MURDER OF CONSTABLE

Evening Star, Issue 19797, 22 February 1928, Page 7

MURDER OF CONSTABLE

- ■» " ■ THE ESSEX OUTRAGE SENSATIONAL STATEMENT BY ARRESTED MAN Pres* Association —By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, February 21. (Received February 22, at 11.55 a.m.). After a long conflict between the opposing counsel as to its admissibility, a sensational statement, alleged to have been made by Kennedy, was read in court at the resumed nearing of the charge of murder of Constable Gutteridge. In this lio described accompanying Brown to Billericay for the purpose of stealing a car. He detailed its removal from Lovell’s garage. They drove in county by-ways, and in turning into tho main road to Ougar they saw a figure on the roadside flashing a lamp as a signal to stop. They drove on, and heard a police whistle. “ I asked Browne to stop,” the statement continues. “The policeman arrived and stood close to the car and asked Browne where he had been and where he was going. Browne replied; ‘I am doing a repair pob.’ The policeman asked whether the car was Browne’s. Browne stammered, and I replied: ‘ It is mine.’ The ooliceman flashed his light on both our faces and asked if we knew the number of the car. We gave the number, whereupon lie said; ‘ I’ll take particulars.’ Ho pocketed his torch and pulled out a notebook. He was in tho act of writing when I heard a report, followed quickly by another, and 1 saw the policeman stagger and fall into the hedge. I saw a large Webley revolver in Browne’s hand. Browne said: ‘ Get out quick.’ I immediately obeyed, and went to the policeman, who was lying on his back groaning. _ Browne said: ‘l’ll finish him.’ I said: ‘For God’s sake do not fire any more. Tho man Ls dying.’ The policeman’s eyes were open, and Browne, addressing him, said: ‘What are you looking at me like that for?’ and shot him at dose range in both eyes. Browne said: ‘ Let’s get back to tho car,’ and drove on. Browne gave me the rqyolver and told me to load while he drove on. In so doing I dropped an empty cartridge in the car. He drove at a great pace through many villages, thence to Brixton where we abandoned the car.” The statement described how Browno smashed up the doctor’s cases which Were found in tho car and distributed them on various roads to destroy evidence; also how Browno, with the Webley revolver in his hand, threatened that Kennedy would ho shot if he left him, saying: ‘ ‘You’ll stay and face it out with me.” Browns did not object in December when Kennedy told him that ha was leaving. Kennedy added that he was worried since the murder. He was often desperate, expecting arrest hourly.