Annie Burrows, 32, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty at Hatfield Petty Sessions to being drunk at New Town, Hatfield, on 12th June, by smashing the window of the White Lion Public House, and to doing damage to a police cell.
P.C. Morse stated that whilst on duty in New Town he had heard some glass being smashed at the White Lion Public House and, on getting there, he had seen the defendant being evicted. He took her into custody and, whilst in the cell, she had broken the window, the cell bucket, and the bed. The prisoner confirmed this to be correct.
George Blakeley, the landlord of the White Lion, said that he had seen the prisoner in the bar and that, when she had attempted to lift her glass, he had seen that she had clearly had sufficient to drink. He turned her out of the premises, whereupon she proceeded to smash one of the windows.
Supt Peck advised the Bench that there were 14 previous convictions against the defendant, mostly for drunkenness in London. He went on to say that he had seen many men smash cell windows, but had never seen so much damage as that caused by this woman. He produced the iron framework of the window which was broken and twisted into all sorts of shapes, showing that very considerable violence must have been used.
The Bench sentenced the woman to two months’ hard labour.
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