Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 24 November 1893
Breach of the Poaching Prevention Act
Wm. Cockedge, miner, Denaby, was charged with a breach of the Poaching Prevention Act, at Conisborough, on November 15th, and Jas. Gill, Harry Cockedge and John Cockedge were also charged with aiding and abetting Wm. Cockedge in committing a breach of the said Act on the same date.
P.C. Barker said that on the day stated he was on duty in Station Road, in company with Sergeant Ambler, when he saw the four defendants coming along the road from the direction of Conisborough Cliffs. He met them near the railway station, and noticed that they all had long sticks, and that their boots were wet and muddy, as though they had just come from land. They had two “lurcher” dogs with them.
He saw that Wm. Cockedge’s jacket pocket was bulky, and he searched him, when he found a rabbit. He searched the other men, but found nothing on them. They used a lot of bad language while the search was being conducted.
Sergeant Ambler corroborated, and said that the rabbit was quite warm when they took it from Cockedge’s pocket.
The three defendants charged with aiding and abetting denied that they objected to being searched; one of them declared that the officers did not search him, and did not even speak to them.
Fined 10s. 6d. and 8s. 6d. costs each, or 14 days’ hard labour.
Philip Winfield, miner, Mexborough, was also charged with a breach of the Poaching Prevention Act, at Cadeby, on November 16th, and Levi Cooper, also a miner, of Mexborough, was charged with aiding and abetting him.
P.C. Peckitt said he was on duty on the new line to Conisborough on the day stated, when he saw the defendants come from the direction of the plantation. He noticed something bulky in Winfield’s pockets, and searched him on the Conisborough high road, and found a rabbit in his possession. He found nothing on Cooper, but the boots of both defendants were wet and dirtied with soil. The defendants told him that they had come from Sprotbrough. They had a dog with them.
The defendants said they had neither of them been off the high road, and they found the rabbit at Cusworth in the hedge near where some gentlemen were shooting. The dog that was with them was only a little white fox-terrier not twelve months old.
Fined 10s. and costs, or 14 days.
Theft of Wood at Cadeby