THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 1, 1939.
GIRL BREAKS DOWN WHEN ACQUITTED
Paul Vincent Desgrands Mitchell, 23, and Harold Lough White, found guilty of conspiracy of defraud at the Old Bailey, were sentenced by Judge Beazley. Betty Patricia Cappel, who appeared with them, was found nol guilty and discharged,
Mitchell pleaded guilty to another charge of obtaining money by false pretences.
Mitchell was sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment and White to nine months' imprisonment.
Mr. Derek Curtis-Bennett, address- ing the jury for Miss Cappel, suggest- ed that her prosecution was an after- thought. She had been treated more like a tennis ball than a human be- ing.
Judge Beazley advised the jury that evidence on the charge of forg- ing a cheque was nothing like strong enough against Miss Cappel, · and directed her acquittal.
said
undesirable
Judge Beazley, summing-up, the facts showed a most state of affairs and that nobody came out of it with credit.
"We have had constant talk of Turkish baths, where, apparently, some of them sleep, of meetings in bars in London, and of cocktail part- ies."
Referring to an incident at Smoký Joe's, a night club, the Judge said it could only be described as a dis- grace to anyone who took part in it.
On being discharged, Miss Cappel broke down and had to be led from the dock.
Sgt. O'Sullivan said that Mitchell, after being at Cheltenham and Brad- field Colleges, had a private tutor..`
In 1936 Mitchell married, but he had stated that it was more or less