The Death of Mavis Smith - Sheffield Saturday 23rd October 1954
The following newspaper report appeared in the Daily Mirror dated 16th November 1954 and referred to the death of a mother of three children on the night of Saturday 23rd October 1954. The victim was 26 year old Mrs Mavis Smith who was married to a soldier Amos Smith but was estranged at the time of her death
A similar report appeared in The Scotsman dated 16th November 1954
The trial was held a month later on Tuesday 14th December 1954 at the West Riding Assizes in Leeds. The judge was Mr. Justice Pearson. This report appeared in the following days edition of the Leeds Mercury
William Sproson was found not guilty of murder but guilty on manslaughter. The jury during their deliberations asked for further guidance on the difference between murder and manslaughter, The main difference between murder and manslaughter is that a person must intend to kill or cause GBH (malice aforethought) in order to be guilty of murder. It may be reduced to manslaughter if the Prosecution cannot disprove that the Defendant may have been acting as a result of loss of control or diminished responsibility. Just looking at the bare facts of the case I think that William Sproson can consider himself fortunate to be found guilty of manslaughter and not murder. The judge said it was "a very bad case of manslaughter" and imposed a sentence of ten years imprisonment. If he had been found guilty of murder he would have received the mandatory death penalty. I think the sentence hinged on the cause of death. The doctor stated that the cause of death was asphyxiation and not manual strangulation which would point to a manslaughter verdict. If the cause of death was manual strangulation it would point towards murder. And of course the jury after taking advice from the judge returned a manslaughter verdict.
Mavis was buried in Sheffield's City Road Cemetery
SMITH, Mavis (Wife of Amos, age 26). Died at 66 Beaumont Rd; Buried on October 28, 1954 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 30084, Section D6 of City Road Cemetery, Sheffield.
Sources
Daily Mirror dated 16th November 1954
The Scotsman dated 16th November 1954
Leeds Mercury dated 15th December 1954
Sheffield Indexers
This page was last updated on 06/11/24 15:09