POSED AS A PEER

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 November 1927, Page 9

POSED AS A PEER

BOY’S'“INORDINATE VANITY.” Regarded as a. “model boy” serving a term of detention at Borstal, Frederick Edward Oldrey (30), who was sentenced at London Sessions to three years’ penal servitude ' for a scries of fraud and theft offences, was said to have posed as a millionaire, a peer, an old Etonian, a Flying officer, and a titled woman’s nephew. He pleaded guilty to stealing a cheque book from Mrs Eliott Lynn, the airwoman, and stealing a ring, a suitcase, and other articles. He asked that six further charges of having obtained credit by fraud and attempting to obtain motor cars and other goods by false pretences should be taken into consideration. Dark and handsome, Oldrey was •was immaculately dressed. He was introduced to Mrs Eliott Lynn, said Mr. Montagu, for the prosecution, as Squadron-Leader Stuart. Detective-Sergeant John Sands said Oldrey was sent to Highbury Industrial School for stealing money when he was under 13. He had ten further convictions, including a term at Borstal, from which he escaped, his last sentence being 23 months’ hard labour. He was released in May this year. “Oldrey is a well-spoken man,” said Sergeant Sands, “and has educated himself in various establishments in which he has been detained in a wonderful manner. His theoretic knowledge of aviation, is remarkable, v and he is in a position to converse freely on such matters with persons of many years’ experience. “He was top of his class in the reformatory, and was looked upon in Borstal as a model boy, although he. has since proved to be one of their failures. “His own opinion of Borstal is that it is a sink of iniquity, wheye the lads boast of and compare their various crimes. ' “The whole root of the trouble about

Oldrey would appear to be his inordinate vanity, as many of his crimes have brought him little gain. “As far back as 1917 he was masquerading as an Eton boy, complete with silk hat and suit. “On one occasion he went to the Avro Aviation Company’s offices in iPiccadilly and negotiated for the purchase of an aeroplane for £785, in which he was given a trial flight from London. “Oldrey told the pilot that he was a millionaire, and that it did not matter to him whether he spent £7OO or 7d. But, before they parted company he succeeded in borrowing £2 from the airman.” Among other names he assumed was Lord Dudley Stuart. In Liverpool he posed as a nephew of Lady Stuart.