Sarah Garbitt, arrested for stealing from shop doors

Name: Sarah Garbitt.Arrested for: not given.Arrested at: North Shields Police Station.Arrested on: 5 November 1907.Tyne and Wear Archives ref: DX1388-1-45-Sarah Garbitt..The Shields Daily News for 6 November 1907 reports:.."SHOP DOOR ROBBERIES AT NORTH SHIELDS. A SAD CASE...At North Shields Police Court today, Sarah Garbutt (58), married, Howdon, was charged with having stolen on the 4th inst. from the doors of four shops a quantity of of dress material, shirts and towels, the property of Messrs M.J. Fisher, Thos. Heslop and James Southwick...Evidence was given to the effect that the goods were pawned by the prisoner. Accused pleaded guilty and said she would not have committed the theft had they not been starving. The husband of the prisoner, who was in court, was called forward. He appeared to be a decent, respectable old man and he told the magistrates they had been suffering from starvation. They had never been in a court in their lives before and he could assure the magistrates that if they dealt leniently with his wife she would not come back again...The Mayor: What are you?.I am a miner by trade, but I lost my employment..Why?.Through old age..How do you live?.We depend on a son, but we only get from him 21s or 22s a week and we have to keep him. He is a young man and he gets no allowance for rent and receives no coal, so we have a good deal to do with the money...The Chairman said they had given the case serious consideration. They had almost been disposed to send the accused to prison, the thefts having been so continuous, but as this was apparently her first offence they would take a lenient view and give her the benefit of the First Offenders' Act and bind her over in the sum of 20s to be of good behaviour for 12 months, accepting the husband as bond."..These images are a selection from an album of photographs of prisoners brought before the North Shields Police Court between 1902 and 1916 in the collection of Tyne & Wear Archives (TWA ref DX1388/1)...(Copyright) We're happy for you to share this digital image within the spirit of The Commons. Please cite 'Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums' when reusing. Certain restrictions on high quality reproductions and commercial use of the original physical version apply though; if you're unsure please email [email protected].