South Eastern Gazette, 12 March, 1860.

SECOND COURT. (Before Gathorne Hardy, Esq., Chairman.)

Robbery from the Person.

Charles Bay was charged with stealing a watch, value £1, and 18s., the property of James Offen, of Boughton Malherbe, on the 9th Jan. last. Mr. Russell was for the prosecution, and Mr. Dunbar for the defence.

The prosecutor said that on the 8th January he was at the "Pig and Whistle" with prisoner. They then went to the "King’s Head," where they had some gin, and on their leaving prosecutor purchased a pint of gin with a sovereign, and in change the landlord gave him some half-crowns, one of them having a peculiar mark upon it. Prosecutor had a silver watch with him. On the road they drank the gin, and the prosecutor became intoxicated and lost his senses. When he came to, on the following morning, he found himself at the "Pig and Whistle," with his money and watch gone.

Mr. Avery Kite, landlord of the "King’s Head," said prisoner and prosecutor left his house in company about eleven o’clock on the night in question.

Police-constable Brisknell said he saw the prisoner and Offen on the high road, about 11 o’clock, and on returning between two and three o’clock he found the prosecutor lying in the road, with his pocket torn out. He had no money or watch with him. Witness searched prisoner on the following day, and found some money on him; but did not find the watch.

Mrs. Elizabeth Jarvis said the prisoner was a tenant under her husband, and on Monday, the 9th, he paid her the half-crown produced. (This half-crown the landlord of the "King’s Head" identified as one he had paid to prosecutor on the night of the robbery).

Mr. Dunbar urged that no evidence had been given with regard to the watch, and that the evidence as to the half-crown was insufficient to convict the prisoner.

The jury returned a verdict of acquittal.