THE Craven Herald is relatively rare in that its reporters still attend magistrates court while Skipton itself is lucky to still have its own law courts.
But, whereas the magistrates court just 20 years ago sat three times a week and included a youth court, it now sits just once a week - with a fraction of the cases once dealt with at the Otley Street court building.
Just 50 years ago, in May, 1973, the Herald reported on business at Skipton Juvenile Court. Before presiding magistrate, Mrs I Kitchener, Mr N Jennings, and Mrs E Rawcliffe, in just one day, there were before them young teenagers facing a variety of offences, including breaking shop windows, theft and the breaching of supervision orders, imposed from previous crimes.
Here is how the Herald reported on the teenagers, who by that time could not be named for legal reasons.
A 16 year old farmworker smashed the window of an unoccupied shop in South View Terrace, Silsden.
A police officer after finding glass in front of the shop, saw the boy and questioned him. He initially denied it, but admitted it later when interviewed with his mother, who said he had told her it had been 'an accident'.
The bench ordered that a two year supervision order should stand. He had already paid the £60.95 for the window, and in addition was fined £15.
Two 14-year old schoolgirls admitted stealing property valued at £65.55 from Variety Fashions in Keighley Road, Skipton.
A probation order for two years was placed on each girl and they were ordered to pay restitution of £6.14 each.
A police officer had discovered a broken window at the back of the shop and had been told the two girls had been seen in the area - and they confessed.
Following good reports from his mother and the police, as well as his own ready admission, a 12 year old schoolboy was given a 12 month conditional discharge after admitting breaking a skylight window at Waterloo Mills, Silsden.
The factory manager told the court how he had heard a crash and came across a group of boys throwing stones.
The 12 year old admitted what had happened and that it had been an accident. The court heard he was an honest boy and had recently handed in a purse containing £12 to Silsden Police Station. He was ordered to pay £1.50 compensation.
Stealing a yellow fur fabric coat from an 11 year old fellow pupil at her school, meant a 15 year old schoolgirl had broken a two year conditional discharge. The girl admitted theft and the coat was returned to its owner. She was ordered to pay £2 for the breach of the court order.
Admitting the theft of goods from two shops in Skipton, two 13-year old schoolboys asked for four similar offences to be taken into consideration.
A police officer on duty in Carleton Road noticed two boys outside Croft House attempting to secrete some articles.
When he cautioned them, they produced an 'Ivypack' pencil and spare leads, stolen from the Craven Herald shop in Skipton High Street. Later, at home, a snap-off cutter was handed over. Altogether, the boys had stolen 68p of goods, 60p of which had been recovered.
The presiding magistrate put the boys on trust and gave them a two year conditional discharge.
Admitting two trespassing offences, three 14-year old boys were placed under a supervision order for two years and ordered to pay £1.96 each in compensation.
A Barnoldswick man had gone to his lock-up shed in the morning to find padlocks broken and tools stolen. The three boys admitted the offence with one saying he had forced the padlocks with a screwdriver.
First admitting a charge of stealing a milk bottle valued at 5p, a 14-year old boy changed his plea on the advice of his mother. She said he had not intended to steal the bottle, he had just picked it up. The court heard how the boys had been followed and questioned after a police officer had seen a milk bottle thrown and smash in front of his car.
Chasing them into a private garden, he had asked who had thrown the bottle, owned by Associated Dairies, Leeds, to which the 14 year old boy had answered it had been him, that it had been something different to do, and it had been a 'laugh'.The bench found the boy guilty and fined him £2.
For receiving the milk bottle, knowing it to be stolen, a 16 year old apprentice had to pay £2 and for depositing glass on the highway, he was ordered to pay £5 with a warning from the bench that it was a dangerous thing to do.
Charged with eight motoring offences, a 16 year old farm worker admitted them all and asked for 32 other offences to be taken into consideration.
A 14 year old schoolboy was given a conditional discharge for causing actual bodily harm but ordered to pay £3 for being in possession of a loaded air pistol in a public place.
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