MAYFAIR “IDLERS”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23690, 23 December 1938, Page 14

MAYFAIR “IDLERS”

NIGHT HAUL IN DERBYSHIRE GAOL FOR FOUR MEN (From Our Own Cokresvondenx) (By Air Mail) LONDON, Nov. 18. “Four idle young men who had been drinking and fooling their way round Mayfair and the West End,” were sentenced at Derby to a total of five years and a-half's imprisonment. That is how Mr Commissioner Healy, K.C., described them after they had pleaded guilty to breaking into a house at Chinley and stealing £330 worth of goods. One of the four—24-year-old John Patrick Wakelyn Topham, of Archer street, W. —has run through a legacy of £IO,OOO. Another—23-year-old David John Beatson-Sneddon. of Barons Court road, S.W.—regularly squandered £2OOO a year. Of Richard Norman Campbell, 27-year-old aircraft riveter, of Jermyn street, S.W., and William John Miller, aged 25, of Archer street, W., it was said that “ they haunted West End night clubs, preferring the company of young men of independent means.” Mr T. N. Winning, who prosecuted, said that the actual breaking and entering and stripping of the house were done by Campbell. Topham and Miller were standing near, and Sneddon was watching the owners of the house. Mr and Mrs Royce, in an hotel 250 yards away. John Topham, sent to prison for 15 months, determined from the time he left Cambridge—he went there from Rugby—to be the playboy. He succeeded. In four years he dissipated a £IO,OOO legacy. His home is in Folkestone, where his mother still Uves. BOUGHT TWO PLANES He left Cambridge, joined the Cinque Ports Flying Club and bought himself an aeroplane. He crashed it, but was unhurt. He bought another aeroplane, and crashed that also—again he was not hurt. Later he was involved in a car crash in which six people were injured. one dying. Topham, arriving late at the Inquest, was rebuked by the coroner because of his attitude. His closest friend was David Beat-son-Sneddon. He, too,' was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment. Sneddon’s father is dead, his invalid mother still lives at Sevington, near Ashford, Kent. Sneddon was educated at a famous Scottish public school. His driving licence was taken away from him two years ago. He ignored the disqualification, drove a car, and was involved in a crash at Folkestone. MARRIAGE SCHEME ,

The morning before he was brought before the court his father died: a verdict of suicide while of unsound mind was recorded at the inquest. The son then proposed marriage to a woman in order to obtain a sports car of special construction. His wife was to have the licence. He and his intended bride selected a quiet country church between Folkestone and Canterbury for the wedding. Everything was set for an 8 a.ra. wedding. But neither party turned up.

Miller, who was sentenced to < 18 months’ imprisoilment, is the son of a naturalised German who was interned in this country during the war. His father kept a Folkestone boarding house. Also sentenced to 18 months was Richard Noi'man Campbell, who has been sentenced to imprisonment for obtaining money by false pretences.