File:Percy John Proctor, draper's assistant, arrested for false pretences (16605478040).jpg

English: Name: Percy J. Proctor

Arrested for: not given
Arrested at: North Shields Police Station
Arrested on: 2 March 1906
Tyne and Wear Archives ref: DX1388-1-85-Percy J Proctor
The Shields Daily News for 2 March 1906 reports:
"A FRAUDULENT LODGER AT NORTH SHIELDS
At North Shields Police Court today, Percy John Proctor (16), draper's assistant, Castle Terrace, Richmond, was charged on a warrant with having, between the 24th and 26th Feb., obtained by means of false pretences, from Cecilia Miller, food of the value of 5s, with intent to defraud.
The prosecutrix, who resides at 18 Addison Street, said that between one and two o'clock on the 25th ult. the prisoner and another young man came to her house and asked to be taken in as lodgers. Accused said he was a printer and his companion represented himself as an engineman employed at Mr Moore's in Tyne Street. They arranged to pay her 14s a week and she took them in.
On Monday morning they went out to commence work and returned at noon. The following morning breakfast was prepared for them and she went to call them, and found that the accused's companion had disappeared whereupon she informed the police.
Arthur Smith, foreman with Mr Moore, said the accused had never been in the employment of Mr Moore. Detective Radcliffe said that on the 27th ult. he arrested the prisoner at a house in West Percy Street and charged him with the offence. He made no reply. Formally charged, the accused pleaded guilty and had nothing to say.
The father of the accused, a respectable looking man, said his son left home a fortnight ago and he traced him to North Shields, where he saw him in the company of another boy. He tried to persuade him to go home but with no avail.
Col. Kidd (magistrates' clerk): What do you propose should be done with him.
The Father: I am willing that he should go to sea or join the army, but he declines to go home so I cannot say what should be done in the meantime.
The Chairman asked the accused if he would go home and he replied in the negative. He was committed to prison for a month in the second division.
The Chairman remarked that this mean form of cheating had become to common in the town and the defendant had made his case worse by showing no signs of repentance and being so stubborn. In Gaol he would be able to reflect upon his position".
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).
This set contains mugshots of boys and girls under the age of 21. This reflects the fact that until 1970 that was the legal age of majority in the UK.

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