CODE TELEGRAMS

Evening Star, Issue 22975, 4 June 1938, Page 22

CODE TELEGRAMS

A CLEVER CRIMINAL : X ‘ “ KT. oitthe FAVOURITE'' Code telegrams relating to. a robbery were referred to at the , Leeds Assizes when an. es-conyict, described by the police as “ a most daring and dangerous criminal who would not hesitate to use firearms,”, was sentenced to fiya years’ penal servitude. . ; Robert Benjamin M‘Kay, aged 28, belonging to Shirebrook, _ Derbyshire, but recently living 'in Reginald Mount, Leeds, was found guiltyof housebreaking and stealing . jewellery ' valued ; at between £6OO and £BOO. Mr G. H. B. Streatfeild, prosecuting, explained that with an accomplice, who had already b’een dealt with at the Assizes, M ‘Kay-’hroke into a: flat. M'Kay later took the stolen' property to London. He arranged to send a telegram worded “ Mother doing well.— Dennis,” to indicate that he had arrived safely, and another telegram: “Get on the 3.30 favourite,” to indicate that the jewellery had been disposed of. Only the first telegram wa» sent. IN THE NAVY, Giving details of M'Kay’s career. Detective-sergeant.Widdall said that M'Kay’s parents were stage artists, hu father dying in 1937. After leaving school, M'Kay worsed for a time as a hotel page boy,,and in 1926 he joined the Navy. In the lowing year, however, he was invalided out of the service. M’Kay then obtained work as a stage hand at • theatre at Harrogate. Leaving this employment six montn* later, he had two convictions at Harrogate for theft, and in 1929 was sentenced to six months’ hard labour for stealing monev from a dwelling house; Sergeant Widdall recalled an incident in 1931, when M‘Kay and two other men were found by a police constable at Staddiscombe, Devon, in possession of a stolen motor car. While the police officer was questioning the men, M‘Kay produced a revolver, and, giving the constable a jab with the weapon, exclaimed: “Come on; get out.” Then, with M‘Kay keeping the policeman covered with the revolver, the men re-entered the motor car and effected their escape. STOLEN CAR. They afterwards abandoned the car, and two days later stole another car in Cornwall. , '■ For these offences M‘Kay was indicted at Devon Assizes, in June, 1932. He was sentenced to five years’ penal servitude. Released on license in December, 1936, M'Kay, Sergeant Widdall added, went to reside with his mother at Leeds. _ . Shortly after his arrival in that city he made the a young girl, to whom he posed as a secret service agent and an inspector attached to the Leeds C.I.D. . “ I think you are rather a dangerous young man,” Mr Justice Wrottesley told M'Kay, in passing sentence as stated. “ The fact that you were in possession of firearms after , this robbery lias affected my mind in fixing your punishment. Otherwise the sentence would have been lesg severe.,” ~ , .