Crime in Campsea Ashe
Campsea Ashe has, fortunately, a relatively low level of crime, but reports in local newspapers over the centuries describe many crimes committed by local people. Poaching was a popular activity and a good number of assaults are also reported. The punishments for such crimes could be brutal and cases of transportation for what would nowadays seem fairly low level crimes to Australia are recorded.
Summaries of some of the reports published in the 18th and 19th centuries are listed below and further details of these reports can be downloaded here. Due to copyright reasons we are unable to publish the actual newspaper reports, but if anyone wishes to see them please send a request using the contact box below.
| Date | Crime | Sentence |
| 6 December 1788 | Damage at Jolly's Farm | Reward of two guineas offered |
| 20 July 1833 | Theft of two hens | 7 years tranportation |
| 7 December 1833 | Assaulting and ill-treating the Rev Joseph Parson | Fines or imprisonment in default of payment |
| 31 May 1834 | James Baldrey being an 'idle and disorderly person' | 3 weeks detention at House of Correction |
| 11 April 1835 | Breaking and entering | 14 years transportation |
| 23 December 1835 | Attack on gamekeepers by poachers | Sent for trial |
| 7 May 1836 | Trespass in pursuit of game | £3 fine or two calendar months imprisonment |
| 7 May 1836 | Unlawful assault | £5 fine or two calendar months imprisonment |
| 20 August 1836 | Assault by Isaac Ling | Fined 12s |
| 14 March 1840 | Isaac Ling stole a faggott | One month imprisonment with hard labour |
| 30 January 1841 | Trespass in search of game by Edward Groom | Fined £2 2s |
| 23 October 1841 | Campsey Ash widow charged with stealing two rings | Not guilty |
| 4 October 1841 | James Youngman charged with carrying a gun with intent to kill game | Three months hard labour |
| 18 December 1841 | John Webber charged with carrying a gun with intent to kill game | Two months hard labour |
| 30 April 1842 | George West assaulted James Clarke | Fined 19s 6d |
| 2 July 1842 | Maria Colthrop stole umbrella | One week imprisonment |
| 5 February 1853 | Three local men stole sixpence from Amy Catton | Committed for trial |
| 17 March 1855 | William Buckingham guilty of stealing two iron traps | Three weeks imprisonment |
| 7 July 1855 | James Pratt accused of stealing a turkey | Six months imprisonment, the first and last weeks in solitary confinement |
| 17 November 1855 | Charles Matten stole 50 walnuts | 21 days hard labour |
| 26 April 1856 | John Youngman drunk | Fined 5s and costs |
| 5 September 1856 | Frederick Ling stole quarter of a peck of apples | Six weeks imprisonment with hard labour |
| 10 October 1857 | George Borrett assaulted George Thurston | Fined 5s and costs |
| 30 January 1858 | Henry Battell trespassed in search of game | Fined 10s and costs |
| 21 January 1895 | Martha Hammond acquitted of murdering her child | Acquitted |