GAOL FOR CONSTABLES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 220, 17 September 1928, Page 8

GAOL FOR CONSTABLES

FALSE CHARGE MADE AGAINST YOUNG GIRL • Vdstralian Press Assn.—United Service J LONDON, Sept. 14. After the close of a three days' trial at the Okl Bailey, J. W. Clayton and C. V. Stevens, Metropolitan con Hables, were sentenced to 18 months imprisonment each for conspiring to >ring a false charge again.-t Helen Ldele, a 21 year o d girl, also with rilful and corrupt perjury in support nf the charge. The case for the prosecution supported by many witnesses, was to tav effect that last July Adele resented ;he attention vf Clayton in a taxi caD in a garage at Islington, where she sometimes used to sleep, also that when she threatened to inform the sergeant both Clayton and .Stevens, who were accustomed to visit the garage while they were supposed to be on night duty, arrested her on a charge of using insulting words. The charge was dismissed at the Police Court, after which the constab es were arrested at the instigation of the Public Prosecutor. Mr Curtis Bennett, in defending accused, declared that if the condition of affairs in the Metropolitan police was such as had been suggested the case was worse than any antipolice fanatic had ever suggested. It was alleged that they left their beats at any time for anything: also that they had got the public into such a >tate that nobody would care to say them nay. He lengthily dea.t with the character of the witnesses, describing them as a gang from the garage. The girl had said that she thought policemen in uniform could do as they liked. Mr Bennett a*3rled that if that was the position in the police force it was quite time something should be done.

Mr Justice Humphreys declared that it was a serious case. The men had disgraced the uniform.