His final opinion found, “As the magistrates’ appalling ignorance of the law has given her a criminal record, I think she should appeal before a real judge.”
The man shared some valid points.
“Can the prosecution prove the date of the find?”
These were good questions. But the museum would stop at nothing. From their view, historical relics belonged to the state and they belonged to the public. The museum makes such relics available to all.
Furthermore, the museum does not believe any individual has a right to a public good like a remnant of history.
Her Defendant Continued to Make a Case
Alan from Coventry said, “Secondly, if it took place 14 years ago, she was only 9 years old.” Continuing he said, “What was the age of criminal responsibility at the time?” He knew.
“For juveniles under the age of 15, the prosecution would still have to prove that she knew that the act was seriously wrong.”
Where Is the Piedfort?
According to Ms. Harding, the piedfort had been misplaced. She held onto it for 14 years, but something happened to it sometime during the unfortunate turn of luck after taking it to the museum for an appraisal.
As far as anyone knew, it was, in fact, lost.
How Determined Was She to Keep It?
Throughout the trials and tribulation, the magistrate brought Ms. Harding, she believed she was in the right to keep her precious memento. She found it legally.
Treasure laws didn’t exist when she was nine and did not apply to a minor. And, for a person grieving such a horrendous loss, it is understandable that she would take a vigilante approach to maintaining what she felt was rightfully hers.