Tuesday 31 March 2009

Judged On His Little White Lies


In 2006 an eminent Australian judge, Marcus Einfield, was caught on speed cameras driving his silver Lexus at 6 mph over the speed limit. Unbelievably, this fairly minor offence led to a two year prison sentence. Read on. The 70 year old, semi-retired judge, possibly the mostly highly regarded in Australia, could hardly be described as a boy racer. He was originally accused of an offence that would have meant a fine of about £36 and had he of come clean and admitted his guilt that would have been the end of the matter. However, inexplicably, the judge decided to try and lie his way out of the conviction. He claimed that on the day in question he had lent the car to an American friend, Professor Theresa Brennan. Satisfied, the magistrates dismissed the case and the judge walked free. A newspaper took up the story and decided to trace Professor Brennan, only to find that at the time of the speeding incident, she had already been dead for three years. The judge then dug an even bigger hole for himself by claiming he had meant a different Theresa Brennan. When this was disproved also, he claimed that on the day in question he had been driving his 94 year old mother's Toyota Corolla, so he couldn't have been at the wheel of the silver Lexus. Alas, there was security camera footage that proved the Toyota Corolla had remained in the garage all day. For the sake of holding his hands up and paying a paltry fine the judge has now been charged with committing perjury. This case is both tragic an farcical at the same time, ruining the reputation of one of Australia's finest judges for a trivial motoring offence that carried a possible £36 fine.



Parish Church Choir And Bellringers Annual Supper

Yesterday I published a short article on Canon J. O. Stephens, vicar of Blankney from 1879 to 1903. During his time as vicar it was customary for the vicar and his wife to invite the choir and bell ringers of the church to a traditional annual supper in Blankney vicarage. The following is a newspaper report, unfortunately date unknown, of one of those suppers.

The members of the Parish Church choir and bell-ringers had their annual supper, which is given by the esteemed Rector, who's generosity is well known in the district as well as outside. Needless to say on this occasion everything was of the best. The best of wishes were exchanged, and the company broke up at 12 o'clock, after a vote of thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Stephens and the young ladies had been carried with hearty sincerity.

In tomorrow's Journal you can read an account of one of these supper evenings as related by one of the choirs tenors (name unknown).

Thought For Today

These days an income is something you can't live without.......or within!

Tom Wilson

Today's Smile


Who Am I? - Sunday's Answer


Who Am I?

The answer to yeasterday's
'Who Am I' was
Johnathan Ross
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