This is another trial of a young boy, where Garrow persuaded the jury to use their discretion and reduce the amount involved to avoid a sentence of death or transportation.
Peter Miller (aged nine) was charged at the Old Bailey on 22 April 1789 with feloniously stealing ten shillings in money from the person of Thomas May.
Continue reading “The Trial of Peter Miller for Theft by Pickpocketing”
This is a strange case in which it appears that evidence was given against the prisoner by a thief-taker who perjured himself for the blood money given by the government to bounty hunters who prosecuted a person to conviction. Part of its significance lies in the fact that were the prisoner found guilty of theft to the value of 4s 6d he might well be executed as the Judge, Mr Baron Hotham, indicated.
Continue reading “The Trial of John Wheeler for Theft with Violence: Highway Robbery”
This was the trial of an eleven year old boy – William Horton – who was indicted for stealing various articles of linen and clothing to a total value of 13 shillings.
The first witness called by the prosecution was John Birdsey. He testified that he was a watchman and that on the 10th June at 2 am the prisoner and two more passed him and wished him good morning. At 3 am they passed him again and he saw they were loaded with something beneath their clothes. He pursued them and they dropped the bundle and ran away. He managed to catch Horton.
