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[Dorchester, County Petty Sessions]
John Westlake was summoned by John Yard for game trespass at Abbotsbury on September 29th. Mr. Huxtable appeared for prosecutor and Mr. Nantes (Bridport) for defendant. Mr. Huxtable, having stated the facts, called John Yard, who said he had lived with Mr. Palmer at Abbotsbury for 20 years, and on the 29th of September he went to get some wood about nine p.m. When he got to the field he heard a rabbit cry, and found it in a wire. He then went the other side of the hedge, and in about a minute heard footsteps. He saw a coastguardsman coming on the other side of the hedge; he saw him take the wire and rabbit. He said "Holloa," and the man turned round and replied "Holloa." He then recognised Westlake, who ran away towards the gully. He was in coastguard's uniform. Had known Westlake five or six years. Witness ran down the other side of the hedge and saw Westlake jump into the ditch. He tried to cut him off from going to the coastguard station, and saw him throw the rabbit down and run to the westward. He then ran in the same direction, and reaching the station called at the chief boatman's house. The chief boatman was in bed, but he came downstairs, and he informed him of what had occurred. The boatman went to Westlake's door, and his wife said he was not at home; probably he was gone to the closet. Shortly afterwards he heard Westlake speak to the chief boatman, and recognised the voice as the same he heard behind the hedge. Westlake appeared to be very hot. Westlake then came and asked him of what he had accused him. He told him of taking a rabbit, and he denied it. Westlake told the chief boatman he had been down to the boats on the beach, and he said he had no business there. Cross-examined: Westlake wiped the sweat from his face, and then took off his cap and asked witness to examine him. The dress Westlake had on was the same he wore at his afternoon duty. William Burrows, chief boatman at Abbotsbury, corroborated the last witness as to his coming to the station, and stating what had taken place with regard to Westlake, and, in cross-examination, said if a man left the station without leave it was a breach of duty. Mr. Nantes, in defence, urged that Westlake had simply been down on the beach looking after the boats instead of taking the rabbit. He also mentioned the ten years' good character borne by the defendant, who, he said, had been promised if he would acknowledge the charge nothing more would be heard of it, but he refused to admit the charge, as it was not true. The defendant was charged in the usual manner, and decided the case should be dealt with summarily. Charles William Harris, chief officer of the Abbotsbury coastguard station, was called, and said he never heard of defendant being engaged in poaching, and had never heard anything but good of Westlake since he had been at the station. Elizabeth Harris, daughter of the last witness, was also called, and said she saw Westlake reading in his house at a quarter-past eight. The Bench considered the case proved. Mr. Middleton said they were extremely sorry to see a man of unblemished character like the defendant charged with such an offence. The evidence, however, was so perfectly clear they had no course to pursue but to convict. They trusted it might not interfere with defendant's prospects in life, but at the same time they would not be doing their duty as magistrates if they should dismiss the case on the faith simply of a good character. Defendant would have to pay £1 and 21s. 6d. costs. The money was paid.