Police Court Birch For Bad Boys – Young Conisboro’ Thieves.

January 1932

Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 01 January 1932

Police Court Birch For Bad Boys.

Young Conisboro’ Thieves.

Charges of house-breaking and larceny were preferred against three Conisborough boys aged 13, 13 ½  and 12, at Doncaster Wednesday.

The charges against the oldest and youngest of the boys were of breaking into the house of Elisabeth Swift in Conisborough New Village and stealing 15s.; of stealing eggs valued at 2a. 6d. from Ellen Lawrence; of stealing a cycle valued at 10s. from George Harrison; and of stealing two cycle bags and other accessories the property of Edmund T. Barker.

All three boys were charged with stealing a cycle valued at 30s. belonging to George J. Walker and a fourth boy, aged 16, was charged with receiving some of the stolen property.

In connection with the charge of housebreaking which took place on December 18th it was stated that Mrs. Swift went out shopping and when she returned she found a back-window open and discovered that some money had been taken from a drawer.

The 15-year-old boy who was charged with receiving certain bicycle parts from the other three boys taken from the cycles they had stolen and dismantled said he did not know the things were stolen. The boys told him the lodger had given them the parts.

The three younger defendants said the last named defendant had promised them the loan of his cycle if they would get these parts for him.

Defendants, who pleaded “guilty,” with the exception of the boy charged with receiving stolen property, said three of the thefts took place during the day and two at night.

It was revealed that one of the boys had been before the court previously for breaking into a school and had been bound over for two years.

The Chairman said “You are four very naughty boys. The Bench is going to deal severely with you.” The two boys involved in the greater number of thefts were sentenced to six strokes of the birch rod each, and had to pay 30s. costs, the third boy who was involved in only one theft had to pay 5s costs, and the boy charged with receiving was discharged under the Probation of Offenders’ Act on payment of 10s. costs.