Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 16 September 1932

Thurnscoe Poachers.

Hide And Seek With The Police.

Fines of £5 or two months’ imprisonment were imposed at Doncaster on Saturday on Francis Gibbons, labourer, and Albert Fletcher, miner, both of Church Street, Thurnscoe, for a breach of the Poaching Prevention Act.

P.c. France said that at 6-35 p.m. on Monday he saw defendants carrying loaded sacks and other bags in Back Chapel Street, Thurnscoe. It was broad daylight and on seeing witness one of the men dropped the sacks and ran away. Witness was prevented from giving immediate chase owing to two dogs fighting across his path. On examining the contents of the sacks he found six rabbits, pegs and nets.

Gibbons played hide and seek with the police, and when witness went to his house later he found he had disappeared.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty and denied ever having possession of the sacks. Fletcher said the police had never stopped him to tell him he would be reported. He was watching the dogs fight.

Gibbons had nine previous offences recorded against him and Fletcher fifteen.