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FACTFILE
Podola was
born in West Berlin, His father died on the Russian
front during the second world war his mother died in
1955. He had been an active member of the Hitler youth.
In 1952 he
applied to emigrate to Canada, and spent 6 years there
drifting from place to place and job to job.
He wax
sentenced for 11 house burglaries and sent to prison for
2 years, in 1958 upon his release he returned to
Germany.
May 1959,
Podola flies to London, unemployed he drifts, squatting
and sleeping rough.
Monday 13th
July 1959, Podola was in a phone box next to
Kensington tube station, he was attempting blackmail on
a Mrs Schiffman. She had already informed the police on
a previous occasion when Podola had attempted to
blackmail her.
On this
occasion Detective Sergeant Purdy and Detective Sergeant
Sandford attended and arrested Podola, as they were
taking him to the car h escaped and ran into a block of
flats. The 2 policemen chased and caught him, while DS
Sandford went to get the police car, DS Purdy was left
alone with Podola.
Podola
distracted the detective Sergeant, and pulled out a
pistol, he shot 43 year old DS Purdy through the heart,
the policeman dying instantly.
Thursday
16th July 1959, After investigation police were led
to The Queen's Gate hotel in South Kensington, they
charged into Podola room, a scuffle broke out, which
ended in Podola being taken to St. Stephen’s Hospital,
Fulham Road. The hotel was searched, and the gun that
killed Detective Sergeant Purdy was found in the hotel
attic.
18th July
1959, Trial starts at The old Bailey in London,
his defence
claimed that he had no memory of the events, caused by
the scuffle that had broken out in the hotel room. If
this was the case then Podola was unfit to plead.
The judge
ordered the jury to consider if Podola was fit to plead.
After 3 hours
the jury returned saying they believed the loss of
memory was faked.
19th July
1959, Again at the old Bailey with the same judge
and barristers, but with a new jury the trial proper
started.
In his
evidence from the dock, Podola said that he could not
make any defence as he could not remember the crime
itself or the circumstances leading up to it.
After retiring
for just 35 minutes, the jury found Podola guilty of
capital murder.
Judge Mr.
Justice Edmund Davies sentenced Podola to death.
October
1959, an appeal was heard but rejected.
2nd
November 1959, The Home Secretary, decided that the
law should 'Take it's course'.
5th
November 1959, Podola was hanged at Wandsworth
prison.
He was buried in the prison grounds.
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