Mexborough & Swinton Times, August 14, 1915
Denaby Boys Sent To the Reformatory
Wholesale Shop Breaking and Thefts
Roger Aspinall (15). Thomas Rameshaw (15), pony driver and Harry Hutchinson (15) pony driver, Denaby, were charged with breaking into the shop of the Denaby Co-operative Society, and stealing a number of articles, between July 31st and August 3rd.
The article stolen were valued at 35s and the manager of the chemist shop Mr Burns said the shop was locked up on July 31st. On reopening it after the holidays he had found a number of articles missing. Enquiries were made, and when Aspinall was seen he admitted getting into the premises with a key which he had said he found. Hutchison had also admitted being there, but Ramshaw, though he said he was not inside, owned to having got some of the articles. They all pleaded guilty now.
The defendants were next charged with breaking into the shop of Mr Thomas Coy boot and shoe dealer, between July 31st and August 7th. |When Mr Coy returned to the shop on August 7 he found the place upset and goods strewn all over the place. The missing articles where valued at £3.
Aspinall and Ramshaw were the next charged with stealing for pennies from a slot meter in a house in Balby Street, belonging to the Denaby and Cadeby Main Colliery Company. The house was unoccupied on May 28, and the slot meter was intact, but on the inspector going to the house on May 31 the meter had been broken open, and four pennies taken. PC Franklin saw the defendant’s and they admitted taking the money, and said they shared it.
Aspinall was further charged with breaking into a slot meter in another house in New Conisbrough, belonging to the Colliery Company between July 27th and 29th and taking eight pennies. When PC Franklin saw the defendant he admitted taking the money. Supt. Minty said the manager of the colliery Cole wished him to state that they felt compelled to bring the case before the court owing to the many places that had been broken into. The boys admitted having broken into several others and these cases have been brought as a warning.
Mr. Brocklesby said Aspinall be sent to a reformatory until he was 18 years of age. The other boys, Ramshaw and Hutchinson, would be sent to a reformatory until they were 19 years of age, and the magistrates hoped that they would become good lads. They had taken this course in the interests of the boys themselves.