding she was not married to the prisoner.

A sentence of three months' imprisonment with hard labour was then passed.