QSR1867/3/5/3

Depositions of Mary Ann Cosby, single woman of Leighton Buzzard. George Cambers, police constable stationed at Leighton Buzzard. In the case of Edward Pratt accused of making an assault upon Mary Ann Cosby with intent and of violently and against her will feloniously attempting to ravish and carnally know Mary Ann Cosby.

23 April 1867

From: 1867 To: 1867

Mary Ann Cosby: on the morning of 28 March about 2am, she was leaving the house of her nephew Charles Cosby with the intention of going home. The prisoner had been in the house during the evening and he was outside when she left. The prisoner said to her "Poll I shall see you home tonight". She told him he would not so he could go back. She went towards home but he followed and began to hang around her. He put his hands up her clothes and his hand to her person. The prisoner said he would like to go with her and he thought of it for a long while and tonight was the night. She told him he would not and he would not do this if he wasn’t drunk. He replied that he would. She ran away and he overtook her and threw her down in the middle of the road going up towards North End. He pulled up her clothes and exposed her. He let down his trousers and commenced doing what he wanted. He lay on he for about 10 minutes and she felt his person against her flesh. She called out ‘murder’ several times and said "Ned pray don’t l'll give you anything if you don’t". He continued. During the whole time he was endeavouring to affect his purpose she smacked his face, pulled his hair and scratched his face. He put his hand over her mouth and held her in position until she was released by a policeman. When the policeman came she could scarcely get her breath to speak to him. The policeman pulled her up. The prisoner stopped for a moment and then ran off and she went home. The next morning the prisoner came to her and wanted some tea. She refused to give him any. She was much bruised and injured and very ill the next day. [cross examination] she had not been drinking with him and had not put her legs in his lap. She had not pulled her up clothes and asked him to measure them. He had not measured her legs. Mary B[?] did say she was going to bed and Charley Cosby and Henry Hodgin were not having connection with her on the floor. She called for a light when he pinched her leg. He wanted to have connection with her in the house and she would not let him. She was not put out of the house. She went out and he waited for her. He followed her down the road and she never promised to go home with him. He did fling her down when he had his arms round her. She had not called him the next morning and had not said anything about an allowance. He had gone away using indecent expressions. She had not wanted to settle the matter for 3 shilling. PC George Cambers: he was on duty at North End on the morning of 28 March, about 2am. He heard the cried of ‘murder’ from a female and went to the spot. There he saw the prisoner and complainant lying down in the middle of the road. Pratt was on top of her and she was struggling. The complainant’s clothes were pulled up over her person and her shawl was on the side of the road. Her hair was down. He made the prisoner get up; his trousers were unbuttoned and he saw the prisoner’s person exposed. He assisted the complainant up and saw her towards home. She appeared much exhausted as if someone had been pulling her about and she was in a fright. The prisoner went off whilst he helped the woman up. He had a warrant against the prisoner since 7 April but he absconded from Leighton. The prisoner was apprehended at Dunstable and brought to the station. Statement of the accused: he did not wish to say anything.

item

Pratt, Edward,
Cosby, Mary Ann,
Cambers, George,
Cosby, Charles,
Hodgin, Henry

LEIGHTON BUZZARD, Leighton Buzzard North End, assault, sex crimes