Isle of Man Daily Times, Douglas, 6 January 1958

Stole goods from boarding-house

Nine Strokes of the Birch

Yorkshire Youth Learns That Crime Does Not Pay

Frightened his parents would discover he had run away, a 15-year-old Yorkshire boy, now living in Scotland, stole a quantity of clothes from a Douglas boarding-house, as briefly reported in the "Weekly Times."

On Thursday, just over a month after the thefts, he was caught and brought back to the Island, where the magistrates ordered nine strokes of the birch. The offences included forging a Post Office savings book entry.

The youth, who apologised for all the trouble he had caused, said he found he could not get a job unless he had been here five years, and applied for a mining job, but was told his parents would have to be consulted. Fearing his parents would find him, and because he was short of money, he took the various articles, some of which he sold, and left the Island after walking the streets one night.

He was arrested in Burnley, where he was placed on probation for two years for larceny on December 31st, and prior to that had several convictions for theft.

"You seem to be developing into an habitual criminal," he was told by the Bench, who said they intended "to impress on you forcibly that crime does not pay" and ordered three strokes of the birch on each offence.

He was also remanded in custody prior to being sent home.

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After pleading guilty, he told the Bench he was quite sure he did not want his parents present, and had told them not to come in order to save expense.

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Detective-Constable J.B. Callin said at 5-40 p.m. on January 1st he saw defendant detained in Burnley Police Station, where he said: "I have all the stuff. I told the police all about it."

In a statement, the youth said on November 14th he got a train from Glasgow to Liverpool, and crossed to the Island next day, where he obtained a room after reading an advertisement in a local paper. After finding out about the five-year residence clause and being informed his parents would have to be consulted about filling in mining application papers, he was afraid his parents would discover he had run away, and took the articles, which he sold for �2, and spent the night walking the promenade before catching the boat next day. He also sold his suit for �2 and his coat for the same amount.

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