Trials of Prisoners: First Court: Before the Rev. W. H. Karslake, Capt. Walrond, and Mr. W. H. Peters, William Pickett, and William Pickett, 18, father and son, were indicted for stealing on January 17th, 30lbs. of barley. the property of John Balle Pinsent, at Wolborough. Mr. Carter prosecuted, and Mr. St. Aubyn and Mr. Clarke defended the father and son respectively. The prosecutor, a brewer and maltster, of Newton Bushel, carries on his business in Bearne-street, and in this store the barley, in course of preparation, was accustomed to be kept. The foreman invariably held possession of the key. In January last circumstances transpired which served to rouse the suspicion of the prosecutor, and which led him to communicate with the police concerning the elder prisoner who was employed occasionally by the prosecutor to do a little work. Accordingly, early on the morning of Sunday, January 17th, P.C. Cleave stationed himself in a doorway, opposite the prosecutor’s stores. After waiting there over an hour, the elder prisoner came into the street, and pausing outside the store, unlocked the door and entered, the younger prisoner following a few minutes later. The constable then heard the two prisoners walking about, and subsequently the son left the store with a bulky laden bag on his shoulder. The constable followed and accosted the prisoner with the question: “What have you got in the bag?” adding- “By the feeling of it seems to be grain or barley.” The prisoner did not reply, but when the policeman asked him where he obtained it, he said his father gave it to him at the Oak Tree public house. He was taken into custody, and his father was apprehended as soon as be could be found which was not until some few days later.— Mr. St. Avery, in defence on behalf of the elder prisoner, said if the son committed any theft there was no evidence to show that the father bad been acting in concert with him — Mr. Clarke, on behalf of the son, threw doubts upon the identity of the barley, and, in addition, contended that the prosecution had failed to make out their case, by which he considered himself entitled to a verdict of acquittal. The young man had hitherto borne a most irreproachable character. The jury found both prisoners guilty —The Court sentenced Pickett senior, to six calendar months’ imprisonment, and his son to four mouths’ imprisonment.
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Referenced
GRO0518 Devonport: John Ball Pinsent: 1819 – 1901