KENNETH JONES, who died on July 12 2004 aged 83, was an eloquent advocate and a judge renowned for his mastery of detail who was involved in many of the most noteworthy trials of the late twentieth century. Though a Welshman by birth, he was educated at Brigg Grammar School and then at University College, Oxford where he was treasurer of the Oxford Union.
The war interrupted his degree and he served with the Shropshire Yeomanry (76th Medium Regiment, Royal Artillery). He was staff captain, HQ 13th Corps in 1945, and was mentioned in dispatches. In 1946 he was called to the Bar. He was appointed a QC in 1962, and was a member of the General Council of the Bar from 1961 to 1965 and in 1968-69. He was Recorder of Shrewsbury from 1964 to 1966 and of Wolverhampton from 1966 to 1971. He was elected a bencher of Gray's Inn in 1969.
Kenneth Jones came to public notice in 1967 when he prosecuted "Michael X" (Michael Abdul Malik), leader of the British Black Muslims, charged under the 1965 Race Relations Act with using insulting words, likely to stir up hatred. Malik was sentenced to 12 months' jail.
He was then in 1969 chosen to prosecute the notorious Kray twins, Ronnie and Reggie, for the murders of George Cornell and "Jack the Hat" McVitie. At the end of the complex and gruesome case the Krays were sentenced to life imprisonment, and he immediately led the prosecution of the twins for their part in the murder of Frank ("Mad Axeman") Mitchell, the Dartmoor escapee. Of this, they were acquitted.
In 1972 he was appointed judge at the Central Criminal Court. A year later he was appointed judge of the High Court, Queen's Bench Division. In 1974 he ruled, on a point of law, that showing the film "Last Tango in Paris" to a public audience was not "publication" within the meaning of the Obscene Publications Act.
Kenneth Jones was knighted in 1974. In 1980 he jailed Brian P Keenan, for 18 years for masterminding an IRA bombing campaign in London and in 1984 he sentenced Colin Evans to 30 years for the murder of four-year-old Marie Payne.
From 1984 to 1988 he was deputy chairman of the Boundary Commission for Wales. He was Treasurer of Gray's Inn in 1987. After retiring in 1989, he had more time for his hobbies, which included fishing, sculpture and wood-carving.
Kenneth Jones married Dulcie in 1947. They had a son and two daughters. She died in 1977. His second wife June survives him.
Thanks to Daniel Bloor for correcting a reference in this report - Ed.
Geoff Cook was born in Stow in 1920 and attended Brigg Grammar School from 1931 to 1935. At the age of sixteen years, after taking his School Certificate Examinations, he started work with the Lindsey County Council at Lincoln in the finance department. When he was old enough (about a year later) he then joined the Lincolnshire County Police Force.
Geoff was called up during the war and served with distinction with the Royal Artillery in France and Belgium. On being demobbed he rejoined the Lincolnshire Police, working initially as a young constable in North Kelsey, then as a sergeant at Lincoln and Brigg and finally as Chief Inspector in Scunthorpe.
He retired from the Police Force after thirty years and then worked in the Magistrates Court, becoming principal court clerk at Grimsby.
Geoff was an active committee member and past Chairman of the Briggensians' Association, and also chaired the committee at the Brigg Youth Centre for ten years. Geoff was a keen sportsman, continuing to take part in golf, snooker and swimming in his retirement.
He is survived by his wife Betty and daughter Gillian Huss (BGHS 1967-74).
Footnote:
The Association has kindly been given the originals of references written in 1939 for Geoff Cook by the then Headmaster of the Grammar School, J T Daughton, and by the County Accountant at Lincoln, and also Geoff's set of School Certificate examination papers from July 1935. We intend to make extracts from some of these available on the web site soon - so start revising now.
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