QSR1867/3/5/15

Depositions of Martha Kiteley, wife of Samuel Kiteley, labourer of Woburn Sands and their daughter Lydia Kiteley, singlewoman. Mary, wife of Henry Kiteley, labourer of Woburn. Samuel Armstrong, police constable stationed at Aspley Guise. John Lively Emerton, police constable stationed at Wavendon. In the case of George Kiteley accused of the unlawful assault of Lydia Kiteley with the intent to ravish and carnally know.

4 June 1867

From: 1867 To: 1867

Martha Kiteley: Lydia Kiteley was her daughter and 14 years or thereabouts. The prisoner was her son, aged 33 years and brother to Lydia. On the evening of 27 May she was informed by Mary Kiteley, wife of one of her sons, that the prisoner had assaulted her daughter Lydia in a very improper manner. The prisoner, who was living with her and her husband at the time, left home the same evening and came back on the following Saturday (1 June). She applied for a warrant against him on 29 may to have him apprehended. Her daughter was rather weak minded. She had beaten her severely on the evening it happened before Lydia would tell her what had taken place. She considered her daughter did not know right from wrong. Lydia Kiteley: she lived with her mother, the last witness. On the evening of 27 May, about 5pm, she had been washing the dishes at home when the prisoner, her brother, came into the room. He said he wanted her to go on some errands. He came to the table where she was washing the dishes and caught hold of her and threw her down on the floor. He told her he would give her a penny if she would let him do her. She said “you shall not do me”. He put his knee on her leg and pulled up her petticoats. She struggled and tried to kick him. He kept her on the ground for about 2 minutes. He had fastened the back door. The prisoner got up from her suddenly and placed his back against the door without getting quite up and kept it closed. She was lying close to the chair behind the door. The prisoner then got up, unbolted the door and went out. She saw no more of him. He had tried to do the same thing before when her mother was in gaol a short time back. There had been no one in the house but her and the prisoner on the evening of 27 May. Mary Kiteley: wife of Henry Kiteley. About 5pm on 27 May she went to the house of her mother in law, Martha Kiteley. She went to the door but someone inside prevented her getting in. She looked in the window and saw the prisoner with his back against the front door and Lydia Kiteley was on the floor. The prisoner was neither standing up nor lying down. She called out to him “you are a nasty good for nothing hound” and then ran to fetch his mother and alarm the neighbours. She returned with one of the neighbours but the prisoner had gone. She found Lydia in the room and shortly after told her mother what had happened. She said to Lydia “whatever have you been at you good for nothing girl” and Lydia replied “what?” Lydia was not struggling when she looked in the window. She believed the prisoner did see her at the window. She believed Lydia Kiteley to be of a weak mind and she had known her since childhood. PC Samuel Armstrong: on the evening of 1 June, he went with PC Emerton to execute a warrant against the prisoner. They met him on the road and called him to one side. He asked if the prisoner’s name was George Kitley and he replied no it was “Bogie”. He told the prisoner he would take him and told him the charge. The prisoner said he would not be taken by any policeman and tried to get away. PC Emerton came to his assistance. The prisoner tripped up Emerton and they fell on the ground together. The prisoner seized Emerton by the throat and was on top of Emerton on the ground. He got the prisoner off and they took the prisoner into custody. On the way to Woburn the prisoner begged them to say nothing about it and he said “I shall get four years for the charge you have got me for the last words on the charge are quite enough”. PC John Lively Emerton: on 1 June he was present in Woburn when PC Armstrong executed a warrant against George Kiteley. The prisoner said he was not Kiteley and would not be taken by a police man. The prisoner attempted to get away. He went to assist and caught hold of the prisoner but was tripped at the heels and the prisoner seized him by the throat. They fell to the ground and the prisoner was on him. The prisoner was taken off by the other policeman and they took the prisoner into custody. They took him to the lock up at Woburn. On the way there the prisoner begged his pardon and wished him not to press the assault against him. The prisoner said he would settle it without anyone knowing and he expected 4 years for the other job that Armstrong had got him for and that was enough in his mind. Statement of the accused: he wished the gentlemen to overlook it if they possibly could. He had been a solider for 13 years. He had never had such a thought as committing rape on his sister. When Armstrong said he had a warrant to take him he was broken hearted.

item

Kiteley, George,
Kiteley, Lydia,
Kiteley, Martha,
Kiteley, Samuel,
Kiteley, Mary,
Kiteley, Henry,
Armstrong, Samuel,
Emerton, John Lively

WOBURN SANDS, WOBURN, ASPLEY GUISE, Wavendon, assault, sex crimes, soldier