Guenther Podola
| Guenther Fritz Erwin Podola | |
|---|---|
Guenther Podola in 1959
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| Born |
8 February 1929 Berlin, Germany |
| Died | 5 November 1959 (aged 30) Wandsworth prison, London |
| Cause of death | Hanging |
| Other names | Mike Colato |
| Occupation | Thief |
| Criminal charge | Murder |
| Criminal penalty | Death |
| Criminal status | Executed |
| Conviction(s) | Murder |
Guenther Fritz Erwin Podola (8 February 1929 – 5 November 1959) was a German-born petty thief, and the last man to be hanged in Britain for killing a police officer. His trial was notable and controversial because of his defence of amnesia and the use of expert witnesses to determine whether his illness was real.
Podola was born in Berlin, Germany. He was a fanatical member of the Hitler Youth movement. Podola moved to Canada in August 1952. On 1 March 1957 he was sentenced to 10 days' imprisonment following a conviction for burglary in Montreal. Then on 26 March he was sentenced for another 11 counts of theft and burglary and imprisoned for 2 years. On 25 July 1958 Podola was released and deported back to West Germany.
Podola moved to London on 21 May 1959. He assumed the alias of Mike Colato and pretended to be a gangster. He broke into the house of an American model, Verne Schiffmann, and stole jewellery and furs worth £2,000. He tried to blackmail her in return for her possessions, asking for £500, but she notified the police who attempted to arrest Podola on 12 July 1959 in Kensington. Podola shot one of the officers, Detective Sergeant Raymond Purdy, through the heart with a Radom 9mm semi-automatic pistol. He was later apprehended and Podola claimed he was beaten up by the police and that as a result he lost his memory of events. The police claimed that he was merely hit on the head when they broke down the door to his hotel room.
The start of the trial was delayed for nine days while a jury heard evidence of whether Podola was medically fit to stand trial. After 3½ hours of deliberation, they decided he was. A fresh jury was called to hear the trial itself. When asked for his plea, he replied: "I do not remember the crime for which I stand accused ... I am unable to answer the charges." He was defended by Frederick Lawton QC.Neurologist Michael Ashby gave evidence as an expert medical witness at his trial, as did psychiatrist Archibald Leigh, who claimed Podola was feigning his illness.
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