MAN POSES AS WOMAN

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 189, 15 July 1925, Page 5

MAN POSES AS WOMAN

DECEIVES ANOTHER MAN. STORY OF A LEGACY. An amazing story of a man who posed as a woman and an heiress, and succeeded in obtaining money from a credulous man, was revealed at the Halifax Police Court recently. Brian Laurence, aged 50, described as a journalist, living in Halifax, pleaded guilty when charged with obtaining £45 10s by false pretences. Mr Bentley, solicitor, said Laurence got the name of a Hull man from a newspaper -competition . and wrote him as “Lola Brian, aged 24.” “Lola” offered the man a system of winning competitions, and gave as a tip what actually proved to be the winner of tho City and Suburban Race at Tpsom. Correspondence followed and became in time of an intimate nature. Laurence, still posing as “Lola Brian,”_ said “she” wanted a male companion, and if the Hull man was prepared to be a pal they could exchange photographs. Laurence sent a French postcard of a pretty young woman, saying “she” had had it painted in Paris. Later Laurence wrote to say that under a legacy, which would not be available for some months, “she” would get £37,001). In avrious letters, “she” told different tales of needing ready money and then promised to spend a week-end with the Hull man in Manchester. The man believed the story and sent a total of £45 10s in five and ton pound notes. The solicitor added that Laurence had evidently been living on these proceeds, for this w-as not an isolated case. After coming out of prison ho had written a series of articles on his exploits. Laurence smilingly received his sentence of six months.