Paternity Suite

Paternity Suite

Whilst serving my time in Borstal I was served with a summoned to appear in court to answer a paternity suit. A former girl friend was pregnant and I presume the Social Services had made her declare whom the father of the child was in order to get the finances but I am not sure as I never spoke to her about it. In fact I do not remember knowing any thing about it until I had to appear in court. The first time in court I admitted I was the father because I could have been even though I knew she had been with other men. At the time. I was ordered to pay maintenance out of my three shillings and six pence a week, at the rate if one shilling and three pence per week. I had no idea of the serious nature of being a father or bringing up children or any idea of taking responsibility for my actions.

My mother how ever was very anxious and after listening to the evidence given by the girl, she maintained it was not possible for me to be the father, as the timing of the events did not fit. She encouraged me to appeal and she really fought the case for me. This I did and with the aid of a Solicitor the girl had to prove I was the father of the child. When I look back it must have been humiliating for the girl because she had to explain when and where these events took place. My defence solicitor asked where the event or events took place. With incredulity he questioned her how could things take place in a bubble car, in the daylight. This I think on reflection was humiliating for her.

The suit was not proven and I was release from the charge. My probation officer Mr Moorland Hughes asked me many years latter, when I became a Christian and had to appear in court over my confessions to many crimes, “Was I the father of the child”, I replied I might have been.

The child was called David and my mother say’s he had ginger hair. She had seen him out with his mother in Aylesbury whilst I was still in Borstal. He must be around 33 years old now.

I met all kinds of lads here in Borstal, car thieves, burglars, forgers, and gamblers. None of us had any idea for the reason of our existence but were probably looking for the best in life never finding it.

When I was released I was determined to have a good time. I wanted the best clothes, a good car, a speedboat, and a caravan. You name it I wanted all these things and intended to obtain them by one means or another. I had learned many criminal ways and had no intention going straight. I just had no intention of getting caught at any crime I may choose to be involved in.

11 My Release From Borstal

I was released from Borstal a year later and it was during this time I

began to get into all kinds of things and criminal activities in Aylesbury.

My Gold Mini

My First Car 850 CC Mini

I bought my first real car for £100 when I came out of Borstal. It was a gold mini 850 cc.

I decided to visit my brother who was now in Maidstone Prison and I visited him when I could. Whilst he was there he met an inmate senior man from Cyprus who told him some fantastic story, which we both believed. We had ideas of being involved in gold smuggling.

It led to my brother absconding from prison and being on the run from the law for a year. He was offering us the opportunity to make money by smuggling gold. The idea was we had to pretend to be just married, we would have a suitable partner and we would carry the gold strapped under our clothes making out we were newly weds. This would reduce the chances of being stopped by customs and so get the gold through. We were prepared to take the risk. It sounded exciting and that was what I wanted.

The plan was that when my brother came out on home leave we he would go to Greece. We had to a contact in London all set up by the Greek man and take it from there. We were all hyped up but the was no such person or arrangements and we felt really let down.

However my brother decided he could not face going back to prison so he just did not return. He changed his name to Kenny? And managed to stay away from the police for a whole year before being picked up whilst working on a building site in Aylesbury.

At this time I was doing a Government training course in Enfield Middlesex and Michael got some work with a shop filling company and worked in London. He decided he would live above the shop, which was near Kings Cross, where they were working and so I was able visit him