POPLAR EX-GUARDIAN

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 August 1933, Page 10

POPLAR EX-GUARDIAN

“VICTIM OF BLACKMAIL." LONDON. Juno 30. A man. who said lie was formerly chairman of Poplar Guardians, was sentenced at. Woodbridge (Suffolk) yesterday to six months' imprisonment on each of two charges of false pretences. tho sentences to ran consoutively.

He was charged in the name of Neville Humphreys with obtaining £S by false pretences at Lowestoft, and in the name of Arthur Bachelor with obtaining £lo/l()/- al Felixstowe. It. was alleged that ho had' carried cut. frauds in various parts of tho country by cashing worthless cheques. 'I lie deputy chief constable of Suffolk said Humphreys had served various terms of imprisonment for false pretences, house-breaking, and theft. Humphreys said he was chairman of Poplar Guardians during his ten years on the board. He went, to Bournemouth, and at. the age of 42 first, came into touch with the police through an incident with a bicycle. Afterwards he managed a wino and spirit business at Thornton Heath, and later had an art school. One day a prisoner whom he met in Wandsworth Prison blackmailed him. Lite became unbearable, and he had to leave without notifying his pupils. He asked that seven other cases might be taken into consideration. 'I he chairman said six of the cases bad been taken into consideration, but he might, be brought up on the other.