PUNTER AND HIS BETS

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 April 1937, Page 11

PUNTER AND HIS BETS

CHAMPAGNE FOR BOOKMAKERS

Sentenced at Cherstey, Surrey, recently, to six months’ hard labour for obtaining £lOO from a bookmaker by false pretences, George Arthur Davis, described as a professional punter, of Virginia Water, is a little man with a big personality. Among the prosaic statements made in court, for instance, were that he had entertaiifnl with champagne, liqueurs, and cigars, and endeavoured "to create an atmosphere of wealth” by having his bets recorded in newspapers, offered £lO,OOO each for two greyhounds; and lost the biggest cash bet ever recorded for a dog race at Wimbledon, and paid over the money “like chicken-feed.” Always immaculately dressed and describing himself as an ex-jockey who had done most of his riding abroad for a well-known German nobleman, Davis made a point of cultivating the acquaintance ot the leading owners and trainers on London dog tracks. His smallness of stature and his slim build supported his claim to have been a jockey, while his lavash entertaining and heavy wagering soon made him an outstanding figure. Within a few weeks he was accepted as a man of wealth and standing, while his habit of settling up his losses immediately added to his reputation. His bets were usually in hundreds of pounds, occasionally in thousands.

Apart from spectacular wagers in November, when he lost £990 on Wattle Bark and a week later Avon £1,400 to £2,600 on Safe Rock, he had bigaccounts with several bookmakers. With one man alone Ills bets amounted to nearly £3OOO within a few days. His offers of £lO,OOO each for’ two greyhounds were made for Fine Jubilee, winner of the Greyhound Derby, and Ataxy, another classic winner. At that time he did not own any greyhounds, but stated he wanted to buy them for his wife. £lO,OOO FOR GREYHOUND. He first offered Mrs. Yates, owner of Fine Jubilee, £4OOO for the dog, but when she refused to sell he increased the offer to £lO,OOO. When asked about these offers during the Court proceedings, he admitted that at the time he made them he had only a little over £lOO in his banking account, but added that if the offers had been accepted, he would have obtained the money. So keen was he on getting Ataxy that he gave his luxuriously furnished bungalow at Virginia Water the same name.

It was there that on more than one occasion he entertained bookmakers who expressed doubts about his ability to pay if he lost any of his big wagers. Always they came away impressed—and usually accepted other big bets.

“Although very small and almost insignificant-looking, Davis certainly has an amazing personality,” an acquaintance told “The News of the World.” “He was always faultlessly dressed, and his entertainment was on the grand scale. I have never been in his company unless he ordered champagne. Ordinary bottles were no good to him —he always sent for magnums.

“One night Davis had a bet of £2OO with a well-known bookmaker. AVhen the dog lost he went straight up to the bookmaker and gave him a cheque, remarking that he never liked to owe even until the next day. Later the same evening he .won £4OO on one bet from the same man, and collected it straightway in cash. “By this time he considered himself so well-established that he asked one oi- two of the largest and best-known bookmakers to give him credit of £lOOO each.

“Even then nobody knew who he was or where he had come from. He appeared to be on excellent terms with well-known people, and apparently had money to burn. “Finally complaint arose about his betting transaction, and the Chertsey prosecution followed. “So confident was Davis that he would not be convicted, that he drove his own car to the Court, in the belief that, he would be able to drive it away again after the proceedings.”

Davis’ bank manager stated in Court that, his account had always been in credit, sometimes as much as £1,574. and had been thoroughly satisfactory in every way.

Without hearing the evidence for the defence, the magistrates dismissed a charge of fraudulently incurring a liability of £lOO.

Davis, in the witness box. agreed he made his living by betting, and stated he owed money to bookmakers in Bournemouth, although he alleged they owed him considerably more.

He declared that the dog on which he laid nearly £lOOO was doped. After being sentenced Davis made a dramatic dash for freedom as he was being taken from Court. Chased by three policemen, he was eventually headed off by a cyclist and rectipt ured.