Kent & Sussex Courier, Friday 14 September 1877.

Brenchley. Drunk and writers.

At the Tunbridge Petty sessions, on Tuesday, George Smith, labourer, was charged with being drunk and riotous, at Brenchley, on the 5th inst.

P.C. Davis said that about half-past ten o'clock at night, near the "Mile Oak," he saw the defendant and a number of hop-pickers quarrelling and fighting in the road. Defendant was standing over a woman lying down on the road screaming. He told defendant to go to his hopper-house, when defendant turned round, and threatened him. He then took the defendant in custody, when defending assaulted him. Thomas Atkins, labourer, was then charged with Smith with assaulting Davis while in the execution of his Duty.

Davis said he allowed the hop-pickers to take Smith away. About a quarter of an hour afterwards, he saw the two defendants with others near the "Elm Tree" beer house. Smith and called out, "That's the policeman who threatened to lock me up. I'll knock his ------- jaws out." Smith then went up and struck at witness, and threw him on the ground, and was going to put the handbolts upon him, when Atkins jumped up on his back, put his arms around his throat, and nearly choked him. He also kicked him. He was obliged to let Smith go, and a man pulled Atkins off him. Just as he was getting up, Smith ran at him, and with a threat kicked him on the shoulders, which he still found very painful. He drew his truncheon, but Smith ran away. He then got the assistance of A.C. Parris, and apprehended the prisoners. Smith was very violent, and had to be forced out of the hopper-house.

Augustus Austin, landlord of the "Halfway House," Brenchley, said that when near Paddock Wood Vicarage, at about half-past ten o'clock on the night of the 5th, he heard a good deal of screaming and shouting, and running forward, saw the constable and a number of hop-pickers around him. The constable was persuading the people to go home, when Smith attempted to strike him. Afterwards he saw the constable struggling with Smith, and Atkins jumped up on his back, put in his arms around his neck. He pulled Atkins off, and Smith went down the road. Smith was drunk, but Atkins was not. The crowd seemed to be all against the police constable.

The Chairman said they considered the assault upon the police a very serious one, and they sentenced the prisoner to three calendar months' imprisonment each with hard labour. The police, who had to run great risks in going amongst violent men single handed, they felt bound to protect. Smith was also sentenced to a months imprisonment (concurrent,) for being drunk and riotous.