THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Long list of cases are heard at crown sessions

From the News Letter, November 20, 1952
The Old Courthouse, Ballymena. Picture: Ballymena Times archiveThe Old Courthouse, Ballymena. Picture: Ballymena Times archive
The Old Courthouse, Ballymena. Picture: Ballymena Times archive

A long list of cases before Ballymena Crown Sessions, which was presided over by Judge Begley, provided News Letter journalists with a selection of interesting stories to tell in the paper on this day in 1952.

John Robinson of Antrim and John Cupples, formerly of Maghereagh were each sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labour.

The two men had pleaded guilty to the larceny. Frank Carson of Carrowreagh and Robert Miskelly of Moygaret, Ballycastle, were each sent to borstal for three years and a juvenile was bound over for three years after pleading guilty to having broken into a lock-up shop at Turroloskin, Ballycastle.

Carson and Miskelly also admitted to breaking into a lock-up garage and stealing “wearing apparel” and also stealing a quantity of honey.

William Rainey of James Street in Ballymena was also committed to borstal for two years for breaking into lock-up licensed premises in the town and stealing a quantity of spirits. A juvenile who pleaded guilty to a charge of receiving was sent to training school for three years.

Meanwhile, David Harkness of Ballycastle pleaded guilty to two charges of breaking into a shop and stealing £47, he was committed to borstal for three years.

His Honour also bound over for three years two other youths and a juvenile when they admitted to breaking into a house in Ballymena and stealing £55 sterling, 4,000 Italian lira, 700 French francs, jewellery and other property of a total value of £109 7s 6d.

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