KIDNAPPING EPISODE

Press, Volume C, Issue 29535, 9 June 1961, Page 3

KIDNAPPING EPISODE

Cash Demand Allegation tn Z Press Assn.— Copyright) SYDNEY, June 7. A Newcastle photographer was alleged in the Central Court today to have demanded £25.000 from Basil Thome, father of Graeme Thorne, the schoolboy murder victim. The man. Alfred Vercoe, aged 43, was charged with having demanded £25.000 with menaces from Basil Thorne, on August 4 last year. He also was charged with having attempted to obtain £25.000 from Thorne by falsely pretending he had taken part in Graeme's kidnapping and that he was able to return the boy to him. Basil Thome told the Court that on August 4 he had a telephone call at the "'Daily Mirror” office from a man who claimed to have knowledge of his son. Later, he went to the Newtown Rail, way Station where he saw Vercoe, who told him he had telephoned him. He and Vercoe entered his ear and drove about 200 yards along the road where he (Thome) stopped He asked Vercoe w-hat information he had about Graeme and Vercoe replied: “We have the boy. He is in Queensland at a place outside Augathella.” Vercoe. who gave his name as Dr. Ziguener. had said he wanted £25.000 —£5000 in United States dollars and the rest in Australian currency This was to be handed over to a Catholic priest at Cessnock (New South Wales), Uniform Thorne said he asked Vercoe to describe his son’s school uniform and Vercoe replied that both the cap and uniform badge were the same He (Thorne) was aware they were not the same but had not said anything about that to Vercoe When Vercoe told him his share of the money was to be only £5OOO. Thorne said he told Vercoe: “Either you are a fool or an idiot because there is a £25.000 reward which you could claim by pu’ting the others in." Vercoe had replied that it was a family affair and his cousins were the instigators Thome told the prosecutor. Sergeant D. Goode, that at that time, Graeme's body had not been found. He was prepared then to pay a substantial sum for information that would lead to the boy’s return. Had Vercoe given him anv valid information he would have paid him for it Thorne ■aid. Vercoe was committed for trial at the Quarter Sessions, on August, 1, on the second Jlarge.