Only one prosecution was brought under the Act. In that case, the Scottish saboteur John the Painter (also known as James Hill or John Aitken) was prosecuted and executed in 1777 for setting the rope house at Portsmouth Royal Dockyard on fire. He was hanged from the mizzenmast of the frigate , the highest gallows erected in British history. It was set up at Portsmouth Royal Dockyards in view of the damage he had caused. The crowd of witnesses numbered some 20,000.