In court...for using a catapult
They say you never see a policeman walking the beat these days. Well, years ago, they were often out and about catching people dropping litter, firing a catapult, swearing and playing football in the streets. Here are some crimes that you may not see in c
1) Playing football on
the road In 1908, James Frith and Fred Holt youths of Hinckley, were summoned to the court for footballing on the highway at Hinckley on March 8. They pleaded guilty. They were kicking a football along a footpath between John Street and Barwell Lane.
The chairman said that this type of nuisance must be stopped. He had heard 15 window panes had been broken in the town during the last week. The defendants were each fined the sum of 10 shillings (50p) including costs.
2) Riding a bike without a light An RAF sergeant stationed at Bramcote was summonsed for riding a bicycle without a front or rear light in the early 20th century.
When stopped by PC Lacey in Regent Street, he alleged that his lamps had been stolen.
The defendant, who wrote a letter, was fined 10 shillings.
3) Swearing in public In 1900, three colliers from Nuneaton were fined for using bad language in Hinckley. They were each fined 10 shillings.
4) Using a catapult in public Also in 1900, a Hinckley shoe hand was fined two shillings and six pence for using a catapult.
5) Stealing two shillings On August 30 1910, at Hinckley Police Court, an 11-year-old boy, (name given), was charged with stealing two shillings from a girl, who was sent by her grandmother to the Lower Bond Street Co-op store.
The little girl told the magistrates that the boy pushed her down injuring her elbow after taking the money from her hand. The boy pleaded guilty, and his guardian asked the bench to give him another chance, and that a thrashing would do him good. The chairman of the bench said the boy ought to be whipped and if his guardian would give him a good thrashing before he was taken home they would then be satisfied. His guardian said: “I don’t care who gives it to him.”
The bench ordered that the boy should receive six strokes of the birch.
6) Again riding a bike without lights and being chased by policeman On April 12 1913, a case was heard at Hinckley Police Court. It involved a cyclist, James Moore, a collier, of Hinckley, who was chased by PC Flavell for riding his bicycle without lights. The policeman saw the defendant riding along Watling Street, and gave chase.
He caught up with him, and when Moore saw that he was “beat” he pulled up. He was discharged on payment of six shillings cost. No reason was given for discharging him.
7) Driving at 25mph October 13 1920, at Nuneaton Police Court, a local driver, from Orchard Street, Hinckley was summoned for driving a motor car in a manner dangerous to the public. PC Waite said he saw the defendant driving his motor car at 25mph. He stopped him and asked him
what his estimated speed was. The defendant replied: “Not much more than 20mph.”
He was fined £1 with four shillings cost.
8) Trespassing
In March 31, 1944, American soldiers were now billeted in Hinckley. During a court case at Hinckley Magistrates’ Court local married women were fined for trespassing on premises used by H M Forces. A police constable said he saw a woman in an air raid shelter with an American soldier.
The PC asked the woman if she had a warrant for being on the premises, she replied: “No.” She then said to the GI: “Why did you bring me here?” One of the women said: “When you see an American soldier you cannot resist him.” Fines of £5 were imposed.
9) Failing to perform Home Guard duties July 1944 At Hinckley Police Court, a member of Hinckley Home Guard, a van driver, aged 19, was summoned on six different charges for failing to perform Home Guard duties without a reasonable excuse. He was fined £3 on each charge and 5s costs, a total of £18 5s. If he did not pay he would go to prison.
10) Matrimonial upheaval and assault July 24 1944, The Magistrates Court heard a case headed “Wife, husband and a Yank”. In it a local wife described a story of matrimonial upheaval, because of her husband’s jealousy and suspicion he thought she was unfaithful with an American soldier. She described that her husband tore her dress and her bottom lip was cut. The wife did admit that the soldier had spent some nights at the house, but he slept downstairs in a chair with her father. Without calling her husband to give evidence, the Magistrates dismissed the wife’s application for a maintenance order.
11) Not having dog licence
In April 9, 1948, at Hinckley Magistrates’ Court, 44 local dog owners were fined for not having a dog licence. All were fined 10 shillings each.
12) Drunk driving in 1961
On December 28, 1961, before Hinckley Magistrates was the very first case under the new ‘Breathalyser Law’. The defendant pleaded guilty and he was fined £25 and disqualified from driving for 12 months.
13) Driving dangerous car
In March 1967, a student (aged 21) of Loughborough, pleaded guilty at Hinckley Court to driving with defective brakes, no horn and having the car in a dangerous condition in Sharnford on January 8. He was fined £17 and his licence endorsed on two of the charges.
A policeman told the court that the defendant had been involved in an accident on his journey to Sharnford due to the car’s brakes.
The defendant said that he did not know the horn would not work as he had not had cause to use it.
14) Travelling on a train with no ticket Also in March 1967, a man from Hinckley was fined £1 at Hinckley magistrates court when he pleaded guilty by letter to travelling by train from Croft to Hinckley without a ticket on January 27. A gentleman from the British Transport Police told the magistrates that the defendant got off the train at Hinckley and left the station by climbing over a locked gate.
The collector followed him and asked to see his ticket. The defendant produced one on which the date had been erased. Enquiries were made and the defendant was told that the ticket he had offered had been issued four days previous.
15) Depositing toilet rolls in street
And again in March 1967, a police constable on duty in Castle Street on the night of February 25 saw three youths depositing toilet rolls in the street. As he approached one of the youths said:“Here comes a copper” and ran off through a jitty.
At Hinckley Juvenile Court on Monday when the trio, all aged 15, were accused of depositing litter on the highway, the PC said he followed them and later saw them in Stockwell Head and asked them about throwing the toilet rolls in the street they denied the offence.
But in court each pleaded guilty and was fined 50s.
“A stupid thing to do”, said the chairman.