Re: Reminder WDYTYA on BBC1 tonight 13th Aug

Lesley Robertson wrote:
"cecilia" <myths@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:48a49231.9540421@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Clerkenwell Police Ct., 27 Jun 1917 (Prevention of Crimes Act) [12
months]

Bow Street Police Ct., 23 Apr 1920 (Prevention of Crimes Act) [9
months]


I wondered about these at the time, and they didn't explain. It's a longer sentence, but sounds rather odd. Presumably it doesn't mean that though he hadn't actually done anything yet, but was planning to?

Summarised from the 1871 Prevention of Crimes Act as fund at http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?LegType=All+Legislation&searchEnacted=0&extentMatchOnly=0&confersPower=0&blanketAmendment=0&sortAlpha=0&PageNumber=0&NavFrom=0&parentActiveTextDocId=1058984&ActiveTextDocId=1058984&filesize=73826

Within 7 years of expiry of the sentence of a second or further offence a suspect would be liable for imprisonment for up to a year for

- reasonable grounds for believing that the person is getting his livelihood by dishonest means,

- refusing to give a name and address or giving a false one,

- being found in any place under such circumstances as to satisfy the court that he was about to commit or was waiting for an opportunity to commit or aid in the commission of any offence punishable on indictment or summary conviction or

- being found on domestic or business premisses without being able to account for being there.

The other charge, frequenting, appears from amendments in that act to stem from the 1824 Vagrancy act which allows every suspected person or reputed thief frequenting almost anywhere with intent to commit an offence "shall be deemed a rogue and vagabond, and may be apprehended and committed to prison" for up to 3 months and "it shall not be necessary to show that the person suspected was guilty of any particular act or acts tending to show his purpose or intent"; he could be convicted from "the circumstances of the case, and from his known character".

In other words, once you'd got a record (and the same Act made provision for keeping records) it was quite easy to convict you again and again. It would have been quite damaging to career prospects in forensic science!

--
Ian

Hotmail is for spammers. Real mail address is igoddard
at nildram co uk
.

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