Prison sequel to Herts hijacks
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• A Walthamstow man said to have been party to a fake hijacking of L4S41 worth of sweets over two years ago, was jailed for three years at Hertford Assizes on Monday.
After a three day trial a jury found Ian Gordon Wilde, of Hook Road, Waltharnstow, guilty of the theft of the lorry load of sweets and 276 jars, between September 13 and 16 1969.
Mr John Leonard prosecuting said the hijacking of the lorry took place on M1 in Hertfordshire, but it was a fake. It was arranged, he said, at a meeting in an East London public house between Wilde, a lorry driver named Livermore. and two other men.
Wilde had further discussed the hijack plans with others on September 14 and had met Livermore at Spitalfields Market. After the hijack Wilde met two men — Anthony Michael Turner and Terence Tozer — in an East London public house and they had discussed the disposal of the stolen goods.
Mr Leonard told the jury that Livermore had already been sentenced to three years' imprisonment for his part in the fake hijack and Turner. "who was right at the top of a nationwide lorry hijacking racket" was awaiting sentence for his complicity. (CM October 151971).
Tozer, he said, was a self-professed criminal and was deeply involved in the hijackings. He had avoided prosecution by becoming a witness for the Crown. Mr Leonard said that when Wilde was arrested he told the police: "I have not the faintest idea what you are talking about." Later he had said, "Well, I might know something — just jog my memory."
Asked if he knew Turner, Wilde had said, "Well, yes. Everyone has heard of him, haven't they?"
Livermore and Tozer gave evidence for the prosecution involving Wilde in the fake hijack and the disposal of the stolen load. In the witness box Wilde denied ever being involved in the hijack or in the disposal of the sweets. He added; "I did not know what Tozer looked like until I saw him today in the witness box. 1 have never seen him before." Sentencing Wilde, who was stated to have previous convictions for petty offences, Commissioner Lymbery. QC, said. "I am bound to take a serious view of this matter. I see no real distinction between you and the others."