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Newspaper Articles on the Trial of three Board of Deputies’ agents Caught Red-Handed as Burglars

Evening Standard (London) article, November 28, 1963: “SECRET PAPERS- THREE ACCUSED”
The Daily Telegraph (London) article, November 29, 1963: “‘POLITICS’ HINT IN BREAK-IN CHARGE”
Evening Standard (London) article, December 4, 1963: “THREE BAILED ON BREAK-IN CHARGE”
Evening Standard (London) article, December 18, 1963: “BOGUS GPO MEN TRIED TO GRAB NAZI PAPERS”
The Daily Telegraph (London) article, January 15, 1964: “JEWS RAIDED FLAT ‘SEEKING NAZI PAPERS'”
The Jewish Chronicle (London) article, January 17, 1964: “THREE FINED FOR BREAKING INTO AUTHOR’S FLAT”

November 28, 1963

Magistrates are told ‘there is a political background to case’ ‘SECRET PAPERS’ – THREE ACCUSED

Story of raid on an author’s home

Evening Standard ReporterHighgate magistrates were told today that there was a “political background” to a case in which three men were alleged to have posed as GPO engineers to get into the home of David Irving, author of the controversial war book Destruction of Dresden.

Mr. Ivan Lawrence, QC, defending[*], told the Court: “This is a matter which has some political background to it. It is not a case of three young men embarking on a career of crime.”
After Det.-Con. James Morley had applied for a remand saying: “This is a serious matter and there are certain other implications involved,” the three were remanded on bail until Wednesday.
The accused are David F., 19, Electrician, of Solander Gardens, Stepney; Gerald Gable, 26, electrician of Quantock House, Lynmouth Road, Stoke Newington and Manny Carpel,20, unemployed of Downs Park Road, Dalston.

Director stands surety Each was allowed bail in his own recognisances of 50 with one surety of 250. Standing surety for all three were company director Leslie Jacobs, of Chatworth Road, Clapton.

Police-Sergt. Fred Tavener said the three men, who were accused of breaking and entering, got into the home of Mr. Irving, of Alyn Court, Crescent Road, Hornsey, yesterday afternoon.He went to the house in answer to a call from Mr. Irving, who told him: “These three men say they are GPO engineers but I don’t believe them.”
Eventually, Said Sergeant Taverner, the men admitted they were not GPO employees and told him they had gone to the house “with the intention of stealing documents.”
After the hearing Manny Carpel[**] said: “We are anti-Fascists but not members of any movement.” He also referred to “secret documents” which he claimed were in Mr. Irving’s possession.
Mr. Jacobs said his intent in the case was “purely personal,” adding that he was a friend of the three men.
David Irving, a young historian, scored a remarkable hit with his book, The Destruction of Dresden, which drew upon German and British records to present new facts.
An article he wrote recently for the Evening Standard on German Intelligence’s pre-knowledge of the Dieppe raid also caused a considerable stir.
At the moment he is working on the story of Peenemünde, the Nazi rocket-research station.

Lawrence QC

* Lawrence, now Sir Ivan Lawrence QC [right] was the leader of the clique of Members of Parliament who tabled an Early Day Motion under Parliamentary privilege designed to smear Mr Irving in June 1989. Since the third of the malefactors, David F., was ultimately acquitted on a technicality and did not commit further offences against Free Speech we have omitted his full name from this site.** Manny Carpel began however a life of crime, being imprisoned for an arson offence in 1983 and for antique furniture frauds more recently.

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November 29, 1963

“POLITICS” HINT IN BREAK- IN CHARGE

Highgate magistrates were told yesterday of a “political background” to a case in which three men posed as GPO engineers to get into the home of Mr. David Irving, author of “The Destruction of Dresden.”
Mr. Ivan Lawrence, defending, said; “This is a matter which has some political background to it. It is not the case of some three men embarking on a career of crime.”
David F., 19, electrician, of Solander Gardens, Stepney; Gerald Gable, 26, electrician, of Lynemouth Road, Stoke Newington, and Manny Carpel, 20, unemployed, of Downs Park Road, Dalston, were remanded on bail until Dec.4.
All were charged with breaking and entering Mr. Irving’s home at Alyn Court, Crescent Road, Hornsey.

December 4, 1963

THREE BAILED ON BREAK-IN CHARGE

Three men accused of breaking into the Hornsey home of historian David Irving with intent to commit a felony, appeared on remand at Highgate today and were again remanded on bail totalling £900.
Gerald Gable, 26, electrician, of Quanstock House, Lynmouth Road, Stoke Newington; Manny Carpel, 20, unemployed of Downs Park Road, Hackney, and David F., 19, electrician’s mate, of Solander Gardens, Stepney, are accused.
Company director Leslie Jacobs, of Chatsworth Road, Clapton, again stood surety in the sum of £250 for each of the accused and each supplied his own bail of 50.

December 18, 1963

Bogus GPO men tried to grab Nazi papers

Historian tells of trio who came to test phone

Three young men tricked their way into historian Mr. David Irving‘s flat by posing as GPO engineers, Highgate Magistrate were told today.
One of them, David F., was alleged to have told a policeman: “This man is Fascist. We got in because we wanted to get some of these books and papers of his and he knows a lot of Nazis who are top brass.”
Sgt. Tavener said F. pointed at a number of books and papers on the table in the room.
Charged with breaking and entering with intent to commit a felony were F., 19, electrician, of Solander Gardens, Stepney, Gerald Gable, 26, electrician, of Lynmouth Road, Stoke Newington, and Manny Carpel, 20, unemployed, of Downs Park Road, Dalston, who appeared on remand.

Unbelievable Opening the prosecution case Mr. Henry Hargrave said:”You might regard this as a rather unbelievable case.”
Mr. Irving, of Crescent Road, Hornsey, said that two of the men came to his door and told him they had come about the phone and he invited them in.
“Carpel dialled two or three times on the phone and said ‘Hallo, hallo, hallo testing 1, 2, 3, 4.’ Then he put the phone down and made himself comfortable in my armchair, saying ‘Do you mind if a smoke?’ and lighting a cigarette.”

Suspicious Mr. Irving said, that Gable told him a large rewiring scheme was in hand in the area and said they were increasing the voltage.
Mr. Irving said that Gable and Carpel and F. returned about an hour later. In the meantime he had phoned the GPO engineer and the police because he was suspicious.
Said Mr. Irving: “Gable began to strip the wire from the wall after cutting the wire by the phone. When I looked at him Gable said ‘I am sorry I forgot to show me my authorisation card.’ He produced a blue GPO card and that satisfied me. I told them that I had asked the police to attend and Gable said ‘that’s all right, Sir. It often happens to us. It happened in a bank once.'”
Mr. Mathew submitted that the charge should be dismissed because Mr. Irving agreed that he invited the defendants in although he was suspicious.
The three men were committed for trial to Middlesex Quarter Sessions starting on January 1. Gable is also charged with stealing a G.P.O. pass card.
A Company director Leslie Jacobs, of Chatsworth Road, Clapton, stood surety in the sum of 250 for each of the accused and each supplied his own bail of 50.
Mr Irving is the author of The Destruction of Dresden.

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January 15, 1964

JEWS RAIDED FLAT “SEEKING NAZI PAPERS”

DAILY TELEGRAPH REPORTER

TWO young Jews who broke into the flat of a man they believed was a Fascist hoped to find political material which they could take to the Special Branch, said Mr.John Mathew, defence counsel, at Middlesex Sessions yesterday.
Manny Carpel, 20, unemployed, of Downs Park Road, Dalston, and Gerald Gable, 26, electrician, of Lynmouth Road, Stoke Newington, admitted breaking into the flat of Mr. David Irving, author of “The Destruction of Dresden,” at Alyn Court, Crescent Road, Hornsey, on Nov. 27 with intent to steal.
The were each fined £20 for stealing. Gable was also fined £5 for stealing a GPO card by finding.
David F., 19, electrician, of Solander Gardens, Stepney, pleaded not guilty to the breaking and entering charge and was discharged.

Posed as engineers Mr. Kenneth Richardson, prosecuting, said Carpel and Gable broke into the flat by posing as GPO engineers and arranged to return later. Mr. Irving checked with the Post Office and found their story was untrue.
When the three were arrested, one said: “This man is a Fascist. We got in because we wanted to get some of the books and papers of his as he knows a lot of Nazis who are top brass.”
Mr. Richardson said: “In view of this allegation, I am bound to say that this gentleman would, if he had come to give evidence, have most strongly denied the allegation.”

January 17, 1964

Three fined for breaking into author’s flat

By a correspondent When three young men were charged with breaking into the flat of Mr. David Irving, an historian and author of “The Destruction of Dresden,” one of them told the police officers: “This man is a fascist. We got in because we wanted to get some of his books and papers, as he knows a lot of Nazis who are top brass.”
Mr. Kenneth Richardson, prosecuting, said this at Middlesex Sessions on Tuesday.
Charged with breaking into Mr. Irving’s flat at Alyn Court, Crescent Road, Crouch End, on November 27 with intent to steal were: David F., aged 19, electricians mate, of Solander Gardens, Stepney; Manny Carpel, aged 20, unemployed, of Downs Park Road, Dalston; and Gerald Gable, aged 26, electrician, of Lynmouth Road, Stoke Newington.

No evidence Carpel and Gable pleaded guilty. F. pleaded not guilty and the prosecution offered no evidence in his case. On the direction of the deputy chairman (Mr. T.R. Fitzwalter Butler) the jury returned a formal verdict of not guilty in the case of F.
Mr. Richardson said Carpel and Gable entered the flat by posing as G.P.O. engineers.
“In view of this allegation — that Mr. Irving was a fascist — I am bound to say that that gentleman would, if he had come to give evidence, have most strongly denied this allegation,” said Mr. Richardson.
Mr. John Mathew, defending, said: “Both these men were Jewish. Both were brought up with strong anti-Nazi and anti-fascist views.”
“They intended to hand over any documents or books they found to Special Branch.
Carpel and Gable were fined £20 each, on the first charge, and Gable £5 on a charge against him of stealing a G.P.O. pass card.

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