This Thomas NEALE was again in trouble with the law in 1843. He was sentenced to 7 years transportation. I'm not sure yet if he actually went, or if his sentence was again changed, or if he managed to return to England (unusual, but not impossible), since he appears in the 1851 census. The mention of his original sentence in 1832 being death is confirmed on the Criminal Register.
Oh, I can't attach an image on this board.
" THOMAS NEALE, 37 [42 on the Criminal Register], charged with stealing at Waltham St Lawrence, on the 24th of January last, about a bushel and a half of potatoes, the property of Robert Brown. It appeard in evidence that the potatoes were deposited in a grave near the prosecutor's house, and that, suspecting he was robbed, he set a man to watch, and the prisoner was apprehended with the potatoes in his possession. He was found guilty, and a previous conviction, of a burglary, (for which sentence of death was recorded against him, but afterwards commuted to 18 months' imprisonment) was put in, and found by the jury.
His LORDSHIP said, it was useless to think of extending mercy to a prisoner who had shown himself so completely hardened, and sentenced him to Seven years' Transportation."
Saturday, Mar. 4, 1843
Publication: Reading Mercury
