Cambridge Daily News 13 Jul 1889: Theft of coat from Thomas Prime

CAMBRIDGESHIRE QUARTER SESSIONS

The general Quarter Sessions of the county were held on Friday at the Shirehall, Chesterton, before Mr. Arthur Sperling, who was accompanied on the Bench by Colonel Wale, Capt. Sidney Stanley, Capt. C. W. Stanley, Capt. Hurrell, Mr. Swann Hurrell, Mr. J. J. Briscoe, and the Rev. Bust.

HOUSEBREAKING AT TRUMPINGTON

Wm. Bell, aged 43, described as a baker, of Liverpool, was charged with having feloniously broken and entered the counting-house of Thomas Henry Prime, and stolen therefrom an overcoat, the property of Ernest George Prime, at Trumpington, on the 1st of July last. Prisoner pleaded not guilty.

Mr. J. F. P. Rawlinson, who appeared for the prosecution, said that on Monday evening, the 1st of July, Mr. Prime was carrying out some work at Chaucer-road. He had a shed there, which was shut and locked. Over the window of this shed the coat was hanging, which the prisoner was charged with having stolen. When Mr. Prime went there the next morning he found the window was broken and the coat gone, and accordingly gave information to the police. Next morning the prisoner went to the shop of Mr. Cole, pawnbroker, Cambridge, and sold the coat for 2s. 6d., giving a felicitous name to Mr. Cole’s assistant. Prisoner was afterwards discovered by the police in a lodging-house. He had pleaded guilty before the magistrates to having pawned the coat, saying that he met a man on Parker’s Piece, for whom he had pawned it. The managers of the lodging-house at which prisoner was found would give evidence to the effect that prisoner was out all night on the night on the date when the coat was alleged to have been stolen.

Mr. E. G. Prime, builder, of 25, Burleigh street, Cambridge, gave evidence to the effect that the coat was left near the window of a shed on the Chaucer-road, Trumpington, on the 1st of July, and that next morning he found the window broken and the coat gone.

William Shields, assistant to Mr. Cole, pawnbroker, said that prisoner had pawned the coat, which he produced, for 2s. 6d.

Eliza Sybil said that prisoner was lodging with her, and was out all night on the date that the coat was alleged to have been stolen.

Prisoner, in defence, made a long rambling statement to the effect that he had met a man on Parker’s Piece, on whose behalf he had pawned the coat.

The jury found the prisoner guilty.

Prisoner then admitted that he had been convicted of felony at Winchester on the 3rd of July, 1888. It was also stated that the prisoner had been convicted of several other offences, and he was sentenced to imprisonment for 18 calendar months with hard labour.