Change Artist

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7063, 24 January 1933, Page 7

Change Artist

POSED AS NINE MEN “FRAUDULENT SCOUNDREL” SICK SOCIETIES DEFRAUDED Tho dock officer at Birmingham Assizos, at Mr. Justico Humphrey’s direction, shouted in a deaf man’s car, “The judge says you are a fraudulent old scoundrel.” Tho judge then sentenced the man, Thomas Griffiths, aged 54, described as a carpenter, of Pyle, Glamorganshire, to three years’ penal servitude for obtaining money from friendly societies by fraud. David Wilmott, aged 38, a confectioner, of Pyle, who was charged wit! him, was sentenced to 12 months’ im-

prisonment. Sir Reginald Coventry, prosecuting, said that the case disclosed a deliberate fraud in order to obtain money from a large number of friendly societies. Griffiths had for years been obtaining sick benefit, and Wilmolt, who had never been out of work, had also obtained sick benefit.

The investigations covered only the last two years and dealt with lo friendly societies, but the prosecution had reason to bolievo that no fewer than SO friendly societies wore either defrauded or efforts made to defraud them.

The system was simple, aud was, no doubt, originated by Griffiths. “Griffiths paid contributions for a few months,” said .Sir Reginald, “and then fell ill, and on a doctor’s certificate obtained sick benefit. He found it was asy, so ho extended his operations.

“He belonged to a great number of societies, and used the names of people who had disappeared, attcr obtaining their birth certificates from Somerset House. ’ ’

Mir Reginald added that Wilmott, who was extremely clever in postures, visited nine doctors in two years, and had 122 different certificates in the names of Urifiiths, Lloyd, Miller ana Taylor. He hoodwinked the doctors on various occasions, and simulated diseases which it was difficult to diagnose. One doctor gave him nine certificates in four months, and did not know that he was tho same man.

When Griffiths was arrested there was found at notebook in which were tho names of 9S societies. There were also found 24 membership cards. _ They knew that from lo societies in the last two years Griffiths had obtained £741, but that was a small fraction.