100 YEARS AGO: UNUSUAL ASSAULT IN A SALFORD POLICE CELL

We have all heard stories of alleged police brutality upon prisoners once they are in custody, some possibly true, others possibly made up, but the following story is just that bit different, instead of the police administering the kicking, it's a fellow prisoner, which makes a change I suppose.

The following story is from the pages of The Salford City Reporter, March 1922 and tells the sad story of James Meechan who had appeared at Salford Magistrates Court charged with being drunk and disorderly on Chapel Street and fined seven shillings and sixpence, the day before.

He was now attempting to bring assault charges against, Peter Tracey who is described as being, " a powerful looking young man, of no fixed abode" who was also charged with being drunk and disorderly on Chapel Street on the same evening as Meechan.

Police Constable Howard, told the Magistrate that, he saw Tracey shouting loudly and acting in an an aggressive manner,, when he  told him to be quiet and behave, Tracey replied, "I have shot better policemen than you in Ireland!" hardly likely to endear him to the police.

He was taken into custody but on the way started lashing out and swearing, at the police station he refused to answer any questions and with great difficulty he was put into a cell, sadly his cellmate was James Meechan.

Meechan took the stand and told his tale of woe, he said that he was in the cell and Tracey was thrown in, Tracey then became violent and kicked him in the abdomen and punched him in the face several times, he was taken to the nearby Salford Royal Hospital for treatment to his injuries.

Police Constable Brain then told the Court that he was in charge at the Chapel Street police station when Tracey was brought in for being drunk and disorderly, he was then placed in a cell with Meechan, he then heard shouts and screams coming from the cell, he saw Tracey punching and kicking the unfortunate Meechan.

With the assistance of another Constable they managed to subdue Tracey and took Meechan to the hospital for medical treatment, I wonder what they meant by subdue? I don't think they asked him politely to refrain.

The Magistrate fined Tracey, twenty shillings or 13 days in prison for being drunk and disorderly, and a further two months with hard labour in prison for assaulting James Meechan.

In a nice gesture, the Magistrate told Meechan that he was scrubbing his fine of seven shillings and sixpence from the night before, saying that he had been sufficiently punished, no doubt for the kicking he had received.

Poor Mr Meechan sat in his cell contemplating his fate and this violent brute is chucked in with him, dearie me...

The police station closed in the 1930s but is still standing, it was a printers supplies shop for many years and if you look closely you can see the words Police Station carved into the brickwork above the doorway as this modern photo shows.