Fourteen days' hard labour for stealing a DUCK: Fascinating rogues' gallery of First World War criminals reveal just how tough sentences once were 

• The offenders were hauled before the North Shields Police Court to answer for crimes such as theft and fraud 
• One miner named John Stewart was ordered to do 14 days of hard labour for stealing a duck and a chicken 
• Other criminals were caught stealing clothes and selling off Army uniform, as well nicking food and money

During the First World War the people of Britain worked together to defeat the enemy and ensure the survival of our nation.

But not everyone entered into the spirit of King and County, as these fascinating mugshots from Tyne and Wear reveal. 

The offenders were hauled before the North Shields Police Court to answer for crimes such as theft and fraud between 1914 and 1918 and their sentences could often be extremely harsh. 

One miner named John Stewart was ordered to do 14 days of hard labour for stealing a duck and a chicken from a henhouse when times got hard.

The police officer giving evidence said that witness' suspicions were aroused when they saw him walking with a bulky bag containing the animals.

When he was arrested, Stewart said: 'All I got was the duck and chicken.'

Other criminals were caught stealing clothes and selling off Army uniform, as well nicking food and money from neighbours. 

These images have been chosen for their sharpness and quality by experts at Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums.

Staff visited North Shields Local Studies Library to discover the stories behind the mugshots.

They carefully searched through microfilm copies of the Shields Daily News looking for newspaper reports of the court cases.

Civilians' crimes include theft and fraudulent behaviour, while members of the armed forces were also caught for various misdemeanors. 

Soldier Walter Firth, 17, was arrested for pawning military uniform, while another 17-year-old, baby-faced George Walker, was arrested for cashing a forged cheque.

Soldier John P. Wilson and his wife Mona were arrested for theft from a dwelling house.

The couple had taken 'one bed quilt, foot wrap, flannelette sheet, three blouses and two aprons'.

A spokesman for the Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums said: 'Combining these two separate records gives us a fascinating insight into life on the Home Front during the First World War. 

'These images document the lives of people of different ages and backgrounds, both civilians and soldiers. Our purpose here is not to judge them but simply to reflect the realities of their time.'