James Aldridge

Level 345

Maureen Withey on 16th February 2025

SHOCKING CASE of RAPE and INCEST. At the Staffordshire Assizes James Allridge, aged 38, was indicted for assaulting Ann Allridge. his daughter, on the 11th of February last, at the parish of Pelsall, and ravishing and carnally knowing her against her will. Mr. Lee conducted the prosecution. The prisoner was undefended. The Court was densely crowded, and the case appeared to call both a general feeling of horror and disgust. The prisoner seemed little affected by the dreadful    situation in which his unnatural crime had placed him. The first witness called in support of the prosecution was Ann Allridge, daughter of the prisoner, who stated that she was fourteen years of age. On the 11th of February last she and her mother went to bed between seven and eight o'clock, leaving her father up. There were two beds in the room, one was occupied by her lather and mother, and the other by her and her younger sister. Her father did not sit up a long time after they were in bed. A short time after he had been in bed witness heard him tell her mother that he would go bed to her  (the witness). Her mother endeavoured to dissuade him from his purpose  but he declared he would, and threatened to murder her if she did anything to prevent him. After they had some words he drove her mother out of the room. The prisoner then pulled her (the witness) into his bed.  She began to cry, on which he said that if she did not hold her noise he would dash her brains out against the bed- stead.   He then completed his purpose, keeping her in bed. She cried very much and her mother came  into the room, and in consequence of the threats she went out again and sat up he remainder of the  night. He repeated the offence a second and a third time, and about six o'clock he got up and left the louse. She related all that had passed to her mother, and they went both to Westbromwich, and made it known to Elizabeth Beddome  her aunt. At the end of her examination the prisoner asked her whether she was not locked up with two men in the engine  house ? she unfalteringly answered — No I was not. Wasn't you with a man at Russell's on the night before until eleven o'clock ? No, I was not. Mr. William Jackson, surgeon, Westbromwich, examined he prosecutrix on the 20th of February  being nine days after .the offence had been committed, and the day on which the prisoner was sent to gaol. The result of that examination convinced him that she had had  intercourse with a male at no very distant time. John Wilson, a constable of Westbromwich, took the prisoner into custody on the 19th of February. He told him that he had a warrant against him for a breach of the peace, and then stated the more serious charge. The prosecutrix was present, and he said to her   Will you hang your father, will you hang your father? As he was taking the prisoner to the lock-up after being committed, he said I hope I shall not be transported ; do what you can for me; her and her mother are doing this to injure me. On being asked if he had anything to  to say in his defence, he said, without betraying the least emotion, She was as willing as I was in the concern. His  Lordship summed up with great care. The. case was one of great importance, and required their most anxious attention. They must not allow the enormity of the crime to prejudice their minds. They had two points to consider — first, whether the prisoner committed the offence alleged; and secondly, whether  it was with or without the consent of the prosecutrix ; and however much their abhorrence might be excited by such a revolting and unnatural crime, yet if ihey were satisfied that the allegation w»s sustained they must  perform their duty however painful its performance. The jury consulted for a few minutes, and then returned a verdict  of Guilty. Although the prisoner watched the jury very vigilantly whilst deliberating, yet the delivery of their verdict produced not the slightest alteration in his countenance or manner. On Mr. Bellamy asking him if he had anything to say why- he should not receive judgment of death ? he merely said, I hope your Lordship will have mercy on me, as I have a large family. His Lordship having   having put on the fatal coif, and silence having been demanded whilst sentence of death was passed on the prisoner at the bar he addressed him as follows : — Prisoner at the bar, you have been convicted of a crime of very great enormity — of a rape on the body of your own child ! — a rape added to incest ! The aggravation of your crime is, that it was committed in the presence of your wife — to whom alone you ought to have been devoted — on your daughter whom you ought to have protected. I can scarcely give utterance to my feelings, lt is a crime of the deepest dye, and calls upon me to pass the sentence of death. Make good use of the short tune allotted you in seeking mercy at the hands of your offended God. Seek his pardon by true repentance and faith in the Redeemer. The sentence I pass on you is. that you lie taken to the place from whence you came, and from thence to a place of execution, and there to be hanged by the neck until you are dead, and may God Almighty have mercy upon your soul. The prisoner then walked away with a firm step, apparently unmoved by the dreadful fate which awaited him. Morning Post, 12 April 1838. ... convicted at the late Stafford Assizes, and left for execution, has been respited until the ? of May. The man named Aldridge, also left for execution at the same time, has been reprieved. Nottingham Journal, 6 April 1838.