ON FALSE SCENT.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 935, 4 December 1933, Page 5

ON FALSE SCENT.

Police Diverted From Track of Convict. GIRL ACCUSED. (Special to the ** Star.”) LONDON, October 28. An allegation that a girl put the police on a fake scent during the recent hunt for an escaped convict in Essex ! was made yesterday at Dunmow, when Margery Secta, aged twentyseven, was charged with “ causing a public mischief by making false statements to the police.” I It was stated that on September j 29 two convicts broke out of Chelmsj ford Prison. One was caught at Dunj mow the same night, but the other, j Stuart Gibbons, was at liberty for five ; days. j The police said that on the third ; day Secta told them that she had seen j a man answering the description of ! the missing convict dash out of her mistress’s bedroom, but when she i (Secta) rushed to telephone for the j police the man knocked her aside, cut j the telephone wires with a penknife, ; threatened to injure her if she told ; anybody that she had seen him, and ' rushed out of the house, i She said' that he then cycled off towards a wood. A police-sergeant said that when the girl told him the story he said to her: “ While I do not disbelieve you, I am not satisfied that a man has been here. !If j'ou did not see anyone here, be I honest with me and tell me so now.” The girl replied: “Oh, I would not j do such a thing if I had not.” j The result was the wood was surj rounded by police. I It was stated that a week later the I girl was seen by the police and admitted that the whole story was false. It was alleged that she .said: “I did the job myself to get police protection. I was very nervous at being left alone, knowing that the escaped prisoner was in the district.” The girl was committed for trial.