Home Crime Domestic Threw Acid at Woman – Penal Servitude for Darfield Miner

Threw Acid at Woman – Penal Servitude for Darfield Miner

March 1938

Leeds Mercury – Thursday 24 March 1938

Threw Acid at Woman

Penal Servitude for Darfield Miner

Walter Barton (52), miner, of Station Road, Darfield, near Barnsley, was sentenced to three years’ penal servitude for throwing sulphuric acid at May Cassell, of St. Philip’s Road Sheffield.

He pleaded guilty.

The offence took place in Sheffield on October 15. Barton was married and living apart from his wife.

It was stated that he became friendly with May Cassell, who left her husband and went to live with Barton in the Hoyland district ,Barnsley. They had a child in 1932 and in 1934. In 1934 the association was broken off.

The first child was brought up, almost from birth, by Barton’s wife. The second lived with its mother, and Barton visited her from time time to see the child.

On one of these occasions the acid was thrown in a street in Sheffield. The woman suffered no permanent markings.

  1. B. Bromley (prosecuting) read letters indicating that Jealousy was the cause.

Barton ran away after the offence, and within  45 minutes was in hospital as a result of having fallen under a motor.

It was stated the police that undesirable “books” written by Barton had been found.

Mr Thurley (defending) said that the books were confessions of, and regrets for, his errors, which Barton Intended to keep his son from the same mistakes. After consideration. Barton had agreed that they should be destroyed.

Mr. Thurley, pleading for leniency, said Barton was distressed by his affections. He was fond of his children and was torn by his feelings for them, by the fact that Mrs. Cassell’s affections had been transferred from him and by fears that his children might suffer by bad example.

The Judge said that but for the considerations his counsel had urged. Barton would have been sentenced to a longer term of penal servitude