Evening Despatch Wednesday 18 August 1943
FARM “RAID” AT CASTLE BROMWICH
Boys crowd out Juvenile Court – BIRMINGHAM’S Juvenile Court was found to be too small to accommodate the 34 boys, aged between nine and 16 years, who appeared there to-day for trespassing on farm lands at Castle Bromwich.
Each boy was accompanied by a parent, some mothers carrying babies in arms. It was therefore, found necessary to transfer the proceedings to another court in the Victoria Courts. Of 37 boys summoned 34 appeared. Mr. R. G. Darbey. prosecuting. said a police officer kept observation at Castle Bromwich farm, and saw nine boys run from side to side of a potato field, trampling down the crop. The remaining 28 boys were playing and bathing around gravel pits filled with water. To get to these pits the boys had crossed fields of grass and’ wheat, over which there was no right of way. Damage was estimated at £9. It might be said that this was due to sheer carelessness, but there was no doubt that damage of this kind was greatly impeding the national food effort.
One of the parents complained of lack of recreational facilities and was told that it was a matter for the Council.
The nine boys summoned for damage to potatoes were each fined 10s. and the remainder 5s. each.
The Chairman said that parents ought to see that children did not do willful damage. “We want you to assist us,” he said, “and see there is no trespassing on growing crops.”
