Hartlepool Monkey

[Moonlight]

Was a monkey really hanged in Hartlepool?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-40801937

Well it was in the North East of England and there was a war on with France at the time so could it have been based on truth, or was it just a funny story to tell the grandkids on a cold winters night.? I still find it hard to believe the story but as the education level at that time was pretty basic compared to todays standards could it have been based on what's termed now as fake news.
Surely the locals couldn't have mistaken a monkey for a human, or could they?