John Hooper

135

C H on 10th March 2024

Old Bailey Online JOHN HOOPER. Theft; animal theft. 10th June 1850. Text type Trial account Defendants JOHN HOOPER Offences Theft > Animal theft Session Date 10th June 1850 Reference Number t18500610-1100 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 1100. JOHN HOOPER , stealing 4 tame pigeons, price 4s.; the property of Henry Thomas Brooks; having been before convicted. HENRY THOMAS BROOKS . I live at 1, Queen-street, Hackney-road. I keep tame pigeons in a pigeon-house at the back of my house—on 16th May, when I went to bed at ten o'clock, I had nineteen pigeons safe—at three in the morning, I was disturbed by a fluttering of pigeons, looked out of window, and saw two men in the yard close to the pigeon-house, and one went in—I undid my clock-weight, opened the window, alarmed them, and as they came out I threw the clock weight at them, and they went off, letting two or three pigeons fly—I called "Stop thief!" heard the policeman coming, and directly after, heard them going over the fence—the policeman brought back one man to the yard, and we found a bag which I saw opened at the station, and it contained four of my pigeons—one of those which was let fly is still missing—it is a young one, and I expect the cats got it. Prisoner. Q. Did you see me in the yard? A. I cannot say that you were one of them. THOMAS ROSS (policeman, H 33). On the morning of 12th May, I was on duty near the prosecutor's, and about three o'clock, heard a cry of "Stop thief!" I ran, and saw the prisoner coming from the back of the prosecutor's, running very fast—when he saw me, he turned and ran in a different direction—I pursued him, and did not lose sight of him till he was stopped by an "N" sergeant—he had no shoes on—we brought him back, and just where I had first seen him I found some shoes which he owned—I did not see him come out of the premises. ALFRED ALEXANDER HALL (policeman, H 127). I was on duty, heard a cry of "Stop thief!" went to the prosecutor's, and saw the prisoner come over the fence—I pursued him, and Ross came up and caught him—I had not lost sight of him—I found this bag of pigeons in the yard (produced). Prisoner. Q. Was any one with me when you saw me drop from the fence? A. No. HENRY BROOKS re-examined. These are my pigeons. JOHN PAINE (policeman, H 23). I produce a certificate of the prisoner's former conviction—(read—Convicted September, 1848, of stealing fowls, having been before convicted, confined one year)—I was present, he is the person. GUILTY .** Aged 20.— Transported for Ten Years.