SECRETS TOLD

Grey River Argus, 12 September 1940, Page 4

SECRETS TOLD

HOTEL CONVERSATION ENGINEER SENT TO PRISON After sitting in cameut for an hour the Rochester, Kent, magistrate, announced that Harvey Blessington Young, aged 40, described as a consulting engineer, of Wandsworlh Common, London, had been sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, fined £5O, and ordered to pay £lO costs, on four charges under the Defenc e Regulations and Official Secrets Act. It was stated that he had disclosed secrets to a "complete stranger.” He pleaded not guilty to all th G charges Mr G. R. Paling, for th e Director of Public Prosecutions, said that accused had been supervising the erection of certain buildings at ap firport and some secret information cam a into his possession through this work. At the hotel where he was staying accused entered into conversation with a man in clerical dress -a complete stranger. Actually, thi> man was an eminently respectable canon of the Church of England. That was not known to Young, and ho might have been anyone disguised as a clergyman. Counsel' said that it was during this conversation that Young diciosed

certain secrets which might havp been very vital to the enemy, and might be most important for the enemy to know. Not only did he disclose these secrets, but did so J n a tone which could be heard by others in the room. There was‘no suggestion that he had had too much to drink. Mr Paling said that had it been thought that there was malicious intent in accused’s statements he would undoubtedly have appeared cn a very much more' grave charge indeed, niu th. e offences on which he was now before the Court were considered by th e authorities to be a very grave matter, and even now no on 3 knew who might have overheard the conversation and whether any of the information disclosed had reached the enemy as a result of this idle chatter The statements, counsel added, might have been made through accused’s anxiety or keenness to impress a stranger. The- Court was then cleared f° r evidence to be taken. When the press and public were readmitted, th e Mayor, Mr C. S. Knight said that the Bench found al! four charges proved. The Chief Constable, Mr K. &■ Horwood, said that acused was of good character with no previous convictions. Addressing accused, Mr Knight stated: ‘We have taken into consideration that the prosecution do not consider your action malicious, but it was definitely very careless and very dangerous to your country.” Sentenc e was then passed.