Mexborough and Swinton Times Saturday 03 September, 1921
Young Housebreakers.
On Wednesday at Doncaster, two New Conisboro’ boys, 13 years of age, were charged with breaking into the house of Samuel Hughes, 33 Blyth street, and stealing half-a-pound of sausage, half-a-pound of ham, and a tin of condensed milk, valued at 3s.
Supt. Minty explain that on the 12th August Mr. Hughes was on the afternoon shift at the pit and at 7 o’clock his wife and her sister left for the pictures, locking the house up.
At 7-45 a young man, Arthur Seddon, called and found the door locked, but hearing a noise of someone inside called out, but got no reply and so he investigated. The kitchen window was found to have been broken near the catch, and was open. He climbed through, and in the front room found the boys. When be asked them what they were doing there they replied that they were doing nothing. A frying pan was on the floor, containing some partly cooked ham.
Evidence was given by Mrs. Hughes, who said that one of the boys was her young brother. She had not given thins permission to go into the house.
P.c. Weatherill said when charged the boys said they broke in to get some bread, and one said he broke the window with a stone. The lads were absolutely out of control. One of them frequently stayed out, sometimes for two and three nights together and his father had been to the police several times and asked them to find him. The other boy had also stayed out and his father had also complained that he was absolutely beaten with him.
One of the lads had been birthed before, and he was remanded to the detention home for a fortnight, and the other was ordered to receive six strokes with the birch.