Prisoner name: Richard Downing Richards. Prisoner occupation: Proprietor of a newspaper...

Prisoner name: Richard Downing Richards.

Prisoner occupation: Proprietor of a newspaper called The Age.

Court and date of trial: Court of Kings Bench 22 May 1827.

Crime: Committing a libel against the Earl of Glengall [in The Age].

Initial sentence: Fined £200 and committed to prison until paid.

Gaoler's report: By William Jones [keeper]; has twice had to go into the Rules on account of ill health where he now remains [2 April 1830].

Annotated: 'Nil May 20 1828'.

Petitioner(s): Richard Downing Richards (the convict) two applications.

Grounds for clemency: Ill health; neither he nor his friends are able to pay the fine; his regret that he offended.

Other papers: Pencilled draft letter from the Home Department. Two letters from Mr Steward on behalf of the Treasury transmitting reports from the Treasury Solicitor on the case. Note from Lord Glengall apologising for not returning an enclosure. Letter from J M Phillips [Under Secretary of State at the Home Department] to the Earl of Glengall informing him that if the government had prosecuted the case they would consider justice served by the imprisonment undergone, but that they abstain from judgement until Lord Glengall favours them with his opinion as the prosecutor. Report from the Solicitors to the Stamp Office relating to amounts owed to the Stamp Office by the convict. Further report that they feel the Home Secretary should be consulted.

Additional Information: He was held in the Kings Bench Prison.