Sheffield Daily Telegraph – Thursday 15 December 1927

Miners’ Admissions at Doncaster.

Owing to complaints made about robberies at allotments in the neighbourhood of Adwick Road, Mexborough, two policemen were set to watch, and at the Doncaster West Riding Court, yesterday, two miners, Stephen Scroop and William Riley, were charged with being on premises for an unlawful purpose.

Police constable Beever heard someone trying force the door of a rabbit hutch, and when they approached the men ran away. The officers caught the men.

Scroop denied that he had gone with the intention of stealing, and said they were out to watch couples.

Superintendent Minty: You are married and you have the impudence to tell the magistrates that you were there for the purpose of spying on couples.

Riley also denied that they were out to steal, but admitted that they were there to watch couples.

Superintendent Minty; What do you think of yourselves?—l am ashamed.

How long have you been on this spying business?—About a month.

Riley told the magistrates that he was receiving 25s. a week pension and 7s. 6d. unemployment benefit.

The men were each fined 40s.