christopher edward buckingham

[RicheyJames]

one of the odder news stories of recent times

anyone care for some wild speculation as to what this chappie is trying to hide? didn't the jackal use the same method for obtaining false identities?

[markfiend]

didn't the jackal use the same method for obtaining false identities?

Aye.

Further checks revealed he had assumed the name using the same method as the professional killer in the novel The Day Of The Jackal.

Technically, I see no reason why anyone can't call themselves whatever they want to call themselves. (Indeed IIUC in English law, there is no real legal need for deed poll and the like for a name-change. You can legally call yourself anything you like as long as it isn't done with the intention of deceit.)

Having said that, the "Buckingham" of the news story presumably has done something under his previous name that would warrant going to jail for longer (at a guess, much longer) than the 21 months to which he has been sentenced.

[timsinister]

My mind's eye sees a tiny cramped Customs office somewhere with a horrendously aged figure poring over a ten mile high mountain of passport details.

"Hold on a second..."

Twenty-three years? And he was only spotted in January of this year? And he was only arrested in November? Red Tape means go-faster stripes!

Plus, it turns out he's an IT Security Consultant from Switzerland, famous for its annonymous banking system holding billions in intelligence agency monies.

Clearly a lot more than first occurs...

[markfiend]

Maybe he isn't really human! *twilight zone music*

Probably some kind of spook though, good call Tim.

Which reminds me: How can you tell that the CIA wasn't involved in the JFK assassination?

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He's dead...

[Master Margarita]

I like the (true) story about the chap who changed his name to "Yorkshire Bank Plc are a complete ripoff" or some other such like, and then insisted that Yorkshire Bank wrote it on his cheque book. Quality.

[Quiff Boy]

http://www.snopes.com/humor/nonsense/typos01.htm

From The Guardian:

After being charged 20 pounds for a 10 pounds overdraft, 30 year old Michael Howard of Leeds changed his name by deed poll to 'Yorkshire Bank Plc are Fascist Bastards.' The Bank has now asked him to close his account, and Mr Bastards has asked them to repay the 69p balance by cheque, made out in his new name.

[markfiend]

<nitpick> I believe his name became Yorkshire Bank PLC are Fascist Bastards</nitpick>

But yes, quality indeed.

Other comedy name changes include:
Sydney Harbour Bridge
Ubiquitous P God

[Karst]

Mad Dogs & Englishmen

And yes, that *does* include you Mr. James.

[Johnny M]

I do vaguely remember another cheque book scam but the details are lost in the mists of time. Some guy offered some goods via mail order at a ridiculous price and was swamped by orders. He duly banked all the cheques over a period of time. He then wrote to all his customers advising that the goods were no longer available and enclosed a cheque for a full refund. However, when the full company name was abbrieviated to initials on the refund cheques it spelled something obscene, ie PERVS Ltd, but I'm sure it was worse than that. As this was in the days before automated banking, police reckoned 90% of customers had refused to pay their refund cheques into their accounts over the counter out of sheer embarrassment. The police couldn't touch him as he hadn't broken any laws and he got to keep the unclaimed money in the refund account.

[Obviousman]

From Quiffy's link:

In Sydney, 120 men named Henry attacked each other during a 'My Name is Henry' convention. Henry Pantie of Canberra accused Henry Pap of Sydney of not being a Henry at all, but in fact an Angus. 'It was a lie', explained Mr Pap, 'I'm a Henry and always will be,' whereupon Henry Pap attacked Henry Pantie, whilst two other Henrys - Jones and Dyer - attempted to pull them apart. Several more Henrys - Smith, Calderwood and Andrews - became involved and soon the entire convention descended into a giant fist fight. The brawl was eventually broken up by riot police, led by a man named Shane.

[markfiend]

The English enjoy complaining; it's the national sport.

Anyway, this "Buckingham" character; has he killed someone then? Or is he CIA/MI5/whatever-alphabet-agency? A sleeper agent? (in Switzerland though?)

Come to think of it, IT Security Consultant probably means he is (or was) a hacker, which provides a possible motive for the name-change.

[RicheyJames]

I do vaguely remember another cheque book scam but the details are lost in the mists of time...

Listen to this one then; you open a company called the Arse Tickler's Faggot Fan Club. You take an advert in the back page of some gay mag, advertising the latest in arse-intruding dildos, sell it a bit with, er... I dunno, "does what no other dildo can do until now", latest and greatest in sexual technology. Guaranteed results or money back, all that bollocks. These dills cost twenty-five each; a snip for all the pleasure they are going to give the recipients. They send a cheque to the company name, nothing offensive, er, Bobbie's Bits or something, for twenty-five. You put these in the bank for two weeks and let them clear. Now this is the clever bit. Then you send back the cheques for twenty-five pounds from the real company name, Arse Tickler's Faggot Fan Club, saying sorry, we couldn't get the supply from America, they have sold out. Now you see how many of the people cash those cheques; not a single soul, because who wants his bank manager to know he tickles arses when he is not paying in cheques!

killjoy

[Johnny M]

Very good Mr RJ but I'm sure Madge's boy has ripped it from a real life story. I just have to wait for my medication to wear off and I'll get there.

[RicheyJames]

sorry johnny but i think you'll find it actually originates in the murky world of the urban legend...

[Johnny M]

sorry johnny but i think you'll find it actually originates in the murky world of the urban legend...

Phew! Thank you. "Nurse! More medication!"

[timsinister]

The English enjoy complaining; it's the national sport.

Anyway, this "Buckingham" character; has he killed someone then? Or is he CIA/MI5/whatever-alphabet-agency? A sleeper agent? (in Switzerland though?)

Come to think of it, IT Security Consultant probably means he is (or was) a hacker, which provides a possible motive for the name-change.

I'd be more inclined to him being a spook; twenty-three years of lying, and then continuing the lie to the police, a judge, and to prison? What kind of psychological conditioning requires that?

Well, it's that or he's totally off the rails. Hard to tell the difference anymore.

[markfiend]

sorry johnny but i think you'll find it actually originates in the murky world of the urban legend...

Indeed.

[RicheyJames]

sorry johnny but i think you'll find it actually originates in the murky world of the urban legend...

Indeed.

killjoy

perhaps i need to be less obtuse...

[markfiend]

Oh.

Ah well, I'm sure snopes.com will appreciate the extra traffic.

[canon docre]

The English enjoy complaining; it's the national sport.

Anyway, this "Buckingham" character; has he killed someone then? Or is he CIA/MI5/whatever-alphabet-agency? A sleeper agent? (in Switzerland though?)

Come to think of it, IT Security Consultant probably means he is (or was) a hacker, which provides a possible motive for the name-change.

I'd be more inclined to him being a spook; twenty-three years of lying, and then continuing the lie to the police, a judge, and to prison? What kind of psychological conditioning requires that?

Well, it's that or he's totally off the rails. Hard to tell the difference anymore.

the story reminds me a bit of Anastasia the alledged czar-daugther.

[MrChris]

And the subject of a typically whimsical song by Tori Amos... she (Anastasia) was eventually revealed to be a fraud, but I don't remember if that was before or after she died...The way I see it, her loving public obviously had a space in its heart for a revolution-surviving Russian princess, and she was prepared to play the role...