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PETTY SESSIONS.
Yesterday.—Before W. H. Deane, and F. Bretherton, Esqs., and Sir W. F. Sykes, Bart.
SUNDAY TRADING.
—Charles Henry Newton, of the Coach and Horses, Hilsea, was summoned for keeping his house open at 10.30 on Sunday, the 23rd October.
—Mr. Feltham appeared for defendant.
—Sergeant Drew stated that he and Constable Dedman took up a position about two hundred yards from the defendant’s house, and saw three vehicles arrive, the occupants of which alighted and entered the house. In addition thirty-three foot passengers entered, among whom were two tramway sweepers, who remained a quarter of an hour. On witness knocking at the door defendant came and opened it, and enquired if witness was a traveller, to which he replied that he was a policeman. Constable Dedman asked who were the people who were in the house, and defendant said they were all travellers. One man gave witness an address at Buckland, but, in reply to the defendant, said that he told him he lived at Portsmouth. At the time they entered there were eight men.
—Constable Dedman stated that there was not a bona fide traveller among the men; his reason for coming to that conclusion was that they were working men and walked leisurely.
—Mr. Feltham, in defence, said that he should mainly rely on the fact that the landlord had taken proper precautions to ascertain whether those who had entered were bona fide travellers.
—The defendant stated that a number of people, ten in all, came to his house, of whom two came from Rowland’s Castle. On the police knocking he immediately admitted them, asking if they were travellers. Sergeant Drew told him he knew him. He said he did not, and even if he did he should want to know where he lived before he served him. Drew then said he was a policeman, and he immediately admitted him.
—Mrs. Newton said that she admitted all the people who were there when the police arrived. The people said that they came from Point. Four were served in the presence of the police.
—By the Bench : There were not thirty-three people who entered—only eight—and if the police stated that thirty-three entered it was false.
—Alfred Norton, of 50, Wingfield-street, said he was on the premises when the police arrived, and he told defendant he came from Portsmouth.
—Another witness gave similar evidence.
—The Bench inflicted a fine of £5, including costs, and ordered the license to be endorsed. In default of distress, one month’s hard labour.
—Mr. Feltham entered a notice of appeal, and the Bench fixed the amount of recognisances of defendant at £100 and two sureties of £50 each.
—This is the first appeal the Bench have had under the Licensing Act.
—George Holmes, Alfred Norton, Mark Childs, Daniel Holdaway, and William Pilcher were summoned for being on the premises of the defendant in the previous case at an unlawful hour.
—Norton, Childs, Holmes and Pilcher were fined 2s. 6d. and 7s. 4d. costs, and the information against Holdaway was dismissed.
— Portsmouth Evening News, Tuesday 15 November, 1881