Isle of Man Weekly Times, Douglas, 22 June 1962

Youth Is Birched For Assault

Another is Gaoled

Six strokes of the birch were ordered by Douglas Juvenile Court Magistrates yesterday for 16-year-old Robert Joseph Goodwin, a cabin steward on the Manx Maid, for putting 19-year-old Cycling Week competitor David Riley, of Nottingham, in hospital with a broken jaw.

Goodwin, of Kirby, Liverpool, was also fined �10 for causing Riley actual bodily harm.

Mr J.B. Mylchreest, the chairman, told him, "You have inflicted pain on this boy and now you will feel some yourself."

Riley, whose jaw is wired up, had to give evidence by nodding in answer to questions and told the Court that he and three of his friends were going back to their hotel on Lock Promenade, Douglas, when Goodwin and three of his friends tried to pick a fight with them.

Goodwin punched him on the jaw and his mouth started to bleed. They all ran for their hotel with the youths after them. There they ran away when the proprietor went to call the police.

Riley picked out Goodwin later at an identification parade.

Goodwin, who pleaded not guilty, told the Court that someone must have punched Riley because he did not think he had done so himself.

Goodwin also appeared before Douglas Magistrates with three other English youths in the crews of Steam Packet Company ships.

They were Thomas Patrick Bell (18) of Birkenhead, Anthony Stephen McKeever (17) of Liverpool and Kenneth Parry (16), also of Liverpool. The Magistrates ordered that the names of the 16-year-olds be published.

......

McKeever and Parry were fined �5 for behaviour likely to cause a breach of the peace. All four were also fined �5 each for stealing a �30 cycle .........

Inspector J.J. Clague, prosecuting, said McKeever had been most helpful and honest during the police inquiries. But the other three had not been co-operative at all.

Mr Mylchreest said the Magistrates were satisfied that the youths had organised themselves into a gang to go out deliberately looking for trouble. "We will not tolerate this sort of behaviour in Douglas," he said.

Sentencing Goodwin he added: "This was just a little bit of gang warfare."