Law & Order – Poaching cases at Wilton near Redcar

Accreditation the Redcar and Saltburn News 31/12/1874

POACHING CASES AT WILTON near REDCAR 

            At the Guisborough Petty Sessions (before Mr James Lowther, M. P., Capt Todd Swan, Mr  A. H. Turner of Newcomen, and Mr W. Whitwell), on Tuesday (29/12), two labourers named Dominic O’ Hara and George Waldron, were charged with having been found poaching on the estate of Sir Charles Lowther, at Wilton, near Redcar, on the 22^nd inst. From the evidence it appeared that the prisoners were observed on the Redcar and Stockton Road, between 12 and 1 o’clock, setting out their dogs into the adjoining fields, in such a way as to drive any hares which might be startled onto the highway, where they were shot by the prisoners. On being taken into custody, two hares were found upon them. In general you can do the prisoners submitted that they were never off the road they had been guilty of no offence, but it was pointed out that, whether they were on or off the road under such circumstances, there were equally guilty of night poaching, and there would each have to go to prison for one month with hard labour for the offence they had committed.