The death of 12-year-old Dennis O'Neill shared front pages with news of the war in early 1945

Back in July, I wrote that the death in 1945 of Dennis O’Neill, a child in public care who’d been fostered with his younger brother at a farm in Shropshire, had caused a national scandal and shared newspaper front pages with the last stages of the war in Europe.

I've not seen a more striking illustration of this than the Daily Mirror's front page for 14 February 1945.

The text of the story runs:

Reginald Gough, farmer, and Esther Gough, his wife, were at Pontesbury, near Shrewsbury, yesterday committed for trial at Salop Assizes on a charge of the manslaughter of thirteen-year-old Dennis O'Neill, placed in their care by Newport Education Committee. 

Both pleaded not guilty and reserved their defence. Bail was refused. 

When Mr. Gough Thomas, defending, asked for bail Mr. Maddocks, prosecuting, said he could not possibly consent. The Justices had to consider the gravity of the case and the evidence that had been given, he said. 

"There is another matter to be taken into consideration. A tremendous amount of indignation has been aroused, and it might be for their own safety if they were not allowed bail," he added.

When Mr. Thomas pointed out that Mrs. Gough would have to go to Winson Green Prison, Birmingham, the chairman said that that point had been considered. 

Mr. Thomas: In the interests of decency and justice, will you give some indication to the ladies and gentlemen, as I will call them, at the back of the court, that in England we have British justice and not German justice? 

The chairman made no comment in reply, and Gough and his wife left the court in complete silence.

And the photograph caption says:

Terence O'Neill was 4½ hours in the witness box, Tuesday and Yesterday, telling about life on the Gough farm, where his brother died.

When the trial took place, it was held in Stafford because feeling was running so high in Shropshire. Reginald Gough was given six years for manslaughter and Esther Gough six months for neglect.

Though all the contemporary press reports say Dennis O'Neill was 13 when he died, he was in fact 12.

The photograph below shows the old police station and court in Pontesbury. For as long as I can remember, the building has been the offices of an insurance company, but when I saw it in the summer it appeared to be empty and was looking rather run down.

I imagine Dennis's brother Terry, who was the chief prosecution witness, is standing in the left-hand doorway of this building in the newspaper photograph.