WEST CHINNOCK.
MURDEROUS ASSAULT ON A POLICE CONSTABLE. – The festivities at West Chinnock, on the occasion of the anniversary of the club, terminated in a severe fracas, in which a police constable received very serious injuries. It appears that a number of men were drinking at the Half Moon Inn, and at one o’clock on the Tuesday morning P.C. Atkins and P.C. Williams were requested by the landlord (Mr. Lowman) to clear the house. Among the men in the kitchen was one named Samuel Turner [sic], a quarryman living at Norton-sub-Hambden. P.C. Williams requested them to leave the house, and he led Tanner into the street. Tanner at once commenced sparring, struck Williams in the face, and knocked his hat off. P.C. Atkins, who was standing by, took hold of the man, and persuaded him to go home. Tanner went in the direction of his house for about sixty or seventy yards, when he suddenly turned round, ran up to Atkins, and, without a word, struck him savagely in the forehead with a knife – cutting his eyebrow and his face from his eye to his mouth – causing a frightful gash. The blade of the knife was bent and broken from the force of the blow. Atkins then struck Tanner down with his staff and called for assistance. Williams came up and led Atkins into the inn. Mr. John Webber, surgeon, was soon on the spot and dressed his wounds. Atkins is not fatally injured, but had the knife not broken he must have lost the use of his eye, and the consequences might have been still more dangerous. He is now progressing as favourably as can be expected. Sergt. Sperring at once went to Norton and apprehended Tanner, and lodged him in the Crewkerne Station. It was found that he had received a severe cut in the head, and he was also attended by Mr. Webber. Tanner was taken before H. W. Hoskins, Esq., on Thursday, and remanded, in consequence of the inability of the police constable to attend.
(Western Gazette, 1st June 1866)
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