Swindler Said He Was Surgeon

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30156, 13 June 1963, Page 15

Swindler Said He Was Surgeon

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) SYDNEY, June 12.

Murray Beresford Roberts, the international confidence man, could have made “a couple of millions” out of false pretences if he had wanted to, a psychiatrist said today.

The psychiatrist. Dr. H. R Bailey, was giving evidence on behalf of Roberts, who pleaded guilty to having obtained £4OO by false pretences from Lionel Edward Coleman, the manager of Taronga Park Zoo. in Sydney. Roberts, posing as “Lord Porter, of the Privy Council.” and as a qualified surgeon, wrongly told Coleman he (Coleman) had cancer and should be operated on in England. “Doctor Complex’* Dr. Bailey said Roberts, who had a number of convictions for falsely posing as a doctor, had a “frustrated doctor complex.” He said Roberts had studied medicine at Otago University, but had to leave his studies on reaching the fifth year of the course. Roberts, now aged 43, had an unusually high I.Q. and had done well at his medical studies. “But he never graduated as a doctor and that is where his trouble began.” said Dr. Bailey. “He has spent half his life trying to escape from the consequences of this and in seeking some sort of fantasy replacement for the profession he lost.”

Effects Of Alcohol Dr. Bailey said it was only when Roberts had been drunk that he had been involved in bizarre impostures. "His impostures have not been motivated by the idea of gain or by malice aforethought; they have been stupid rather than criminal," he said. Dr. Bailey said Roberts over the year had pretended he was a diplomat, a New South Wales psychiatrist. Dr. McGeorge, and Baron von Krupp.

“Bracegirdles" Call Police said Roberts telephoned Mr Coleman and said he was "Brigadier Bracegirdle," speaking from Canberra on behalf of “Lord Porter of the Privy Council." Roberts later went to Mr Coleman’s residence said he was “Lord Porter’) and stayed there the night. The next day Roberts induced Mr Coleman to go to church with him. During the Sunday he examined Coleman and informed him he had cancer and he would have to go to England for an operation. “He informed Coleman he would pay some of the ex-

penses'and induced Coleman to go to the bank and draw out £4OO which Coleman gave him.”

Clothes For Daughter Roberts said he would make arrangements for Coleman and Mrs Coleman and their daughter to go to England.

He even bought the daughter some clothes for the trip. “The same day Roberts caught a plane for Darwin and he wa<s arrested on a provisional warrant. About £l5O has not been recovered." Judge Rooney said Roberts had put the fear of death into Mr Coleman. He said he had no intention of turning Roberts loose in the community and remanded him for sentence until June 21.