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If Thomas Legg was sentenced to 3 months hard labour at Dorchester on Aug 11 1813 for Bastardy I would expect to find a birth record for a child of this father.
Is it likely that the child was registered under the mother's name but he was still charged with the offense?
Three months hard labour or pay 7 pounds 10 shillings seems a very harsh sentence.
Normally a reputed father would have to pay the parish where the child was born a sum of money for the costs of the birth and the upkeep of the child, so the fine may well include any outstanding sum.
Baptisms generally show the mother's name only, although occasionally a reputed father is also named. Sometimes the mother would hint at the father in the naming of the child, for instance she might give a son the forenames Thomas Legg and then her own surname.
I'm not saying this is the correct one, but there is a baptism in nearby Chideock on 24 Apr 1808 of Ann Legg Eveleigh, Baseborn dau. of Mary
Thank you, that certainly seems a distinct possibility. I would not have searched back that far.