GUNTER BACK TO GAOL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20819, 11 March 1931, Page 14

GUNTER BACK TO GAOL.

IfAISE PRETENCES AGAIN.

'ANOTHER ALIAS IN LONDON.

SENTENCE OF 18 MONTHS.

"A LIFE / OF DECEPTION."

[from our own correspondent.]

LONDON. Feb. 7,

'At the London sessions, on February 2, Robert Hunter, was sentenced • to 18 months' imprisonment with hard labour for obtaining eight guineas by false pretences. He passed a chequo for that amount which ho had obtained by posing as Commodoro Purser Graham, of the White Slaf Lino.

Detective-Inspector Sands said Hunter was educated at Bedford Grammar School. Before the war he held several responsible positions, but since then he had led a life of deception. When war broko out lie joined the Army as an officer, and was pounded in October, 1914. During his convalescence he donned the uniform of a major and ,woro decorations to which he was not entitled. Consequently he was court-martialled and dismissed tho Army. In Canada he joined tho forces as a private and rose to be sergeant-major. Soon after demobilisation he was sentenced for unlawfully wearing military decorations.

"The public must be protected from people like you," said Mr. Cecil Whiteley, in passing sentence. The following list of former convictions has been compiled:— 1921.—Three months' imprisonment in the second division for signing a passport form in the name of Dr. Reginald r lslier, M.R.0.P., Mi. 1021.—Nine months' imprisonment for obtaining £5 by representing himself to be Lieut.-Colonel R. Gunn, D.5.0., of the R.A.M.C. . . 1922. —At Middlesbrough. Fined for posing a3 Commander Samson, of the R.A.F. • 1923.—At Leeds. A month s imprisonment for false pretences. There ho posed as Sir R. Cruise. 1024.—At Esiex Quarter Sessions. A year's imprisonment for fraud. Ho had masqueraded as Sir Alan Cobham. 1925.—Nine'months' imprisonment for false pretences, representing himself as Captain Courtiny, of the Imperial Air--1927 lik Ne'.v Zealand. Three months imprisonment fur theft. ( . 1928.—1n Australia. Six months imprisonment in Sydney for imposition. In this case and 'in that in New Zealand he had posed as Si rgeon-Commander Joy and Engineer-Comm mder Richarda, of British battleships, and Major Gunter, R.A.F. 1929. —At Bow Street, London, twelve months' imprisonment for stealing £2 by a trick and getting £2 by false pretences On that occasicn lie assumed the name ot Wyndham Lewis, the author. ig3o.—Six mDnths' imprisonment for false pretences, part in the name- of Captain Hope, of Imperial Airways, and part as a purser on ;he Majestic. In dock the lccused looked smart, with a dark Injpeml beard and gold-rimmed gp^tacles.

EXPLOITS IN AUCKLAND. / MANY TITLES EMPLOYED. On previous occasions this notorious person has bean charged in London as Robert Gunter or Hunter. Described by a detective in the Auckland Police Court as "the greatest paramte New Zealand has ever known, Gunter gained considerable notoriety in Auckland in.lS27, when ho was sentenced to a term of imprisonment for a false representation. He arrived in Auckland early in February of that year as a steward on the lonic and soon got in touch •with leading business men, gave false names and led them to believe that he had an assured social and financial posilion. 6 During the oarly part of his Auckland stay Gunter appears to have pat ionised the best hotels, later moving to city, boarding houses. The majority ot his accounts at th?se places are still unpaid. At one hotel at which he stayed lie gaul he was Dr. Gunter, of H.M.S. I hi omel, and at another hotel he described himself as, Surgeon-Commander Joy, ot H M S Diomede. Later he stole a stethoBcope from Dr. Fairburn, of the Ulimaroa and armed with that' instrument stayed at a large private hotel under the namo of Dr. Hunter and' examined the proprietress and one of the boarders, who were Buffering from slight illnesses. -\t one time Gunter stayed at a wellknown Auckland club and soon after his arrival in New Zealand he registered at ono of the principal city hotels as Sir Robert Gunter, Whites Club, London. Invited to tho house of a city business man, he disappeared with £1 in his host absence. -In Sydney later lie posed as ."consulting engineer of the London Gen jgral Omnibus Company.