Ingenious Argument Fails To Sway Court Martial
(N 7 PA- Reuter —Copyright) LONDON. An army court martial has heard about items of War Department equipment valued at nil including Bentley cars and billiard tables. Two soldiers had pleaded not guilty at a court martial at Maidstone, Kent, to being in possession of two diving kits. It was said the kits were valued at nil, in the barracks property book, but were, in fact, worth about £6O. Former Provost Lance
Corporals Roger Woodhead, aged 21, of Exeter, and Joseph Cockfield, aged 23, of Darlington, claimed they could not have stolen the property because it was worth nothing.
“An article cannot be stolen if it has no value’’ contended Mr Roger Bradfield, defending.
“This is an unattractive argument, but nevertheless it is law,” he added. The prosecutor said: “These things can be marked down at nil, quite simply. They just get dropped five per cent every so often, when they
are valued, and eventually they reach bottom. “I know of many billiard tables in officers’ messes marked down to nil in the mess property books, which are quite valuable.”
The judge advocate said:
“I have known some cases when even Bentley cars were marked at nil.” Both soldiers were found guilty. Cockfield was sentenced to 42 day’s detention, and Woodhead to 56 days.
Both were sentenced to be reduced to the ranks.
Ingenious Argument Fails To Sway Court Martial
Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30724, 13 April 1965, Page 11
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