BITTER WORDS

Evening Star, Issue 21092, 3 May 1932, Page 13

BITTER WORDS

SERGEANT SENT TO GAOL For aiding and abetting a bookmaker in giving £2 10s as a bribe to a sergeant who had been put on special duty to stop street betting, Sergeant Malcolm Watts Jones (forty) was at Old Bailey sentenced to eighteen months in tho second division. Tho Recorder told him ho was a discredit to tho force. Jones flushed on hearing his sentence, bit his lip, and then, pointing his linger at Superintendent Varney, hissed, “ You swine.” Jones is a married man with three children. He was duo to retire six months hence with a pension of £l7O a year. The bookmaker who gave tho bribe—William Frederick O’Connor (forty-seven)—was sentenced to nine months in tho second division. It has been stated that immediately Sergeant Hogg arrived in the division lie was met by Sergeant Jones, ami that Jones arranged a meeting at a hotel with O’Connor. Sergeant Hogg at once reported the matter to Superintendent Varney. The defendants pleaded not guilty, and alleged that it was Hogg who suggested a bribe. A WICKED DEFENCE. The Recorder, in summing up, said: “ It is a good thing that this important case has been thrashed out in open court and not by mere hole-and-corner police inquiry.” He added that tho evidence seemed to disclose a very disquieting circumstance that “ dummies ” were put up by bookmakers to be arrested so that the bookmakers’ agents could carry on undisturbed. After the jury’s verdict Jones said: “1 have lost my pension. I have given _ the country very good service both in times of peace and war. When I get back to my family again I shall be penniless, and I shall not bo able to get a license even to drive a cab.” The foreman of the 'jury said that they entirely exonerated _ Sergeant Hogg from the attacks which never ought to have been made on him. The Recorder said 1’ V ho was delighted to know chat the -ury were agreed there was not cue word of truth in the wicked attack counsel was instructed to make on that excellent and commendable officer. Sergeant Hogg. Ho bad performed a painful and public service and had done much to raise tho estimation of thp police in the eyes of the public.