Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Wednesday 15 April 1903
A Bogus Detective at Doncaster
Yesterday, at Doncaster Borough Police Court, Arthur Asher, slater, Denaby, was summoned for being drunk and obstructing the footpath.
Sergeant Bugg stated that he saw the defendant on Saturday afternoon in St. Sepulchre Gate. Defendant was drunk, and stopping females, representing himself as a Scotland Yard detective. Defendant went into Spring Gardens, and stopped an old woman, and asked her to go home to tea with him. Afterwards witness followed defendant, who went to the Horse and Jockey Inn, and called for a peppermint. Defendant asked the landlord if gambling took place in his house, saying he was a London detective. The landlord ordered him to leave, as defendant commenced to cause a bother.
Police-sergeant Clark and Police-constable Dixon also stated that they had received complaints from various landlords in the town who had been visited by the defendant, who had represented himself to be a Metropolitan detective.
He was fined 2s. 6d. and costs in each case.