TURF FRAUDS

Hokitika Guardian, 21 June 1932, Page 6

TURF FRAUDS

CONFIDENCE TRICKSTER

LONDON, June 20

He claimed-, to be heir to a fortune in AustraliaVDmt the police described him as a clever international confidence trickster whose convictions were recorded in Sydney, America and England.

tic was John Lumlev Bernard (fortyfour), who pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining £50() from a dentist, £3OO from another man, who asked that a further charge of attempting to obtain £SOO should be considered by the prosecution without revealing tho names of the victims. It was stated that Bernard’s engaging manner secured the friendship of the dentist, to whom he showed a letter purporting to come from Miehalinos, the owner of the racehorse Zanoff, referring to Bernard's integrity and asking him to put £7500 on Zanoff for j tile Lincolnshire.

'l'lie dentist gave Bernard £4OO, hut Zanoff lost. Later he gave Bernard £IOO to back another horse, but lost the money. Bernard then disappeared. ITe went to Sheringham and stayed at an hotel. He told another victim that In' was a horse breeder, and secured £3OO to put on Miracle in tile Derby. The defence urged that since 1011 Bernard was honest, and spent all his money frying to have bis wife from death from cancer. A brother died in Australia last year, and lolt him a substantial sum. He was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment with hard labour and ordered to pay costs.