"It's a fair cop" !

Much Hadham, Petty Sessions

Riding asleep – Edward Maskell, a hay-carter, of Little Hadham, was summoned for riding asleep. The defendant did not appear. PS Gravestock stated that on March 1, at 12.30 a.m., he saw the defendant in charge of a horse and cart at Little Hadham. He was asleep with a horse rug round his head. Witness walked by the side of the cart till it stopped in Albury Road at the owner’s gate. When awakened by witness defendant said ” It’s a fair cop”. The Bench postponed their decision for a fortnight.

Riding asleep – The case against Edward Maskell, a haycarter, of Little Hadham, for riding asleep was heard at the last court in the absence of the defendant, but the judges postponed their decision. The defendant now appeared, and the Chairman said he understood he had just had to pay a heavy fine in another court for a similar offence, and taking this into consideration he would be fined only 1 shilling, including costs.