AN OXON NUMBER PLATE DEALER INVOLVED IN A SOPHISTI

AN OXON NUMBER PLATE DEALER INVOLVED IN A SOPHISTICATED
PROFITEERING RACKET HAD NINE MONTHS KNOCKED OFF HIS JAIL SENTENCE AT
THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS TODAY (MON).

THE MAN, TO HIS CREDIT, REFUNDED MONEY TO POTENTIAL NUMBER
PLATE BUYERS WHEN HE REALISED THE SCHEME WAS UNSUCCESSFUL, THE COURT
HEARD.

JOHN HOWARD ATKINS, 40, OF STATION ROAD, CROPREDY, PLEADED
GUILTY IN APRIL THIS YEAR TO FORGERY, OBTAINING PROPERTY BY DECEPTION,
USING FALSE INSTRUMENTS, AND USING A COPY OF A FALSE INSTRUMENT.

HE
WAS JAILED FOR 15 MONTHS.

THE COURT WAS TOLD THAT FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS, ATKINS WAS
INVOLVED IN A COURSE OF “PERSISTENT AND SOPHISTICATED DISHONESTY” TO
ACQUIRE NUMBER PLATES TO SELL.

MR BRUCE SPELLER, COUNSEL FOR ATKINS, IN APPEALING AGAINST
SENTENCE, SAID THE COMPANY BEGAN TO SUFFER FINANCIAL DISASTER –
“PERHAPS THE REASON HE WENT ASTRAY,” HE SAID.

MR JUSTICE MICHAEL DAVIES, SITTING WITH LORD JUSTICE O’CONNOR
AND JUSTICE OGNALL, SAID ATKINS WAS A LEADING DEALER WHOSE BUSINESS,
CHERISH NUMBERS, OBTAINED REGISTRATION PLATES WHICH HELD A PARTICULAR
OR PECULIAR ATTRACTION.

“PUTTING IT IN ITS LOWEST TERM, IT APPEALED TO PEOPLE WITH A
TOUCH OF VANITY,” HE SAID.

“WITHOUT GOING INTO THE DETAILS OF THE OFFENCES IT IS FAIR TO
SAY HE USED DECEIPT, FORGERY AND FALSE INSTRUMENTS.

“BUT WHEN THINGS STARTED TO GO WRONG MR ATKINS REFUNDED ANY
MONEY PAID TO HIM.

“IT IS A MATTER WHICH HUNG OVER HIS HEAD FROM NOVEMBER 1984,
WHEN HE WAS FIRST INTERVIEWED BY POLICE, TO APRIL THIS YEAR WHEN HE
WAS SENTENCED – AN EXCESSIVELY PAINFUL BURDEN FOR HIM AND HIS WIFE.

”
JUSTICE DAVIES SAID SUCH LENGTHY SENTENCES WERE IMPOSED AS A
WARNING TO ANYONE WHO MIGHT INDULGE IN DECEIPT.

THE 15-MONTH JAIL TERM WAS REDUCED TO SIX MONTHS.

ENDS.