Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Tuesday 05 March 1918

Brutality and Conscience

Harold Douglas Gregory (25), of Swinton, was at Rotherham, yesterday, charged with being an absentee.

Captain Okell explained that the defendant lived at Poplar Grove, Swinton. On June 1, 1916, he appeared before the Appeals Tribunal as a conscientious objector, and was granted exemption from military service conditional upon his taking up work of national importance.

In December, 1917, he was working for a Mr. Turner at Brampton, and whilst there struck a horse with a fork and knocked its eye out. For the cruelty he was fined £3.

He (Captain Okell) appealed against the exemption on the ground that the defendant, having been convicted of cruelty to animals, he was no longer entitled to be regarded as a conscientious objector. His certificate was withdrawn and he was called up for February 21st, but the calling-up notice was returned with a letter signed by a representative of the Christadelphians, Sheffield, who suggested that perhaps the War Office had better be consulted before the man was called up.

The Bench imposed a fine of 40s., and ordered the defendant to be handed over to the military Authorities.