View source for Boy paid £19 for share in 'Dr. Who' time machine, court told

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| publication = Daily Express
| file = 1966-12-10 Daily Express.jpg
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| date = 1966-12-10
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| language = English 
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A schoolboy duped a 17-year-old friend at their grammar school into believing he had invented a "Doctor Who" machine to transport people into time and space, a court was told yesterday. 

And on the strength of it he persuaded the boy to invest £19 10s in the project and issued him with share certificates in the "Polydimensional Transport Corporation."

This was said at Lymington magistrates' court yesterday when 18-year-old Peter Fowler of Brockenhurst Grammar School, Hampshire, face charges of demanding £500 by force, assault, and obtaining £19 10s by false pretenses.  

'Brilliant'

Burley, blond haired Fowler was acknowledged to be "quite a brilliant scholar," Mr. Colin Roach, prosecuting, said yesterday.

Then he told how, some months after the "Dr. Who" affair, the boy visited Fowler in his flat at Ashley, New Milton.  

Another boy was there.  They drank wine and played brag.  Then Fowler said: "Let's play for £750."

The 17-year-old boy thought it was a joke.  

But at the finish the other two claimed their "winnings" -- £500.  

Threat

They told him everything was down on a tape recorder, and the boy was told to sign an I.O.U.

The boy said in court yesterday: "They threatened to kill me if I told my parents."  

On a later visit to the flat they ordered him to strip.  

"They said they were going to photograph me.  

"They said they would send the photographs to Dr. Wood (the head master) and the universities to which I had applied if I did not pay.  I agreed because they were hitting me."

Fowler was sent in custody for trial at the Hampshire [[wikipedia:Assizes|Assizes]]. His solicitor said Fowler had confirmed that he would be pleading guilty.

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