The occurrence of this type of case, in this instance that of Lwys (Lewis) Lipman, was more common than the modern image of the UK war years would perhaps suggest. A sizeable number of people were tried under various pieces of wartime legislation.
LWYS (LEWIS) LIPMAN
The Wales Census 1901 shows the Lipman family living at 34 Penygraig Road, Penygraig, Rhondda. Both Lwys Lipman and his wife Eva were born in Russia.
| NAME | ROLE | AGE | OCCUPATION | COULD SPEAK |
| Lewis | Head | 30 | Glazier Painter | English & Yiddish |
| Eva | Wife | 25 | – | Yiddish |
!n the Wales Census 1911, the Lipman family had moved to a four room dwelling at 29 Penygraig Road, Penygraig, Rhondda. Their daughter Ruth was born in Penygraig.
| NAME | ROLE | AGE | OCCUPATION | COULD SPEAK |
| Lewis | Head | 40 | Glazier Painter | English & Yiddish |
| Eva | Wife | 35 | – | English & Yiddish |
| Ruth | Daughter | 5 | School | English & Yiddish |
In October 1939, just after the outbreak of the war, the Government compiled a register of people, much like a quick mini census, which served as a basis for the issue of identity cards.
The Lipman family was now living at 52 Enid Street, Tonypandy.
| NAME | BORN | OCCUPATION |
| Lewis | 15/04/1873 | Glazier Painter |
| Eva | 19/03/1878 | House Duties |
| Dora Ruth | 01/03/1905 | Canvasser and Agent |
LWYS LIPMAN – 1ST CHARGE
THE CHARGE
Being an alien, unlawfully and without written permission on 29 June 1940 entered into a protected area, The Severn Area, being an area declared to be a protected area under the provisions of the Aliens (Protected Areas) (No. 5) Order 1940, contrary to the provisions of the said order. Lwys Lipman entered into the District of Pontypridd. The said Urban District of Pontypridd being part of a protected area, namely The Severn Area, under the provisions of the Aliens (Protected Areas) (No. 5) Order 1940.
First charge faced by Lwys Lipman 19 July 1940.
Lipman pleaded guilty to this charge and was granted bail, provided he report to Tonypandy police station once a day.
The Western Mail & South Wales News, 4 June 1940, reported that at the Police Court hearing, Lwys Lipman elected to be tried, for the 2nd charge before a jury “and said that he would thus get more fair play.”
LWYS LIPMAN – 2ND CHARGE
This case was heard in the Criminal Court on 19 July 1940 before Mr. Justice Macnaghten.
Being an alien did 3 acts calculated to cause disaffection amongst the civilian population contrary to the Aliens Registration (Amendment) Act 1919, Section 3, sub-section (1).
Second charge faced by Lwys Lipman
Lwys Lipman was accused of making the following statement in the Public Bar of the Court Hotel, Blaenclydach, on 27 May 1940.
Hitler is a friend mine. Hitler is a good man. He is doing the right thing to send his soldiers by parachute. The British took Palestine from the Jews and Hitler will take England from the English.
Statement allegedly made by Lwys Lipman.
He then repeated the statement two times.
The Western Mail & South Wales news, 20 July 1940, had the following report on the trial.
Lwys Lipman was sentenced to 12 months’ Imprisonment by Mr. Justice Macnaghten at Glamorgan Assizes at Swansea on Friday. Lipman was also sentenced to six months’ imprisonment on a charge that being an alien he entered a protected area without the written permission of the registration officer, the two sentences to run concurrently.
Lipman pleaded not guilty to the first charge and guilty to the second.
Talked in Bar In regard to the first charge, the prosecution alleged that prisoner interrupted a conversation which was proceeding between a number of men in the bar the Court Hotel, Blaenclydach. and said, “Hitler is a friend mine. Hitler is a good man. He is doing the right thing to send his soldiers by parachute. The British took Palestine from the Jews and Hitler will take England from the English.”
Later Lipman said, “I do not mean any trouble. I have thought it out since and I was silly. I have brought all this trouble on myself.”
In evidence, he said he was alluding to a friend of his whose name sounded like “Hitler.”
Mr. Meurig Evans (instructed Mr. A. Clifford Walter, county prosecuting solicitor) was for the prosecution, and Mr. Ithel Davies defended.
The Western Mail & South Wales news, 20 July 1940 (British Newspaper Archive).