BACK FROM SPAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23269, 11 February 1939, Page 2 (Supplement)

BACK FROM SPAIN

A T Bow Street Police Court, the magistrate passed sentence of 12 months' imprisonment, with hard labour, on Clifford James Wattis, aged 34, accountant, of Bidford-on-Avon, Warwickshire, for obtaining money by means of several worthless cheques. Wattis was further ordered to estreat his recognizances for £2O for absconding while out on bail last month, He pleaded guilty to all the charges. Tho magistrate remarked: "You occupied the time when you were on remand by pursuing your conduct of crime, swindling women and tradesmen not only heartlessly, but with an audacity that one seldom comes across even in these Courts."

Detective-Sergeant Greaves said that for 18 months until last April Wattis

Ex' Captain's Audacious Frauds

was fighting with the International Brigade in Spain. He reached the rank of captain and was wounded several times. Shortly after his return to xJJg* land he wrote two articles for newspaper, and two cheques for £l<-> eacn were sent to him. lJefore the second cheque reached hint he called at tafi office of the newspaper, and at his request was paid £'ls in cash, on tne understanding that lie would return ttia second cheque. He did not do so, DUJ got it cashed. He absconded while out 011 bail on that charge, an&'was rearrested at Bristol. The £ls had no . been refunded. During the period he was 011 bail he mot a woman employed at a restaurant in Euston Road. He told her of his Spanish war adventures*, and said tlia lie now earned £35 a week. He borrowed £6 from the woman's mot he . In another case he handed a Strana tradesman a cheque for £25 in pa.vincn for goods worth £8 10s and received the change in cash. He had also during the period of remand obtained £o-l ironi a woman shopkeeper in Liverpool, whom lie represented that lie was niuna* ger of a firm of publishers.