Two Months Hard Labour for Clothing Theft

January 1906

Mexborough & Swinton Times January 6, 1906

Theft at Denaby

George Ward, of Denaby, a filler, was arrested on a charge of stealing several articles of apparel the property of Sydney Handford at Denaby, on 22nd December.

Sydney Handford, filler, Denaby identified the articles as his property and said that up to December 21st he and prisoner had lodged together. From information received, he went on December 22 to look for those articles, and found they were missing. Prisoner did not come back that night, and witness did not see him again until he saw him in custody. He (witness) valued the articles at 50  shillings. (£2.50)

Albert E. Crowther, assistant to Mr A Swan Britain, of Rotherham and Mexborough, stated that prisoner came to his employer shop at 8.30 on 22 December, and offered in pledge a silk handkerchief, on which witness loaned him 1/6

Albert Tennant, assistant pawnbroker, also gave testimony to receiving in pledge, on the 22nd, several of the articles produced from prisoner,

P C Glitheroe said that on the 21st he received a warrant to arrest prisoner for stealing the clothing. In consequence of the information he had received, he went to Kirby Folley and arrested the prisoner at midnight. He found him in a house lying on a couch. Witness woke him up and told him to get up and dressed. The prisoner then got up, and put on the articles of clothing produced.

On being arrested, the prisoner said, “That is right.” When they got outside the house prisoner handed him (witness) three pawn tickets, saying “that is where you will find the others.”

This concluded the evidence.

Prisoner pleaded guilty and elected to be dealt with summarily.

He was sent to prison for two months with hard labour.