AS part of our weekly Crime Files series, we are taking a look back at the archives to bring you stories from Herefordshire's history.
The following story dates from 1830.
A TEENAGER was sentenced to hang after a navy veteran was savagely beaten and robbed on his way home from the pub in Hereford in 1829.
Robert Floyd, 35, James Williams, 19, and John Roberts, 17, appeared before Hereford Assizes in March 1830.
Floyd was charged with the murder of Francis Wellington and the two others were charged with aiding and abetting him in the murder.
Floyd, a veteran of the 39th regiment, was said to have a large pock-mark on his face, while Williams, being lame, stood with a crutch, and Roberts, although "young and slightly made" was said to be "of a most singularly daring and sinister expression of countenance".
The court heard the victim, a navy veteran from Lugwardine, was an out-pensioner of Greenwich Hospital and had gone to Hereford on the day of his death in November 1829 to receive his pension.
He had first called in at the Elephant and Castle pub in St Peter's Street before heading to the excise office to collect his pension, and returning to the pub.
But on his way home at around 10pm, he was attacked and barbarously beaten at Tupsley.
He arrived home at 5am, covered in blood, with head wounds inflicted by a blunt instrument, and his money gone.
Mr Wellington, who was also suffering from consumption at the time, was taken to the Hereford County Infirmary, where he died some days later.
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After hearing from doctors, who explained the extensive damage caused to Mr Wellington's lungs by the disease, the murder charge was dropped, and the three were instead tried for assaulting Mr Wellington and robbing him of five sovereigns and some silver.
The court heard the three had been in the Elephant and Castle pub on the night of the attack and had seen he was in possession of his pension.
Before his death, Mr Wellington had given a deposition stating that he had been beaten by the trio, who were paraded before him as he lay in his bed.
The jury returned a guilty verdict against all three prisoners based on Mr Wellington's deposition.
Williams was sentenced to hang for the crime, while Roberts was transported for life.
Floyd was respited until May 15 as "circumstances had arisen" which placed his participation in the crime in a question.
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