SALE OF WEAPONS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 92, 16 October 1934, Page 16

SALE OF WEAPONS

TO CONVICTED CRIMINALS

MEN SENT 70 PRISON

Henry Samuel Kean, a general agent, and Henry James Newns, manager of Holbein House, Sloane Street, who appealed at Marylebone Police Court recently charged with unlawfully having in their possession three automatic pistols, a colt revolver, a Young American six-chambered revolver, a pistol, a hand grenade, and 150 rounds of ammunition without a firearm certificate, were sentenced to prison terms, says the "Daily Telegraph." It was alleged at a previous hearing that arms and a large quantity of ammunition were seized by the police in George Street, where Kean and Newns were in business together. Mr. Charles Mycock, for the defence, then stated that the men were trying to dispose of the firearms for a woman named Laidlaw, and had acted entirely in ignorance of the law. Mr. Curtis Bennett, prosecuting, said that both the accused were known to be associates of criminals. "One thing that needs to be stamped out in this country is the indiscriminate sale by people of ammunition and arms to convicted criminals," he declared. Mr. Curtis Bennett alleged that the men carried on a dubious business called Universal Advice Service, giving financial and legal advice. On August 15 a police constable, representing himself as a buyer of firearms, met the two men in Baker Street. He said he would buy some firearms, but stated that he must see them first. Kean produced some weapons and said: "Aren't you satisfied. You can have the lot for a fiver." ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION. Kean and Newns; were arrested and later their "business premises in George Street were searched. Several hundred rounds of ammunition were found. Mr. Curtis Bennett revealed that there were, two further charges against the men. One alleged the possession of further firearms without ft certificate, and tho other charged them with having possession of certain weapons for sale. Detective-Sergeant Davison, in evidence, contended that one of the men with whom the accused were known_ to have associated had been charged with housebreaking and with shooting with intent to murder. When the police searched the premises in George Street, Hanover Square, they found a veritable arsenal of arms and ammunition. Answering Mr. C. Mycock, for the defence, the sergeant said that he had ho'reason to disbelieve the statement of both men that they obtained the arms and ammunition from a Mrs. Laidlaw who was winding up a business known as Laidlaw and Laidlaw. Both men told him that they believed Mrs. Laidlaw had permission for the firearms. This concluded tho case against Kean and Newns. _ . Mr. Mycock, addressing tho Magistrate (Mr. McKenna) on their behalf, said that Kean bore an unblemished character and had never been in trouble with the police. Newns had two convictions against him for minor offences, which had no relation to the present charge. NO-SALE TO CRIMINALS. Kean had been a solicitor's clerk, and it was only in that capacity that he had been in contact with criminals. He took the whole blanie in the matter. There had not actually been any sale to criminals. Kean then went into the witness-box and said that he was the principal in the concern and Newns had been his servant in the matter. The weapons were delivered at the office, and he had no idea they were such an assortment until they arrived there. "I should be tho last man to put a dangerous weapon in the hands of a criminal," he added. Mr. Curtis Bennett: What was Mrs. Laidlaw going to get out of this unholy traffic? Did you know that Mrs. Laidlaw was a woman with a previous conviction? —I did not know. Knnn reiterated that lie took the whole blame in the matter. '"A most noble effort' to get' Newns off," was Mr. Curtis Bennett's comment when Kean had completed his evidence. X Newns did not go into the witnessbox. 11 7ili\ ' Mc"Kenh'a' ' 'decided to convict, uiid'SOKl-that-he found it difficult _to make any very substantial distinction be.tween the men. '' In his view the third charge, relating to having weapons for sale, was the. more serious offence, and on that charge he sent each man to prison for three months-with-ho-rd -labour. On each irtf the other two charges of possession he passed sentence of one month's hard labour.

Mr. MeKenna marie it .clear.that Hie sentences -would run consecutively in each case, so that Kean and Xcwns received sentences totalling five months' hard labour in all.