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Come On Condon, Give Back My Paintings
By Simon Regan Scallywag Magazine Issue 25
 Sir Paul Condon's Homepage A former London businessman is suing Sir Paul CondonIf Ford wins, then a complicated police case to solve one of this century's largest art-haul thefts will fall to pieces and nearly a dozen successful prosecutions, with people still languishing in jail, will have to be pardoned. Dave Ford is an ex-army sergeant often co-opted to covert duties and well used to not only a fight against much stronger odds, but the art of infinite survival, he is stubbornly not going to give up until Condon resigns and he is fully compensated. TheftWe have tried to build a picture of this miscarriage from selected papers which actually overflow a tea chest and adequately catalogue police incompetence, "verbalisation" of key statements; and the withholding of vital evidence. What is at stake is some five million pounds worth of antique artefacts, paintings by old masters, valuable miniatures, clocks,' porcelain and silverware, "stolen" from the house of Derrick Sherborn at fawns Manor, Bedfont, Middlesex, during an 'armed raid' on 21st September 1982.Most curiously, at the time, the 'armed robbery' was not reported. Sherborn had been the long time homosexual, live-in, lover of a certain Rob McKenzie who had recently died. Sherborn was acting as the main executor of the estate. yet, curiously, the probate office (up until at least the 2nd of August of this year) has never processed the will. A lapse now of some 12 years. Nor have the insurance companies made any kind of individual investigation - for, soon after McKenzie's death his mansion mysteriously burnt down and the trustees of the estate claimed substantial compensation which was promptly paid.
Sworn StatementMcKenzie, however, was very fond of a succession of young boys whom he entertained lavishly at his home. one of them was called Colin Bishop and he later swore an affidavit saying that before McKenzie had died, he had lavished the boy, and others, with very expensive antique presents. This was signed and witnessed by Mr. Carlo Eugenio Colombotti, a registered commissioner of oaths.Armed with this document, Bishop tried to sell his wares and they went through various channels until Dave ford bought three of them. he could prove all this, What else Bishop sold in this way is not proven - but is crucial to what eventually happened, Ford bought from a third or fourth party three oil paintings, by Van Dyke, Gainsborough, bans Eworth, and Sir Thomas Lawrence. Even though the paintings were clearly of value, they were a very small part of the full haul. Apart from a will never being published, the tax authorities have never been informed, or the Estate Duty office. yet it is known that, apart from the goods supposedly stolen, there were at least another 150 tea chests put into store, the rest of the artefacts, which had curiously been removed before the fire. Who is to benefit ultimately from McKenzie's will? Twelve years later no one knows - but all the "stolen property" is still hanging on the wall of Sherborn at his current Middlesex mansion, along with a great deal of other goods once owned by McKenzie. ArrestedOn 18th October 1985 Ford was still running a successful shop and car hire firm, he was asked to rent out a luxury car but a new car he had expected that day had not arrived, so he rented one from another firm. he left his brief case in this and only realised it after it had been picked up. his firm was often on the "London airport Run" and he knew the car was going that way. he took a gamble and, to pick up his briefcase, sped to the Heston Service Station on the M4 where, indeed, he found the car he had rented in the car park. he joined the others for something to eat and some tea in the service station and then picked up his briefcase.At that point a "Flying squad" police operation arrested him, and four others, and took him to Hounslow police station, for "handling goods knowing them to have been stolen" (crucial words), he actually had no idea what was being carried in the car he had hired out, but it contained other paintings which Sherborn had claimed had been stolen. Thereafter the police investigation gets extremely involved as they try and establish who may have stolen them in the first place. But there is a strange inconsistency to their inquiries. Every statement made to them by all the people involved in the case never established that any of them had "knowingly" handled anything, Every statement made was either taped, signed, or with a solicitor present.
All except Dave Ford'sHis was not taped, nor was he allowed a solicitor, and nor did he sign it. The fact that this statement was eventually admissible seems quite incredible. But the 'confession' was the key to all the successful prosecutions for Ford was alleged to have said things like: "They'll kill me if they know I've told you this,"FramedTwo police officers testified that they had asked ford if he wanted a solicitor present and he had said he did not. yet he had asked if he could wait until his brief turned up, but the solicitor was not allowed in, They did not tape it and nor did he make the statement they allege. he made an entirely different one utterly protesting his innocence and suggesting that they go to his home and business premises where there were documents which could prove it.These included all his personal and business diaries which showed where he was on days the police allege he was taking part in illegal practises. it included receipts and statements which showed he bad bought his own paintings in good faith. Evidence StolenThe police took all the relevant documents, but these crucial papers have never emerged again, They were not produced in evidence, nor have they been returned. The latest writ, issued on 8 August, demands the return of these documents so ford can issue proceedings to clear his name.He was eventually sentenced to two years, he has since lost his two houses, his businesses, his family, his cars, and the paintings the police originally claimed were stolen are still in police custody. His doctor has confirmed that he has been through such illness and trauma he is unemployable. The other detectives being sued are Det. Sergeants Morrison, Bolsover and Burgess, and Det. Chief inspector Free. The nitty gritty of all this is whether the paintings and artefacts were ever stolen in the first place, and no serious police inquiry was ever directed towards Sherborn. Why? Police seemed content to merely sweep up the remnants of a serious art theft. Yet it was never established just who the original owner had eve left his estate to, if anyone, and to this day will has ever been published. yet police did question this. MasonsThey ignored the fact that Sherborn belonged to a Masonic group which was predominantly gay.Or did they? Was it BECAUSE Sherborn was a Freemason that they directed all their inquires in other directions? Why were the thefts not reported for two years? Why has a will never been published? What really happened in the mystery fire? Now many young gay boyfriends did McKenzie have and how generous to them was be? Or was he merely being conned. Perhaps by Sherborn and others who claim the goods were left to them, but have yet to prove it. None of this was ever properly investigated - as is absolutely evident in the huge mass of police statements made available to us. No one has been apprehended for the robbery itself. If ever it did happen in the first place. If a trial comes to court then Sherborn will have to he called as a police witness, and then open to critical cross-examination not allowed in the original trial which put David Ford behind bars. Ford relishes this prospect. But throughout, he has been unable to obtain legal aid for his case and most solicitors he has approached have turned him down as soon as they have seen the names involved. He has therefore bad to act as a "litigant in person". The police are seriously not quite sure how to handle it. If they provide the document he asks for, then he is sure he will Win his case for compensation. If they do not, then it will he patently obvious they are complicit in a serious case of miscarriage of justice. We shall we watching this case with the keenest interest.
 Visit Dave Ford's website at http://www.scandals.org/daveford/ for the latest developments on this case. |
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