Suspect Before The Court

Chronicle (Levin), 13 August 1946, Page 5

Suspect Before The Court

Press Assn

MURDER OF DETECT1VE

By Telegraph

.-Copyright

Received Monday, 8.20 p.m. SYDNEY, August 12. Arrested at gunpoint in a guest house, Sidney Ctrant, aged 28, was later charged at the North Sydney Police Court today with the murder of Detective V. D. Ahearn at Matraville yesterday. He was remanded to the Central Court on August 20. " Bail was refused. , He was taken from the Court handcuffed to a police offrcer and heavily cseorted. Three other police cars followed the car which took him to the North Sydney poliee station.' The police xvho followed him into the station carried four Thompson snhmachineguns and two ammunition cases which they said had been found in the scrub near Roseville. Following the biggest manhunt ever organised by the New South Wales piolice, a patrol car went to a North Svdnev s'uest house and

three constables covered the exits while a sergeant and detective went upstairs. With guns drawn they opened an unloeked door and found accused sitting at a table eating. There was a struggle but no shooting. The police are now eonfident of an early arrest of Keith George Hope, aged 23, who was the other man in the car when the detective was killed. Hope comes from Melbourne and it is expected he will try to return there. It has been established that the pistol which fired the fatal shots was registered in Victoria and reported lost or stolen in 1942. - When arrested at Long Bay j gaol the men had been visiting two girls suspected of eomplicity in ear thefts, and being held on remand. After the shooting a ear with Melbourne plates was found near the gaol. There have been eight other escapes from custody in the Sydney area this year, but only one other escapee is still at large. The shooting of the detective was the fourth murder within a few weeks. Commenting on questions as to how one of the two men had a pistol in his possession when he entered Long Bay gaol to visit. two women prisoners, Ihe Minister of Jusfiee, Mr. Downing, said today that the authorities have no legal right to search any person visiting a gaol, unless the person had been arrested and charged. No phvsical contaet Imtween visitors and prisoners was possible. Grant was later charged with st ealing four Thompson submachine guns and two cases of ammunition, the property of the Commonwealth Naval Depot at Rnshcutter's Bay, having an'unliconsed pistol in his possession on July 15 and August 11, and breaking and enfering and stealing clothing suit lengths, radio sets, motor tyres and aeeessories, from eight premises.