His Honour Rondle Owen Charles Stable, QC, JP (b. 1923 - d. 2019) was a British judge, who served as senior presiding Judge at Snaresbrook Crown Court.[1] He was the son of High Court judge Sir Wintringham Stable.

Inspection into the conduct of Robert Maxwell

Between 1971 and 1973, Stable acted as an inspector for the Department of Trade and Industry on the conduct of Robert Maxwell in relation to Pergamon Press. The inspection report,[2] co-authored with accountant Sir Ronald Leach found that "a large number of private companies including foreign companies exist in which Mr. Maxwell or his family have an interest.".[3]

The report concluded with the words, "We are also convinced that Mr Maxwell regarded his stewardship duties fulfilled by showing the maximum profits which any transaction could be devised to show. Furthermore, in reporting to shareholders and investors he had a reckless and unjustified optimism which enabled him on some occasions to disregard unpalatable facts and on others to state what he must have known to be untrue ... We regret having to conclude that, notwithstanding Mr Maxwell's acknowledged abilities and energy, he is not in our opinion a person who can be relied on to exercise proper stewardship of a publicly quoted company."[4][5][6][7]

Prominent cases

Stable acted as QC for the prosecution in the trial of Peter Hain, in relation to four charges pertaining to the illegal disruption of events involving South African sports teams.[8] Hain was subsequently fined £200 for criminal damage for his role in a sit-down protest to disrupt a 1969 Davis Cup tie between Britain and South Africa in Bristol.[9][10] Speaking at the trial, Stable argued that "Mr Hain would appear to hold the view that, provided the object is a proper object, methods may be used regardless of the law to which he is subject. That is a terribly dangerous philosophy."[8]

Judge Stable gave a deferred sentence to Lord Bristol, offering the Peer a chance to beat his drug addiction to avoid imprisonment.[11]

On 16 December 1994, while sentencing three young offenders for joyriding, Judge Stable advocated the use of the "rattan cane" as a deterrent[12] as "it would not only deter you but would deter a lot of other young men."[13]

References

  1. ↑ admin. "Master Owen Stable1923 – 2019". Middle Templar Magazine. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  2. ↑ Stable, Rondle Owen Charles; Leach, Sir Ronald; Industry, Great Britain Department of Trade and (1973). Report on the Affairs of Maxwell Scientific International (Distribution Services) Limited, Robert Maxwell & Co: Limited, and Final Report on the Affairs of Pergamon Press Limited: Investigation Under Section 169(b) of the Companies Act 1948. H.M. Stationery Office. ISBN 978-0-11-510789-4.
  3. ↑ Cohen, Roger (20 December 1991). "Maxwell's Empire: How It Grew, How It Fell -- A Special Report.; Charming the Big Bankers Out of Billions (Published 1991)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  4. ↑ Wearing, Robert (24 May 2005). Cases in Corporate Governance. London: SAGE Publications Ltd. p. 28. ISBN 1412908779.
  5. ↑ Cohan, William D. (2012). Money and Power: How Goldman Sachs Came to Rule the World. Penguin. ISBN 978-0-241-95406-5.
  6. ↑ Wearing, Robert (2005). Cases in Corporate Governance. London. doi:10.4135/9781446212400. ISBN 9781412908771.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. ↑ "The Observer from London, Greater London, England on November 10, 1991 · 31". Newspapers.com. 10 November 1991. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  8. 1 2 Warman, Christopher. "On This Day The Times, July 28, 1972". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  9. ↑ Naughton, Philippe. "Peter Hain: profile of a rebel". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  10. ↑ "Conspiracy conviction". www.telegraph.co.uk. 3 March 2002. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  11. ↑ "Deferred sentence gives peer last chance to beat drug problem". HeraldScotland. 6 July 1993. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  12. ↑ "Judge backs flogging". The Independent. 17 December 1994. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  13. ↑ Elliott, Valerie (18 December 1994). "Judge stands by his call for caning". Sunday Telegraph. Retrieved 25 August 2022.


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