John Halfpenny

135

C H on 9th March 2024

Old Bailey Online JOHN HALFPENNY. Theft; simple larceny (from 1827). 28th November 1842 Text type Trial account Defendants JOHN HALFPENNY Offences Theft > Simple larceny Session Date 28th November 1842 Reference Number t18421128-186 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 186. JOHN HALFPENNY was indicted for stealing, on the 15th of Nov., 3 half-crowns, and 4 shillings, the monies of Vincent Robert Alfred Brooks; and that he had been before convicted of felony. VINCENT ROBERT ALFRED BROOKS . I am a stationer, and live in Oxford-street. On the evening of the 15th of Nov. I was in my parlour, adjoining my shop, and saw the prisoner, about half-past seven o'clock, riling from behind my counter—I went towards him—he caught hold of something on the counter, and asked me the price—I told him he did not want to buy anything and asked what he was stooping behind the counter for—he denied it—I closed the door, and told the boy to look at the till—he immediately said that it appeared as if money had been taken out of it—I then asked the prisoner if he would allow me to search him, which he did, and I took from his pocket a knife and some silver—I sent for a policeman, and before the prisoner left the shop with the policeman I went to my till—I can swear that there had been some money taken out of it—I had been to it a quarter of an hour before, and no one had been in the mean time—I had been in my back parlour writing it appeared by the till-book that there were 12s. wanting in the till, but there could not be 12s., as there were three half-crowns found—I believe it was 11s. 6d.—I cannot say whether I had any half-crown in my till. Prisoner. Q. Where was I when you came in? A. At the end of the counter, in the corner. JOHN CARTWRIGHT (police-sergeant G24.) I was called to the prosecutor's shop about half-past seven in the evening—I took from the counter three half-crowns and five shillings—the prisoner said it was his money, and he believed there was 9s. 6d.—I took him to the station, and as we were going, he requested to go quietly along, as be did not wish to be disgraced—he then all at once turned restive, and broke from my custody—his hat fell off and he ran a quarter of a mile before he was taken. Prisoner. He asked me whose money it was, and how much; I said there was 9s. 6(2., which I had received from my father in the afternoon. Witness. I said, "Whose money is this?"—he said, "It is mine, I believe fare is 9s. 6d." Prisoner. When the boy looked first into the till be said there was 9s. 6d. gone; this 12s. 6d. was mine JOHN GRAY (police-sergeant C 14.) I produce a certificate of the prisoner's farmer conviction, which I got from the office of the clerk of the peace at Westminster—(read)—I was present at the trial—the prisoner is the person. GUILTY .* Aged 20.— Transported for Severn Yean.