Conisborough Shopbreaker

January 1907

Sheffield Evening Telegraph January 4, 1907

A Conisborough Shopbreaker

Samuel Brown (21), labourer, was indicted for breaking into the shop of Alfred George Gurney and stealing a safety bicycle, Conisbrough on October 19. He was further charged with receiving the machine.

Mr Cook Yarborough prosecuted.

The prosecutor said he was a cycle dealer in Doncaster Road, Conisbrough. On 18th October we had the cycle in the shop, and the next day the prisoner brought it to him. He found that his shop had been broken into. Prisoner told witness a long story as to how he came in to possession of the cycle.

Mary Shepherd, living next door to the shop deposed seeing the prisoner from her window break open the door with an iron bar. After she self through the window that he was in the shop, and he went away with the bicycle.

Police Sgt Thomas Woodall, who arrested prisoner, stated that the prisoner, in reply to the charge, said, “Well, I’ll admit taking a bicycle,” and made a long statement.

The prisoner was found guilty, and sentenced to 12 month’s hard labour, the Chairman stating that prisoner had been convicted previously for a similar offence, and had since then been in trouble

He was warned that next time he might be sent to penal servitude.