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On the 11 February 1788, with Judge Advocate Collins on the bench and six officers of the navy and marines forming the jury, the colony's criminal court sat for the first time. Three convicts could call themselves 'the defendant' once again that day. The first was charged with assault with the matter proved and His Honour sentenced the miscreant to one hundred and fifty lashes with the cat'. Second to appear was also found guilty of stealing a plank and sentenced to fifty lashes. However, Governor Phillip subsequently pardoned the poor wretch.
Third time lucky and Thomas Hill, who was also found guilty, this time for stealing a biscuit from another convict kept the flesh on his back. But, his sentence was somewhat unusual as he was banished to solitary confinement on a barren rock. A rugged, exposed and all but treeless 25 metre high island midstream in Sydney Harbour. The duration of the sentence was a week: No shelter; in irons and; on rations of only bread and water.
The island was very appropriately and rather cleverly named by Cpt Hunter Pinchgut. A term which can mean hungry or in nautical terms, a point where a stream or channel narrows. The island still exist today after being fortified during the Crimean War as we thought the Russians were coming and it is known as Fort Dennison.
As a footnote, Collins was not so pleased with the 'leniency' of the sentences. He later wrote, "The mildness of these punishments seemed rather to have encouraged than deterred others from the commission of greater offence...for before the month was ended the criminal court was again assembled for the trial of four offenders, who had conceived and executed a plan for robbing the public store during the time of issuing the provision" (Mundle, R. 2014. pp 203-204).
Third time lucky and Thomas Hill, who was also found guilty, this time for stealing a biscuit from another convict kept the flesh on his back. But, his sentence was somewhat unusual as he was banished to solitary confinement on a barren rock. A rugged, exposed and all but treeless 25 metre high island midstream in Sydney Harbour. The duration of the sentence was a week: No shelter; in irons and; on rations of only bread and water.
The island was very appropriately and rather cleverly named by Cpt Hunter Pinchgut. A term which can mean hungry or in nautical terms, a point where a stream or channel narrows. The island still exist today after being fortified during the Crimean War as we thought the Russians were coming and it is known as Fort Dennison.
As a footnote, Collins was not so pleased with the 'leniency' of the sentences. He later wrote, "The mildness of these punishments seemed rather to have encouraged than deterred others from the commission of greater offence...for before the month was ended the criminal court was again assembled for the trial of four offenders, who had conceived and executed a plan for robbing the public store during the time of issuing the provision" (Mundle, R. 2014. pp 203-204).
