Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Wednesday 07 December 1921

Miscellaneous Collection In Court.

The Rotherham West Riding Police Court presented an unusual appearance yesterday, when three Swinton youths, Ambrose Wilkinson (21), Arthur Thompson (21), and Joseph Wilburn (18), were brought up on remand charged with extensive thefts, and Samuel Roebuck (36), a bootmaker and repairer, of Carlisle Street, Mexborough, was charged with receiving. The well of the court was littered with goods, including boots, shoes, empty whisky bottles, soap, bed linen, sheets and quilts, and a miner’s safety lamp. Each of the prisoners was proceeded against on four separate counts. Wilburn and Wilkinson were charged with stealing 34 pairs of boots, -valued £31 12s. 2d., the property of the Midland Railway Company, Roebuck being charged with receiving the goods knowing them to have been stolen.

Mr. Turner, Birmingham, who prosecuted on behalf of the Midland Railway Company, said 132 pairs of boots were dispatched from Leicester to a retailer at Wath. These goods duly arrived at the Swinton Midland goods station on August 31st., and during that night the goods shed was broken into and a large quantity of clothing, and some of these boots and shoes were stolen.

Roebuck, it had been ascertained, had been purchasing boots at the nominal price of 2s. 0d. a pair and retailing them at about 10s.—boots which were worth between 15s. and 20s.

Mr. Turner said the railway company did not want to press the case against Roebuck, as they thought he was more fool than.knave.

All three prisoners were found guilty, but sentence was deferred until the further charges had been taken.

Wilkinson and Thompson pleaded guilty to stealing, between 15th and 20th. July, at Swinton 20 bottles of whisky value £17 12s, and Roebuck pleaded guilty to receiving 12 bottles.

Wilburn and Wilkinson were charged with stealing 52 pairs of boots and shoes value £58 5s. about the 15th, September, and Roebuck with receiving the property. They pleaded guilty .

Wilkinson was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labour on each of four charges, (12 months in all), Willburn to six months’ hard labour on two charges. Thompson to six months’ hard labour on two charges.

On account of Roebuck’s injuries, he was not sentenced to hard labour, but 12 months without hard labour.