BRILLIANT SCIENTIST

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 January 1939, Page 9

BRILLIANT SCIENTIST

CONVICTED OF FRAUD. LONDON, December 20. At 23, Brynon James Owen, scientist, was on the threshold of a. brilliant career. At the Old Bailey, he received, at 42, his third prison sentence, . D’months imprisonment, for obtaining credit, without disclosing that he was an undischarged bankrupt, and for fraud. In .1919 Owen was chief engineer to the Ministry of Agriculture, acquiring a reputation for his research into the science of farming which was later to make him consultant to sixteen (J overn men La 1 com mi t tees. He became M.A. and D.Sc. at Oxford. and at 27 was made director of the university’s Institute ol Agricultural Research. Then, leaving the university, he took a key post in the sugar beet indusi ry.

In 1!»31 Owen, then 35; had been living fur some time at the rate of £25.ii00 a. year, with an income of, officially £3,000.

At the Old Bailey, in May of that vear lie was sentenced to four years’ penal servitude for obtaining £65,000 from the Government, by false pretences. Oxford University deprived him of lii's degrees. La J, Im received nine mo.Ulis' hard labour for obtaining credit while an undischarged bankrupt. Since hi* release from that sentence several people had tried to ho’i. him. <Te had been helping an agricultural scheme which it was proposed in submit to the Government. To rhe Common Sergeant. Mr. Cecil Whiteley, K.C.. Owen made a passionate pica, from the dock. “I am angered and ashamed oi my- !;<• said. "I have done dishorn tniruhlo tilings am! told lies. My criminu.l (.jrcer lias resulted in very liPlc profit for me. My Lord. I beg .-<•’■ to help me now. No man is. more repentant for what he has done. Sentencing him, Mr. Whiteley sac!: : 'I can find no extenuating circumstances in your case.” Owea bowed, dug ills hands deeply into ilia, pockets oi hi-' emit. ami wall,.cd t.-. ilm i-Mls bein' •