QSR1897/2/5/4

Depositions of Annie Perry, Horace Sworder, Jane Perry, Clara Gamby and William Goddard. In the case of George Sharp, accused of misdemeanour, indecent assault and ill-treatment of Annie Perry.

24 March 1897

From: 1897 To: 1897

Annie Perry: a 9 year old girl living with her parents in Luton. On Wednesday last she saw the prisoner against Mrs. Thrussells window in Park Street. The prisoner asked her, Clara Gamby, Gerty Custance and Willie Gamby if they would go with him. They went with the prisoner through the second arch to get some violets. It was after tea and it was getting dark. They got some violets and returned under the arch towards Luton. When they got to the stile near the first arch the prisoner asked if she and Clara Gamby were going over the field. They all went over the stile and she along with the prisoner and Clara Gamby went over the field towards the hedge while Gerty Custance and Willie Gamby stayed on the path. The prisoner then asked if she and Clara would lie down. She did not want to but the prisoner made them both lie down. The prisoner did Clara first. She pulled her clothes up a little way but the prisoner said it wasn’t far enough and he pulled them higher. The prisoner had undone his trousers. She could not see any part of the prisoner’s body. The prisoner then got on top of her and indecently assaulted her. She told the prisoner to get off but he did not. She did not cry out and the prisoner did not hurt her. She could not feel what he was doing. When the prisoner got up he told her not to tell anyone. They then returned home where she made a statement to her mother who then fetched the prisoner to her house. [Cross-Examined] The prisoner indecently assaulted Clara Gamby while she stood by. Willie Gamby and Gety Custance where some distance away but looking on. While the prisoner was on Clara she was keeping watch on the others and while the prisoner was on her Clara Gamby kept watch. Clara did not scream but laughed when the prisoner was on top of her. Clara is 8 years old. Directly after he had finished with Clara the prisoner told her to lie down. All three of them went over the stile for this purpose. The prisoner and Clara went over the stile first and she followed to tell Clara to come back but stayed to see what was done. She talked with Clara about the prisoner having them on the return home. The prisoner did not hurt her and she could not feel him doing anything whilst on top of her. When she returned home she told her mother why she had been away for so long. When the alleged offence took place it was dark. [Re-Examined] When the prisoner was on me he kept moving about. When they were away from Luton, the prisoner asked if she would let him have a bit if he gave her some violets. She understood what he meant. Horace Sworder: a member of the Royal College of Surgeons and practicing in Luton. On 17th March the child named Annie Perry was brought by her mother to his surgery about 9.15pm. In consequence of what was said he examined Miss Perry. He found nothing amiss, though on examination of her clothes he found some dirt which might have been caused by lying on the ground. He told Miss. Perry to make water and. He found the hymen intact and no pain about her body. He found no evidence of any persons having had or attempted to have connection with her. In his opinion the child’s statement of the indecent assault was not true. Jane Perry: wife of George Perry and living in Luton. She is the mother of Annie Perry who was 9 years old on 20th January. On 17th March her daughter came home about 7pm after being away for a long time. She went to meet her daughter who was crying. Her daughter made a complaint to her. She took her daughter home and went in search of the prisoner. She met the prisoner down Park Road along with a number of children. She told the prisoner to follow her back home. When they got home she asked Annie to tell her and her husband what the prisoner had done to her. Annie gave her account of the alleged assault. She went to fetch police constable Goddard and gave the prisoner into his custody. The constable asked her daughter some questions and examined her clothes. The constable found wet dirt on her daughter’s coat, hat and knickers, and grass in her daughter’s hair. She took Annie to the police station and then to Dr. Sworder for examination. [Cross-Examined] She examined Annie’s underclothing and found no marks but mud. She also examined her body and found no soreness or redness or anything at all to correlate with Annie’s statement. Clara Gamby: an 8 year old girl living with her parents in Luton. She saw Annie Perry on Wednesday afternoon just before tea. She, along with Willie Gamby, Gerty Custance and Annie Perry, saw the prisoner. The prisoner asked them all to come with him. They all went with the prisoner and on returning home all went over the stile. When they got over the stile the prisoner asked her and Annie Perry to let him have a bit. She said yes and Annie Perry said that the prisoner could if he gave her some violets. She went with Annie Perry and the prisoner across the field whilst the others stayed on the path. When they got to the field the prisoner laid her and Annie Perry down. The prisoner did not do anything to her but he did lie on top of Annie. She is quite sure that the prisoner did not do anything to her. The prisoner pulled up Annie’s clothes though she did not see Annie’s drawers get pulled down. She stayed close to the prisoner and Annie Perry. Annie did not call out whilst the prisoner was on top of her and when the prisoner got up nothing else happened. They went home together over the stile. [Cross-Examined] She has known Annie Perry for a long time. The prisoner did nothing to her. She talked with Annie about the prisoner having them on the return home and that he would have her first as she was wearing open drawers. The prisoner did not do anything to her and she did not tell anyone that he had done anything. Annie Perry lied when she made her statement about the prisoner indecently assaulting her. She saw the prisoner lay Annie down after he told her to unbutton her drawers. Annie said the prisoner was nasty as he did not get off her. It was getting dark in the field and she stayed because she wanted to see what the prisoner would do to Annie. She knew what the prisoner meant when he asked if he might have a bit. William Goddard: a police constable of Luton. On 17th March he was called about 7.30pm by Jane Perry to visit her house. There he found the prisoner and listened to Annie Perry’s statement of the indecent assault on her by the prisoner. He then took the prisoner to the police office. He noticed that the prisoner’s boots and trousers were dirty. He asked the prisoner if he could account for the dirt on his clothes, and the prisoner replied that he had been getting violets. He charged the prisoner with indecent assault on Annie Perry with the knowledge that she was under the age of 13 years. The prisoner made no reply. The next morning he accompanied Annie Perry and Clara Gamby to the field where the alleged offence took place. [Cross-Examined] He was at the police station when he asked the prisoner to account for the dirt on his trousers. As the head constable and other officers were present he asked the question without cautioning the prisoner. He then charged the prisoner with indecent assault. George Sharp: reserves his defence.

item

Sharp, George,
Goddard, William,
Gamby, Clara,
Gamby, William,
Perry, Jane,
Perry, Annie,
Sworder, Horace,
Custance, Gertrude

LUTON, surgeon, police constable, indecent assault, flowers, stile, Royal College of Surgeons