Tag: GRO0272

Six Months for “Receiver”: Stolen Jumpers in Front Room: Rail Theft: Six months’ hard labour was the sentence at Leicester City Police Court today on a receiver of stolen goods. He was Ernest Pinsent (40) dealer, Archdeacon Lane Leicester. A charge of stealing a parcel of jumpers worth £9 5s, while in transit by the L. N. E. Railway Co., was withdrawn and he was charged with receiving the parcel. The case had been adjourned from last week.

P.C. Goosey gave evidence of a conviction of receiving stolen goods against Pinsent on June 17^th last. Edward Ashford Billingham, carter, said he put a parcel of jumpers from Billson’s works on his dray. When he got to the depot, however, it was gone. Det-Sergt. Turner said he and Det-Inspector Clowes went to Pinsent’s house. Pinsent, questioned about a parcel of hosiery in the front room said, “A man brought them here last night”.

“Man Brought Them: When charged with stealing and receiving the jumpers, Pinsent said “A man brought them and offered them for 30s a dozen. I said if they were any good, I would pay for them on Friday ”. Pinsent in the box, said he was a market trader. He bought the stolen goods from a casual acquaintance whom he knew as “George” but did not know they were stolen.

The Clerk (Mr. W. J. Day): did you ask him where he got them? No:

Sir Jonathan North: If you knew “George” by his Christian name, it indicates that you were on familiar terms with him.

Mr. H. G. Bennett, defending, pointed out that in the prisoner’s sphere of life it was not unusual for casual friends to know each other by their Christian names. “A man doesn’t bother about a formal introduction; he introduces himself,” he added.

Mr. Bennett urged the Bench to find Pinsent innocent as there was no proof that he knew the goods were stolen. The Bench, however, decided to convict.

Under Suspicion: Det.-Supt. Boon than gave evidence. “for some time,” he said “we have had numerous railway robberies, and this man has been under suspicion for some time. At his house was found other hosiery made by the same firm which cannot, however, be identified as stolen. Pinsent stands in the local markets at Melton, Hinckley, and Coalville and can dispose of the goods.”

Sentence of six months’ imprisonment with hard labour was passed. The magistrates were Ald. Sir Jonathan North (in the chair). Mr. J. G. Pickard, Mr. A. Oram and Mr. Alec Tyler.

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Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.

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GRO0272 Tiverton: Ernest “Pinsent”: 1889 – 1966

Leicester “Fence” Sent to Prison: Received Stolen Hosiery from Mystery Man: Who is “George”? A Leicester man, suspected of receiving hosiery and selling it in county markets – Ernest Pinsent (40), 13 Archdeacon Lane – was sentenced to six months hard labour at Leicester today, on a charge of receiving hosiery stolen from a railway dray. A mysterious figure, referred to as “George” was alleged by the defense to have foisted the goods on to Pinsent.

Under Suspicion: “For some time,” said Detective Superintendent Boon, when sentence was passed, we have had numerous robberies from railways. This man has been under suspicion for some time. At his house was found other hosiery made by the same firm which cannot definitely be identified as being from their parcels. Pinsent stands in the local markets, at Melton, Hinckley and Coalville and can dispose of the goods.” Before the evidence was heard, P.C. Goosey, in the witness box, recalled that he was in court on June 17th of last year when Pinsent was convicted of receiving five dozen pairs of hosiery. Edward Ashford Billingham, a carter, said he collected a parcel of jumpers from Billson’s hosiery works, placed it safely on his dray, and then found that it had gone when he reached the depot. Det. Sergt. Turner described an interview he and Det. Inspector Clowes had with Pinsent at this home in Archdeacon Lane. He told Pinsent that he understood that parcels had been delivered at his house, and sked him if he would now say what was in them. Pinsent said there were no parcels delivered. He was then asked to account for some Hosiery found in the front room, and he replied: “A man brought them here last night, I don’t recall that hosiery.” A Man Brought Them: The jumpers were identified, and Pinsent was charged with stealing and receiving. “A man brought them and offered them for 30s a dozen. I said if they were any good, I would pay them on Friday,” he replied. Pinsent, in court, described himself as a market trader. The man who brought the jumpers, he said, was a casual acquaintance known as “George” … (continues at length) …  Mr. Bennett suggested that “George” “Had the wind up,” and was anxious to dump his stolen goods on someone. He foisted them on to Pinsent, who had reason to ask where they came from because he had only arranged to look at them.

Millstone Around His Neck: “One starts a case of this kind with a millstone around the neck” Mr. Bennett continued. “A previous conviction had been quoted in court and therefore the defense started in a bad light. It was not for him to criticize – it was the law. But a man once convicted was not bound to be criminal for the rest of his life; often he decided that the game was not worth the candle.”

Stating that “if there were no receiver there would be no thieves,” Sir Jonathan said the magistrates felt justified in imposing the full sentence. 

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Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.

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Referenced

GRO0272 Tiverton: Ernest “Pinsent”: 1889 – 1966

Dealer Remanded: Charged with Stealing 37 Jumpers: Ernest Pinsent (40), a general dealer of Archdeacon Lane, was remanded for a week by Leicester magistrates today charged with sealing 37 women’s jumpers, worth £9 5s, from a L.N.E.R. dray. He was alternatively charged with receiving the goods, knowing them to be stolen. The goods were said by Det-Sergt. Taylor, to have been recovered from Pinsent’s house. They were taken from the dray while it stood in the street. Application for a remand was made by the police on the ground that inquiries had to be made. Bail was allowed.

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Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.

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Referenced

GRO0272 Tiverton: Ernest “Pinsent”: 1889 – 1966

Long-Firm Fraud Charges: Leicester Men Accused of Conspiracy: Three men were charged at Leicester today with alleged long-firm frauds were: – William Wadsworth (66), lodging at 1, Cromwell Street, Leicester: John Davenport Hulme (57), back of 201 Belgrave Gate: Ernest Pinsent (38), 13 Archdeacon Lane Leicester. One charge was that between 1st January and 4th July they conspired to obtain goods by false pretenses from such merchants as could be induced to believe that John Davenport Hulme and Ernest Pinsent were carrying on a genuine business as grocers. There were 13 charges of false pretenses against some or all of the men, respecting honey, tea, coffee and oil and disinfectant, and the total sum named in the charge being over £135. Appointed Agent Letter: Fredk. Chas. Hodgson of Ludlow said that in February of this year he advertised for a commission agent and received a letter from Wadsworth. Witness accepted his services. He received an order on March 15th, for honey to the value of £5., the terms being net cash in 14 days. He never got paid. He also received another order on 15th March, and sent a quantity of honey to H. Laxter, 1, Cromwell Street, Mill Lane, Leicester and was never paid. A further order came on April 13th and honey valued £9 6s was dispatched to John Davenport Hume, grocer, and contractor, 201 Belgrave Gate, Leicester. Other orders were received on May 17th for honey valued at £9 6s., sent to John Hulme, Junior, dairyman, 2, St. Marks Street, Leicester. Paid Out Commission: He had a letter then from Wadsworth intimating his change of address to 1 Cromwell Street and witness wrote asking for assurances as to the accounts he had opened and in reply Wadsworth said that some of his customers were finding the sale of honey slow, but he promised to get the accounts settled. Witness had paid Wadsworth £2 15s commission in respect of the orders. In no case was he paid for any of the honey sent. Traders’ Retort: Henry Wood, a London tea and coffee merchant, gave evidence of appointing Wadsworth by letter as an agent, and of the orders received from him. Wadsworth: Were not my terms with you 5 per cent. commission? I haven’t had any commission from you. Witness: Yes, 5 percent. upon the payment of the account.  – I haven’t had any money from the customers. Mrs. Sarah Malin, The Farm, Rearsby, who has a stall in Leicester market, said Hulme came to her and offered to sell her honey. She bought four cases at 10d per lb., paying £6 in all by cash. The honey was delivered by Rearsby. She had never-before bought honey. The accused were remanded for a week, bail being granted to Hulme and Pinsent in £20 each. Mr. H. G. Bennett defended Hulme and Pinsent.

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Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive

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Referenced

GRO0272 Tiverton: Ernest “Pinsent”: 1889 – 1966

Big Theft of Honey: Case of Considerable Magnitude: Another man has been arrested in connection with the theft of a large quantity of honey, concerning which two other men are already in custody, and who will appear before a special Leicester bench at the Town Hall on Monday. The third man, who came before the Leicester magistrates today, is Ernest Pinsent (38), a dealer, and his address is given as 13 Archdeacon Lane. He is charged with unlawfully conspiring with Davenport Hulme and William Wadsworth, to obtain honey by alleged false pretenses, and with intent to defraud Frederick Charles Hodgson at Leicester between March 18th and April 1st of this year: Bail Refused: Detective-Inspector Ashburner said he received Pinsent from Detective-Sergeant last evening. He replied that he would plead not guilty. The Deputy Chief Constable asked for, and was granted, a remand till Monday afternoon. Mr. H. G. Bennett (defending) applied for bail stating that Pinsent was in a very good position in the city, so was his father, and from instructions he had received, the man had an absolute answer to charge. The Deputy Chief Constable: I oppose bail. This is a case of considerable magnitude and has involved a tremendous amount of inquiry. If this man is at liberty the inquiries of police will be considerably hampered. Bail was refused

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Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive

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Referenced

GRO0272 Tiverton: Ernest “Pinsent”: 1889 – 1966