MELBOURNE, Dec. 15. A young farmer charged with having sent threatening anonymous letters demanding £500 from Donald Speed, manager of Autoterms Ltd., City, told a jury in General Sessions today that he considered Speed's firm owed him that sum. The accused, Alan Howard Lannin (21), of Lillimur, who pleaded not guilty, said that he did not intend to carry out threats in the letters.
Lannin said that he bought an army disposals truck and trailer for £790 from L. A. Frank in Richmond, not knowing of Frank's association with Autoterms, and that he provided a £250 deposit and undertook to meet the balance in monthly instalments of £37. In five trips he spent more than £250 on replacing blown-out tyres and on general repairs. Speed refused help and he turned the truck over to Speed to sell, with the understanding that he would get back some of his money.
In evidence for the Crown. Donald Speed, of Toorak, said that Lannin had surrendered any claims to return of moneys when he signed a voluntary surrender form. He admitted to Mr. C. K. Lucas (counsel for Lannin) that he had not told Lannin that, in signing the form, he was forgoing claims; nor did he tell Lannin that, in the terms of the Hire Purchase Act, 1936, Lannin would be entitled to something if the vehicle was repossessed.
The case was adjourned.
Source: Trove The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954) Tuesday 16 December 1947 Page 8