"IMPOSSIBLE MAN."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 98, 28 April 1938, Page 16

"IMPOSSIBLE MAN."

FORMER R.N.R. OFFICER

COMMENT BY JUDGE.

« CHILD PAWN IN GAME."

LONDON. April 5

June Knowles, bright-eyed, 13-year-old child, was at school in Kent, but she dominated a case at the Old Bailey, where John Tunstall, ex-R.N.R. lieutenant, appeared for judgment. Two weeks previously Tunstall was bound over for stealing articles belongin- to his wife and Mr. Harry Ma;o with whom she was said to be living. The wl fe is Mrs. Dorothy Louise Tunstall, fair-haired ex-dance hostess who during the ominal case, described herself sardonically as "the worst woman in the W June is the daughter of one t>f Mrs. Tunstall's two previous marriages. When June's stepfather, under arrest appeared at the Old Bailey for judgment after having been bound over, counsel, Mr. Brian Gibbens, said: "This girl lias unwittingly become a pawn in Tunstall's game against his Mrs. Tunstall told Judge Beazley that her husband, using the name of Mr; Bradlev," went down to June's school in Kent aiid made inquiries about hiring an aeroplane to take the child away. She added: "He was found wandering about the girls' dormitories." Tunstall, in the witness-box, told the judge that he was due to sail at midnight for Portuguese East Africa as an assistant purser, and that he would be away a long time. Of his visit to the school he said: "I went to sav good-bye to the child. You will have seen, my Lord, there is a great affection between the child and mvself.

"I have brought the child up as a Roman Catholic. I discovered that her mother had taken away the golden crucifix and rosary I gave her. I promised to give her another crucifix.

"Environment of Evil." "For the child to receive these things was to me of major importance. She was in an environment of evil, going to return to her mother, who i* living in sin with a Jew. It is my belief these things would protect her from the effect of such an environment.

"I went to Hanworth and chartered an aeroplane to fly to the school. There was thick fog and I had to land the 'plane at Canterbury. I got a car to go to the school.

"I was not allowed to see the child. I did not intentionally deceive the headmistress by saying I was the child's father. She has always called me 'Daddy.' They sent for the police and I did not see the child."

Mr. Gibbens: I suggest that this evidence is a deliberate falsehood, and revolting hypocrisy from start to finish? —Certainly not.

Mr. Gibbens: Did you eay to her that as soon as you got out of prison you would get your revenge against her?— I did not.

Judge Beazley decided to bind over Tunstall for two years. He said to him:

"You are an impossible man to deal with. I warned you before that if you interfered with your wife or child you would receive a long term of imprisonment.

"You have made this unhappy child the subject of further trouble. I ought to send you to prison. I will, however, bind you over again. But you must give an undertaking that you will not interfere in any way with your wife, June Knowles, or Mr. Harry Mayo."

Later, with his baggage, Tnnstall left for Tilbury Docks to board his ship.