FORMER AUCKLANDER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 October 1943, Page 4

FORMER AUCKLANDER

SELF=STVLED “KING OF POLAND” GAOLED FOR BLACKOUT OFFENCE IN BRITAIN. THEATRICALISM IN COURT. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 10.40 a.m.) LONDON. October 22. A former Aucklander, "Count” Geoffrey Wladyslaw Vaile Potocki De Montalk, styling himself “Wladyslaw the Fifth, King of Poland,” was sentenced at the Epsom Police Court to two months’ hard labour for a blackout offence. De Montalk, after he was sentenced, cried: “I call on God to punish you! Heil Hitler!” The police stated that De Montalk had failed to answer four previous summonses and was brought to Court under arrest. De Montalk, throughout the proceedings, talked Polish, but a police sergeant said he speaks and writes English perfectly. A constabile said he spoke to De Montalk about the light showing from his cottage. De Montalk replied: “Your —laws and your —courts have nothing to do with the King of Poland. I would like to see the Germans overrun this country.” De Montalk, after sentence had been passed, spoke in English and announced that he would appeal against the sentence. He; applied for bail, which’ was refused.

De Montalk appeared in Court wearing a reddish-brown velvet suit, scarlet wool socks, red sandals and natural coloured wool gloves. His long brown hair was fastened with a clip. His green-sheathed sword lay on the police table.