Too Many Burglaries in Bermuda!
This article was submitted to us by George Rose following publication of our "Then and Now" article about John Barnett which can be viewed at http://expobermuda.com/index.php/tan/630-john-barnett. John mentions in the article that after being posted to the Marine Section he was given a valuable piece of advice from Brian Malpas regarding how to keep warm in a wet suit on a cold winter’s day. "After putting the wet suit on, Brian told me to pee in it! It worked until I had to take the wet suit off. Phew!"
Well, John was very "peed off" when someone stole his specially fitted wet suit in late 1971. George was responsible for arresting a man in connection with another theft and during a search of the suspect's room he and Bob Porritt found a wet suit. The man was charged with stealing the wet suit and the case was heard by The Wor. K.C. Nadarajah shortly after he was first appointed as a magistrate in Bermuda.
Here is an article from the Royal Gazette regarding the case:-
The Royal Gazette 1972
“As I reached down for the bottle, I felt this softness,” a defendant explained in magistrates’ court yesterday. He was Herman Llewelyn Campbell of Devonshire, who told the Wor. K.C.Nadarajah, how he “found” a wet suit – the theft of which he was now charged for.
The offence allegedly occurred between September 7, and November 7, 1971.
Campbell told the court that he was sitting on a wall with “some guys having a drink.” They are not friends of his, but he didn’t shun them, he said. He explained that the bottle was kept hidden during these drinking sessions, so as not to be seen by the Police. The wall is across from Victoria Park.
As he felt the soft object, he exclaimed, “What’s that?” It was found to be a wet suit, of the type used by scuba divers.
Campbell said that when he left the scene around 10 p.m. he took the suit with him. He rested it on a basket of old clothes, where it remained, as he had no need of it.
“Then why did you take it?” asked Mr. Nadarajah.
“Being that I found it, I just took it along with me,” answered Campbell.
David John Barnett, of Blythe Villa, Devonshire Bay, told of losing such a suit, upon which he placed a value of $28. He said it was made to measure, and originally the trousers came too tight. They were remade by the manufacture, he said, and upon being returned to him, the former black lining was changed to blue. This factor aided his identification of the garment.
Witness said he placed the suit in a locker at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club in April. He found it missing on November 7, after having seen it for the last time on September 7. The matter was reported to Police.
Det. Sgt. George Franklin Rose told of arresting the accused for another offence on December 2, in company with Pc. Robert Malcolm Porritt. A search of defendant’s room revealed the wet suit among various articles taken possession of by the officers.
In a statement defendant was alleged to have said: “I thought I might need it, it’s just one of those things.”
Campbell challenged this evidence, claiming that he told the officer that he had found the suit “over the wall by the old house.” He did admit signing the statement however, but disclaimed reading it on the grounds that he was anxious to get out of the Police station.
Cross-examined by Sgt. Brinley Jones, accused said that he completely forgot about the suit between October and December, “Had anyone come for it, I would have given it to them.” he said.
In his ruling the magistrate said: “Accused admits he had the suit, but he says he found it behind a low wall about 6 p.m. sometime in October, when he was on a drinking bout. Not one of his companions has come forward to testify in his behalf, and I cannot believe that this valuable garment would have been abandoned by the one who removed it.” He labeled Campbell’s defence “a cock and bull story.”
Campbell was found guilty of the lesser charge of receiving. “I accept the evidence of Sgt. Rose,” said the magistrate.
“There are too many burglaries and thefts taking place in Bermuda at present,” said the magistrate. “You are the first person I am sending to prison since assuming my duties here, but I would be failing in my duty if I did not do so,” he concluded.
Defendant was sentenced to six months in prison.
