 Tankard's involvement caused a stir in the football world.Shields disappeared shortly after the arrests, and was still missing by the time the case went to court.Without the prosecutrix, the five accused were discharged, receiving a serious reprimand from the Chairman, who said their conduct was "a disgrace to the colony" and that he had "never seen such a horrible and degrading case" previously brought before him over twenty-five years on the bench.