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East Kent Gazette, Friday 8 July 1955.
"PUB" PIANIST STOLE LICENSEE'S HANDBAG.
Earned £1 a night playing at week-ends.
A former professorial musician, who was stated to have earned £1 a
night playing a piano in a Faversham public house at week-ends, was
fined £10 at Faversam Magistrates Court on Wednesday for stealing a
handbag containing £44 from the licensee.
He was Charles Earnest Back (41), of Ospringe Street, Ospringe, who
pleaded guilty to stealing a handbag containing £44 in notes, a
fountain pen, key-ring, letters and photographs worth a total of
£46, belonging to Mabel Beane, of the "Recreation Tavern," on 26th
June.
Detective-constable W. Gibbons said that ay 8 p.m. on 27th June he
saw Back at Ospringe, and said he understood that for the past three
weeks he had been allowed to play the piano at the public house and
had been playing there on the previous day.
"I told him that about 1 p.m. Mrs. Beane placed a handbag on a shelf
in the public bar and that at 11p.m. she discovered it had been
stolen. I believed that at about 10.40p.m. he was left alone in the
public bar." To this Back replied, "I wasn't left alone. I
know
nothing about the handbag."
"Told he had been seen carrying something under his cardigan. Back
at first denied it and later said, "Well, if I had anything under my
cardigan it must have been some sheet music."
Left alone.
The officer then accompanied Back to see Mrs. Beane, but he denied
knowing anything about the handbag. In a statement Back said he was
left alone for 10 or 15 seconds when the barmaid went to fetch him a
jar of whelks If he had anything under his cardigan it must have
been sheet music.
Continuing, Detective-constable Gibbons said he continued his
enquiries and on 28th June he again saw Back at the "Recreational
Tavern." He told him he understood that at about midnight he had
returned to the tavern and admitted to Mrs. Beane that he had stolen
her handbag and handed her back £44 in notes. Back replied "Yes."
In a statement made at the police station Back said he was left
alone for a short time, and he leaned over the counter and look the
handbag which he hid under his cardigan. Later he took out the money
and threw the bag and the other articles into the creek. After being
questioned he went back to Mrs. Beane and handed her the roll of
notes.
Inspector R. E. Jayes said that Back had five previous convictions,
including fines at Southampton of £5 in December, 1946, and April,
1947, for stealing a handbag and receiving a stolen cycle. In
August, 1947, at Southampton he was sentenced to three months
imprisonment for driving whilst disqualified, two months for driving
without insurance, one month for using a licence with intent to
deceive and one month for having a false identity card, the
sentences to run concurrently. His last conviction was at Faversham
in July, 1953, when he was fined £5 for being concerned with others
in attempting to steal petrol.
The inspector added that Back had been a professional musician and
had worked at a variety of jobs, his last being as a lorry driver
for a local firm.
Addressing the bench on behalf of Back. Mr. C. B. Croft said that
his piano playing in public houses seemed to be indirectly the cause
of the trouble. Patrons generously plied him with drinks all the
evening, and under the influence of drink he was somewhat subject to
temptation. "He tells me that these other troubles have always taken
place on similar occasions when he has been playing the piano in
public houses and has had too much to drink."
Imposing the fine, the chairman (Alderman Phil Johnson) said that
Back had been generously plied with drink by people who probably
appreciated his piano playing. But he had rather bitten the hand
that was feeding him. He had been paid £1 a night, and yet when
temptation came his way he stole from the person who was helping
him.
"It was despicable to say the least," added the chairman. "This is
obviously your very last chance. The magistrates have decided to fine
you $10, and I can only say that it is exceedingly merciful of
them."
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