Alleged Illegal Traffi c in Licences A CONSPIRACY to effect the unlawful
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transfer of A licences was alleged at Clerkenwell Police Court, last Friday. R. R.. Waltes, a clerk, of Victoria Road, Wood Green ; F. X. M. Beeler, a clerk, of Ampton Street, W.C. ; R. A. Pope, a salesman, of Woodville Crescent, Kenton ; and H. H. Higginson, an assistant sales manager, of Sheepcote Road, Harrow, were charged, upon warrants with having conspired to effect the transfer of A licences to persons unauthorized by law to hold them.
Mr. Anthony Hawke, for the prosecution, said the case was an unusual one. Beeler appeared to be the centre of the affair. He carried on business at Ampton Street as an accountant. Walters was employed by him as a clerk. Pope and Higginson were salesmen employed by a well-known firm of Motor dealers.
It appeared that when application was made to vary the licence by substituting one vehicle for another, no check was made as to who was the registered owner of the vehicle to he substituted. It was usurned that the Owner was the holder of the original licence. That fact had been made use of in this case. Beeler had effected the transfer of A licences to persons who had never applied for them.
On April 25, 1935, currentato February 28, 1937, a licence was granted to Mr. L. R. Johnson and Mr. J. A. Johnson, trading as M. and L. Johnson, at Stonebridge Park. This entitled them to operate lorries I3MK996 and BMK997, also two other vehicles. On December 18, 1935, an application was received by the Licensing Authority purporting to come from L. R. Johnson and to be signed by him, for the substitution of a lorry, BLD931, for BMK996.
The address given in this application as that of Johnson was, in fact, the address of a Mr. Leonard Suddaby and the lorry BLD931 was the property of Mr. Suddahy. It was sold to him by Pope, on December 19, 1935, and before buying the lorry Mr. Sudda.by told Pope that he was not the holder of an A licence. Pope said that difficulty could be overcome and introduced him to Beeler, with the result that the application was made.
Other cases were also alleged. _ No reflection was intended upon the large and reputable firm by whom Pope and Higginson were employed.
Mr. C. G. L. Du Cann, for Pope and Higginson, said they were men of the highest character. It was not suggested that they were anything but introducers, and at the proper time he hoped to prove that they had a full and proper answer to the charge.
The accused were remanded on bail for a •fortnight.