Dennis O'Neill Case - Circumstances of Death

Circumstances of Death

Dennis O'Neill, 12, came from Newport, Monmouthshire. On 30 May 1944, Dennis and his younger brothers Terence (Terry), 9, and Frederick (Freddie), 7, were committed to the care of Newport County Borough Council by Newport Juvenile Court on the grounds that they were in need of care and attention. On 5 July 1944, the Newport Education Committee sent Dennis and Terence to live with Reginald Gough, 31, and his wife Esther, 29, at their remote farm, Bank Farm, in the Hope Valley, near Minsterley, Shropshire, England. Frederick was sent to a Mr and Mrs Pickering nearby.

At 1:00 pm on 9 January 1945, Esther Gough telephoned the local doctor to tell him that Dennis was having a fit. The doctor arrived at 3:30 pm to find that he was already dead and was in an appalling condition. An inquest found that he had died of cardiac failure after being struck several heavy blows on the chest, and had also been beaten with a stick on the back. He was undernourished, thin and wasted, and well below normal average weight for his age. He had a number of septic ulcers on his feet and his legs were severely chapped.

On 3 February 1945, Reginald Gough was charged with manslaughter and Esther Gough with wilful ill-treatment, neglect and exposure likely to cause suffering and injury, although on 12 February 1945, she too was charged with manslaughter.