Nicky Rossiter recalls a famous case from Wexford District Court

 

We often forget the severity of life in times past. When we do consider it we often think of the dim and distant past such as described in books like Oliver Twist. In fact almost within living memory the punishment for what we might consider minor infractions were quite severe and were dealt with by the full force of the law including court cases with newspaper reports.

There was an interesting case reported from Wexford District Court in March 1942.

Mrs. K Whitty and Miss Margaret Bailey were on trial in court because of the price charged for a box of matches. Mister T. J. Kelly, who was the State Solicitor, prosecuted the case and the ladies’ defence was led by Mr Laurence Kirwan, a local solicitor.

During the court proceedings Stephen McMahon, who was a town councillor, stated in his sworn evidence that on the 24th of October, 1941, he had bought a box of matches in Mrs. Whitty’s shop. Margaret Bailey was the shop assistant in charge of the premises at the time.

She supplied the matches and she charged him two pennies for them. He asked her for a receipt for the purchase, which she furnished. He then went immediately to the local Garda barracks.

Sergeant Dempsey of An Garda Síochána then gave evidence that he went to the shop some time later along with Mr. McMahon to query the cost of a box of matches.

Miss Bailey, who was still there, said that she had been told to charge two pennies per box. But Mrs. Whitty, who was also present, denied having told her to charge that price.

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