OLD BAILEY JUDGE MICHAEL ARGYLE, QC, HE COULD NOT

OLD BAILEY JUDGE MICHAEL ARGYLE, QC, HE COULD NOT BRING

HIMSELF TO JAIL A FELLOW VETERAN ON FRIDAY.

CORRUPT COUNCIL OFFICIAL DAVID WARNER, 67, WAS SAVED FROM

PRISON BECAUSE OF HIS DISTINGUISHED WAR RECORD AS A TOP BOMBER

PILOT AND HIS PART AS A SECRET OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE.

JUDGE ARGYLE, QC, WHO WAS DECORATED FOR BRAVERY DURING

WORLD WAR TWO, TOLD WARNER:’YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL WAR RECORD.

IN THIS

COURT THAT COUNTS FOR A LOT.

‘

HE ADDED: ‘I SIMPLY CANNOT PUT YOU BEHIND BARS.

I THINK YOU

ARE ENTITLED TO GO HOME.

‘

SENTENCING HIM TO A CONDITIONAL DISCHARGE FOR TWO YEARS HE

STRESSED: ‘DON’T YOU EVER COME BACK HERE AGAIN.

‘

OUTSIDE COURT, WARNER, WHO WAS STUNNED BY THE JUDGES MERCY,

SAID: ‘I CAN’T BELIEVE HIS KINDNESS.

‘

BUT TWO OTHER SWINDLERS WERE NOT SO LUCKY.

COUNCIL OFFICIAL

ROBERT LONG, 61, AND BUILDER COLIN VEASEY, 40, WHO WERE INVOLVED WITH

WARNER IN THE MERTON COUCIL HOME IMPROVEMENTS FIDDLE WERE BOTH

JAILED.

LONG, OF BARLAND ROAD, BATTERSEA, WAS JAILED FOR 12 MONTHS,

WITH HALF THE SENTENCE SUSPENDED.

VEASEY , OF HILL ROAD MITCHAM,

SURREY, WAS JAILED FOR FIFTEEN MONTHS.

WARNER, OF WOOD PLACE, LANE, COULSDEN, SURREY, AND HIS TWO

PARTNERS IN CRIME WERE CONVICTED OF CORRUPTION.

TAXPAYERS WERE CHEATED OUT OF LARGE SUMS OF MONEY IN THE

#200,000 FIDDLE.

MORE

CENTRAL NEWS, PRESS ROOM, CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT, OLD BAILEY, EC4

TEL: 236 0116

ADD WAR HERO.