Bombed out !

At Cheshunt Petty Sessions, William Smith of Amwell Street, Hoddesdon, the manager of the Co-operative Stores, was summoned for failing to reduce the intensity of the lighting in his shop on January 26th.  Insp Moles said that he had seen the light, had cautioned the defendant, and had explained that the defendant had already been cautioned by every officer in the town.  The defendant said, in a corroborated statement, that the light had been caused because an assistant had removed a curtain so as to put up a shutter.

The Chairman of the Bench advised the defendant that some of the magistrates lived in Hoddesdon and felt very strongly about any such case.  They had read of a similar case where a man had left his door open, thus revealing light, and the village had been bombed as a result.  The Bench advised the Hoddedon was on the line of Zeppelins, and that it was thus most important that no lights were shown.

The Bench confirmed that the defendant would be fined 3 guineas, or 28 days, and that in any future similar cases the fine would be increased.