Fascinating 19th Century custody records have been released - including graverobbers and a man banged up for 'annoying his mother'. A 12-year-old who irritated passersby by playing marbles was spared jail, but a beggar who used a pet porcupine to tout for cash was locked up for more than a week.
Bigamy was sentenced with a three-month prison sentence - while a 15-year-old who stole two apples was locked up for two months. National Records of Scotland archivists trawled prison records to compile the bizarre insight into historic sentences.
Body snatchers charged with 'violating the sepulchres of the dead' were handed six months hard labour, with one man serving nine months. The men 'resurrected' the corpses of two adults and a young child from Lasswade Kirkyard, Midlothian, in 1829 to sell to scientists.
