Mexborough and Swinton Times, May 13th, 1932
Swinton Boy Warned
The story of how a Swinton boy, aged 12, broke the leg of a cockerel by throwing a stone at it, was told when the boy was summoned at Rotherham West Riding Children’s Police Court on Tuesday for cruelty on 18th April.
William Harry Clayton, of Station Street, Swinton, said the cockerel was of a special breed. On Monday, April 18th, he left the cockerel in the run and went to work. At 9.40 p.m. in consequence of something said to him when he returned from work, he went to the hen run and found the cockerel lying in the corner of the run with its leg broken. He picked it up, and seeing it was in great pain he had it destroyed. It was worth £1.
Douglas Arthur Huron, a schoolboy, of 82, Brookfield Avenue, Swinton, said on April 18th he was playing in a field near to the hen pen when defendant saw the cockerel and shouted “The cockerel’s out.” Defendant ran after it and picked up a stone and threw it. Defendant then said “Come on! I have hit the cockerel.”
Mr. C. S. Ward (Presiding) told the boy to let the case be a warning to him. The magistrates were letting him off on payment of £1 towards the costs