BOGUS COLONEL’S FRAUDS

Otaki Mail, 22 December 1939, Page 4

BOGUS COLONEL’S FRAUDS

ELEVEN CONVICTIONS SINCE 1908 Frauds on three banks by . a man who, it was stated, was in Dartmoor at the ’ time of the mutiny and was thanked by the Home Secretary for his efforts, were described at Hertford Assizes. Sentence of six years’ penal servitude was passed by Mr. Justice Humphries on Francis Goode, aged 49, describing himself as a journalist, who pleaded “Guilty” to eight charges alleging fraud on banks at Luton and Harpcnden. Posing as Colonel Nevill, of the War Office, he obtained £1368 from three banks within 24 hours, it was stated. Detective-officer Finch recalled the Dartmoor incident and said that ooode served in the Army for six years and fought in the last War. The judge said that, in view of this, he would not take into consideration Goode's record from 1923 to 1931. Mr. Glenn Craske, for the prosecution, said that the offences were most audacious and well planned. On September 8 the manager of the Luton branch of Lloyds Bank received a letter headed "War Office, Whitehall,” which stated that Colonel L. S. Nevill would be paying into an account at the bank and would be allowed to draw from it.

Later, Goode appeared at the bank in the uniform of a colonel and handed in a cheque purporting to drawn on the Governors of the Bank of England for £3459, and signed with the name of “B. V. N. Hopkins, Financial Secretary of the Treasury.” Goode drew out £459 10s. Ee then made a visit to Barclays Bank, Luton, told the same story, paid in a cheque for £589 10s, and drew out £lB9 10s. He adopted the same method at Harpeaden, and drew out £589 10s- The cheques were returned and Goode was traced to Weston-super-Mare. When arrested, he had £2OO Jn his possession. He was charged and admitted the offences, and £289 of the money had been recovered. Detective Finch said that Goode was first convicted in 1608, and had since had 11 convictions, including two sentences of five years' penal servitude, and two periods of imprisonment in South Africa. He came out of prison on September 1 and commenced the offences on September 8.