Man aged 74 returns to crime in bizarre bid to prove he's not a paedophile

An old bank robber from Sheffield who served time with the Kray twins has turned to crime again - in a bizarre bid to clear his name. John Raymond Searl, aged 74, met the infamous East End gangsters when he was serving a long stretch following a string of robberies in the 1950s. The widower's past came to light at Sheffield Magistrates' Court after he pleaded guilty to criminal damage.

Searl, who now lives in sheltered accommodation in Crookes, said he resorted to crime again after false rumours were circulated that he had served an eight-year sentence for a child sex offence. He smashed two windows of a house in Hillsborough so he would be arrested and charged and his lawyer would read out his previous convictions in court. Searl befriended the murderous Kray twins when they were on the same wing in high security Parkhurst jail in the 1960s. He said he associated with them for years – weight- trained with Reggie and witnessed an inmate pour boiling water over Ronnie.



Karen Moxonsmith, defending, told Sheffield Magistrates' Court Searl had smashed Graham Knapp's windows on September 20 in response to the rumours. His aim was for the matter to come to court so he could show for the record that he had no such convictions. Mr Moxonsmith told District Judge Tony Brown: "He has a heavy record and has served time in prison, but there is nothing relating to sex offences. He was so upset by the allegations he thought this was the best way to clear his name."

Searl told the court: "Spreading rumours like this is the worst crime in the world – people think there's no smoke without fire. I asked the police to inform my accusers of my record, but they wouldn't even reveal it to me. This was the only way for it to be made public to confirm I'm no paedophile." Judge Brown handed Searl a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay Mr Knapp £394 compensation and £85 costs. He added: "Whatever your differences I don't want any repetition." After the hearing Searl said he served 13 years and eight months of a 36-year sentence for six robberies and discharging a firearm while being arrested.