 According to the records of MacLaine's trial, and his testimony, Plunkett was impoverished and led MacLaine into the life of highway robbery.While MacLaine was still applying himself to trade he met Plunkett, who spoke to him of his travels abroad, and had fine clothes to match his story, and induced MacLaine to lend him a hundred pounds.After making sundry repayments (claimed MacLaine), Plunkett offered to repay him partly in goods, and gave him some clothes which were afterwards identified as having been stolen in one of the Hounslow Heath mounted robberies.