John Compton

John Compton died from a head injury on 6 November 1957.

He was a steelworker and had lived in Buchanan Road in Parson Cross, Sheffield and had died from cerebral bleeding due to a head injury after being admitted to the Royal Infirmary.

It was heard that he had struck his head whilst at work but that his injury was considered to be trivial and also that his son had struck him in the face in September 1957.

The injury that John Compton had received at work was described as having been trivial but it was also noted that there was no record of it having happened. When the injury that he was said to have received at work was described a doctor said that it could have caused the bleeding.

The police said that they had made inquiries into the son's assault on his father and that they had been reasonably satisfied that there was very good provocation for the assault and that no steps had been taken in the matter. The police said that they were convinced that although John Compton's son had acted in the most improper manner that his actions had been morally justified.

At the inquest John Compton's son admitted having struck his father.

John Compton's wife also admitted failing to disclose certain information at the inquest. When the Coroner asked her about a certain matter, possibly her son having struck John Compton, she said that she had not mentioned anything about it because she had not been asked, saying, 'I did not think it was necessary. I thought it was a family affair'. The Coroner then told her that if she came to court again that she should remember that it was just as important to bring up matters that showed her in an unfavourable light as those favourable to her.

When the Coroner summed up he said that he was not happy about the history of the bump that John Compton had received at work as there was no record of it. He added that he was convinced that there was some violence inflicted by John Compton's son that might have initiated the bleeding and added that whether between the two things there were any other incidents, he could not decide.

An open verdict was returned.