Return.load Tyre Case Continued
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WILEN the hearing was continued at ddersfield Police Court, on July 20, of a series of theft and receiving charges involving tyres and other goods of a total value of more than £27,000, Mr. Richard William Keetch, of R. Keetch and Son, Ltd., road transport contractor, Wells Road, Nottingham, was called as a witness by the prosecution. Most of the goods are alleged by the prosecution to have been obtained by men pretending to seek return loads on behalf of a London haulage firm.
In one group of charges, Kenneth William Shepherd, aged 22, motor driver, of 261, Cambridge Road, Enfield, Middlesex, and Albert Slater, aged 32, motor driver, of 52, Coombe Road, Croydon, Surrey, were jointly charged with stealing 155 Goodyear tyres, with tubes and flaps, worth £1,216.
Harry Goodman, aged 50, company director, of 53, Derby Road, Nottingham, and Montague Keith Napier, aged 41, managing director, of 56, Middleton Boulevard, Nottingham, were jointly charged with receiving the goods.
Shepherd and Napier were also jointly . charged with receiving 117 Henley tyres, value £1,407.
Mr. Keetch said that on February 14, he received a telephone call from Mr. C. H. Smith (manager of Napier, Sons and Miller, Ltd., Nottingham, of which Napier is a member). On or about February 19, at his office, he handed to Mr. Smith a cheque for 11,240, made payable to C. H. Smith, and was given a receipt. Later, he received at his company's premises 80 Goodyear tyres with tubes and flaps.
About April 2 Mr. Smith telephoned him again, and as a result of the conversation he took delivery of 40 Henley tyres. About April 5, at witness's office, he handed to Mr. Smith a cheque for. L553 10s., and received another receipt., Mr. Keetch, who stated that he had no reason to be suspicious of the transactions, said the tyres were subsequently handed to Nottingham police.
When the hearing was resumed on July 21, evidence in connection with the charge of receiving Henley tyres was given by George Henry Ley, motor driver, of 202, Commercial Way, Peckham, London. He said that while on his way with a lorry load of-Henley giant tyres from the Henley works at Gravesend to the Victoria Docks. London, he pulled up at a cafe and went inside. On his return the lorry had vanished. When the vehicle was found abandoned, the only tyres on it were those on the wheels.
The hearing was adjourned until September -13, the bail of the four . accused being continued.