Promised Coal Deliveries – Conisbrough Miner Sent To Prison.

August 1957

South Yorkshire August 17 1957

Promised Coal Deliveries
Conisbrough Miner Sent To Prison.

For obtaining money in advance for coal deliveries he had promised but was in no position to fulfil, Samuel D. Davies (25), miner of Park Road, Conisbrough was jailed for four months at the Doncaster West Riding Court on Tuesday.

He pleaded guilty to obtaining 15/– from Wm. H. Sims by false pretences and similarly obtaining £1 from Frederick A Swift and 15s from Pauline M. Jones and to attempting to obtain £1 10s by false pretenses from Geo. S. Coe.

Inspector Fred Brown said Davies was a miner living in Conisbrough and was well-known but he was not entitled to miner’s home coal, not being a householder. In March he undertook to deliver a load of coal to Sims and asked for £2 – £1 5s. For the coal and 15s for karting. Sims gave him 15s for the karting and told him he would pay him the rest when the call was delivered. The coal was not delivered and no order had been given to a carter.

On May 11, said Inspector Brown, Davies went into Mr Smith’s shop and said “Albert Barber has got a load of coal for you and wants you to let me pay him £1.”

Mr Swift believed the story and paid Davies £1. Later the same day defendant went into the shop and said “Albert wants another 15 shillings for the coal.” Mr Swift became suspicious and slipped out of the back door and went to Mr Barber’s house and told him and returned to the shop. Defendant had gone. He did not give him any second lot of money.

In the third charge, Mr Coe was in his shop when Davies came in and said “Do you want a load of coal for 30 shillings?” Mr Coe said he did not want it. Davies persisted, saying “give me the money and I will get the coal.” He was asked if it was “straight” and said it was. Mr Coe said he wanted time to think it over. He had made enquiries about Davies and discovered the truth.

In the case of Mrs Jones, she paid 15s for the karting of the call and said she would pay 15s more when the coal was delivered. No coal was delivered.

Inspector Brown said Davies committed a theft at Epworth in 1956 and last March he was bound over for two years on a charge of causing grievous bodily harm to his wife.

Davies said, “I have been parted from my wife, but we have got together again and are trying to make a go of it.”

The chairman, Mr A. E. Pemberton said the magistrates were of the opinion that three persons who paid money to Davies ought to have known there was something suspicious about the business.