Mexborough and Swinton Times, May 3, 1929

Street Betting At Mexboro’.

Wallis Thompson, described as a labourer, of Mexborough, pleaded “guilty” at the Doncaster West Riding Police Court on Tuesday to two charges of loitering for the purpose of street betting at Mexborough, and acting as a bookmaker without a certificate.

P.c. Aucook said that he saw Thompson take a slip from a man on 19th March and later when he went to him, a girl brought him 10s. and two slips. He admitted that he had no licence.

Mr. C. R. Marshall, defending, said that if ever a man was unlucky, defendant was that day. He was standing talking to the constable when the girl brought him the slips. He had only been out of prison a few weeks and had he not gone to gaol on his last conviction, he would have been a source of considerable revenue to the authorities.

He had several previous betting convictions. He was fined £5 for street betting and £2 for not having a licence.