This week in history: Hackney burglar who was ‘pretty well starving’ was fed a meal by his victim before she called police

A woman who found a burglar in her home gave him a meal before calling the police.

Connell Campbell, 26, a fitter of no fixed abode was found by Stella Doreen Hunt in her house in Clapton Common.

He was stealing a pair of her gloves and “other articles” according to a report in the Gazette at the time.

Mrs Hunt had left her home at 5.30pm on February 15, 1958, to go to a meeting, and found Campbell on her return three hours later.

She asked what he was doing there, and he said he had gone there to find a place to sleep.

She gave him a meal and then sent her daughter to inform the police, the London Sessions court was told at the time.

The chairman, Mr AW Cockburn QC, said: “I think you were pretty well starving that night, according to what Mrs Hunt said.

“I will have this looked into and see you next session.”