§ 59. Mr. Thorneasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food whether he can now give any information in connection with the sugar rationing fraud at Barking; whether he is aware that over 50 tons of sugar had been wrongfully set free on the market by the wrongful use of permits; how many people were involved in the charge; and whether he has seen the comments made by the Recorder who tried the case?
§ Mr. MabaneAs the answer is long, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ Leonard Dewdney Blake, former food executive officer of Barking, was indicted at the Central Criminal Court by the Director of Public Prosecutions with Alfred Henry Mann, director of a firm of wholesale grocers, and Arthur Spooner, William John Gibson, Douglas Glover 1691 and Millicent Abrahams, retail grocers, for conspiring to use documents (sugar permits) issued for the purposes of the Sugar (Control) Orders of 1940 and 1942, and the Rationing Order, 1939, with intent to deceive. Blake, Mann and Spooner were each sentenced to three years' penal servitude and Mann was ordered to pay £100 costs. Gibson was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment, while Glover was fined £200 and ordered to pay £50 costs. No evidence was offered against Abrahams, who was discharged. In addition William Arthur Larkin, Cornelius Almeroth, Bernard Benning and Margaret McIntosh, traders in sweets and confectionery were indicted for obtaining and supplying sugar without permits. Larkin was convicted and fined £200 and ordered to pay £50 costs. No evidence was offered against the other defendants, who were discharged. The case for the prosecution was that over 50 tons of sugar were improperly obtained as a result of the conspiracy. I have seen the comments made by the Recorder on the case.