One of the most interesting, and perhaps, more controversial cases in Plymouth involved the death of Plymouth Borough Police Constable, William Bennett. In the early evening of 25 July 1875, PC Bennett (collar number 45) was on beat duty in the centre of Plymouth. His route took him into Lower Lane and Palace Street, where he noticed two women, one of whom, Susan Foster, appeared in obvious distress and was bleeding from a head wound. On seeing the constable, she shouted to him, claiming she had been attacked by her common-law 'husband', and, pointing Henry Kitto out in the street demanded he be “taken in charge”. The constable advised her to “get a cup of tea” and then gave chase as Kitto tried to make his escape, pursuing him into a nearby property at 6 Lower Lane. As PC Bennett closed on Kitto there ensued a struggle during which both men fell down the stairs. A neighbour, shoemaker Thomas Harvey, disturbed by the commotion, came out of his rooms to find Kitto kne