Prisoner name: William Lewis, aged 36, and John Skelly (or John Skelley), aged 27,...

Prisoner name: William Lewis, aged 36, and John Skelly (or John Skelley), aged 27, agricultural labourers.

Court and Date of Trial: Devon Lent Assizes, Exeter, March 1848.

Crime: Robbery upon James Reddicliffe of Whitechurch, yeoman, stealing a pocket containing money and a tin tobacco box, on turnpike road to Tavistock, on 16 October 1847.

Initial sentence: 15 years transportation.

Gaoler's Report: Lewis, character very bad. Skelly, good until he became acquainted with Lewis.

Outcome: Free pardon, 11 September 1848.

Petitions and letters: Three depositions of James Reddicliffe, the prosecutor, and others.

Two depositions of witnesses for prisoners.

Letter from governor of Exeter gaol stating that two prisoners named Hannaford 'notorious rogues' may have committed robbery.

Four letters from Skelly in Exeter gaol, to his mother, Sarah Skelly of Whitechurch near Tavistock, and brothers, requesting them to sell items to pay for an attorney and to attend trial.

Two letters from Lewis, in Exeter gaol, to Thomas Skelly of Whitechurch, and to Sarah Skelly, requesting an attorney to establish innocence.

Two certificate from Lewis's former employers, testifying to his good character.

Two certificates from Skelly's former employers, testifying to his good character.

Certificate from 21 inhabitants of Whitechurch and Tavistock, testifying to good characters of both prisoners.

Letter from Skelly in Millbank prison to his mother, reiterating innocence of himself and Lewis, who is in poor health.

Petition from R P Collier, prisoners' counsel, pleading mistaken identity, prosecutor intoxicated, uncorroborated evidence and previous good characters, with seven declarations of witnesses on behalf of prisoners.

Report from judge expressing dissatisfaction with action of prisoners' counsel but recommending pardon on grounds of mistaken identity.