Letter of the law - stealing letters from pillar boxes at Ware - continuedt

Hertfordshire Mercury, 9th February 1907

Transcript

 

John Richens, 21 and George Perry, 22, of Ware, pleaded guilty to stealing letters from a pillar letter box in the town.

Mr W. Grantham appeared for the prosecution, and said this was a case in which the old trick of stealing letters from a pillar letter box with a stick, a stone smeared with bird-lime, and a string was used by the prisoners.

P.S. Moles was called and asked by his Lordship why he did not caution Richens before he took down his statement, and he replied that at that time the prisoner was not charged with anything.

His Lordship said he did not wish to blame the officer, because probably he did what he was allowed to do, but it was not fair to get a statement out of a man without cautioning him, and immediately afterwards to charge him. He did not find fault with him, but merely expressed the opinion that he ought to have cautioned him.

Supt Duke was called and said Richens had been in the Asylum twice, and was discharged the second time in November last. He had no father, and his mother married again. Perry’s character was fairly good, but he, like the other man, was on the down-grade. His parents were respectable people.

Perry was sentenced to six months’ hard labour and Richens to four months

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