Mexborough and Swinton Times, April 12, 1929

Bolton Teacher’s Case.

A Nominal Fine.

James Walford, a Bolton-on-Dearne school teacher, was fined a nominal sum of £1 at Doncaster on Tuesday for havng negligently driven a ‘bus.

Mr. C. P. Bruton, on behalf of the police, said that on Jan. 29th the case was sent to the Assizes, where Walford was charged with having caused grievous bodily harm. The grand jury did not return a true bill and the case was thrown out.

On Dec. 3rd defendant was driving a ‘bus owned by Messrs. Evans, of Bolton, between Goldthorpe and Mexboro’

About 8.45 p.m. he was taking a party of miners from Mexboro’ to Manvers Main, and his attention was drawn to the fact that he had only two sidelights, of poor quality. Defendant was proceeding at a reasonable speed, but before he reached the colliery the ‘bus hit three miners walking to work, and two of them were seriously injured. The ‘bus pulled up in 30 yards, and defendant said he thought a tyre bad burst. It was not suggested that the man was driving in a dangerous manner, but that he was negligent by driving a ‘bus with poor lights.

Mr. H. Morris, defending, said Watford had suffered mental anxiety and financial strain through having to attend the Assizes, although he did not have to stand trial. If he had driven negligently, he had made several journeys on the same road that day and had passed a constable on point duty at Mexboro’, who had said nothing. The man at that time was out of work, but had now succeeded in getting an appointment as a teacher. He suggested that the magistrates fix a purely nominal fine.

Mr. Bruton said he was agreeable to accept a plea to guilty to negligent driving. The magistrates fixed the fine stated.