Another Robbie Williams Discussion Forum aka The Dotmusic Revival Forum

Cop on song and gang man sings
06 May 2004
By DAVID EAMES

A singing detective has crooned a confession from a gang member over a beer at a Palmerston North karaoke bar.

Willie Mitford, a patched Black Power member, was enjoying a pint at Deano's Bar and Grill in Main Street on Friday night when Detective Dave Wishnowsky happened past.

Mr Wishnowsky was the officer in charge of a theft-as-a-servant trial brought against Mitford last month.

The jury in that trial was hung and Mitford had gone free. One theft charge remained, however, and the two men got to discussing the case over a handle.

Before long, a wager was laid.

"I had had a few drinks," Mitford says.

"I said 'You get up there and sing me a song, and if you're good, I will go guilty.' "

Unbeknown to Mitford, Mr Wishnowsky is a former musician, and before long was belting out a rousing rendition of Robbie Williams' hit Better Man.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/inl/common/imageViewer/0,1445,147159,00.jpg

The dulcet detective had barely started the song when Mitford came forward, shook his hand and promised to change his plea to guilty.

"He was something special, I s*** you not," Mitford said yesterday.

"I just couldn't believe it."

And to prove there is honour among thieves, Mitford kept his end of the bargain by entering a guilty plea in Palmerston North District Court yesterday.

Mr Wishnowsky, a police officer for the past eight years, spoke yesterday about what is easily his most bizarre confession.

He said the bet was made after the pair were "just yakking" over a beer.

Mitford handed Mr Wishnowsky a songbook, and the Robbie Williams number was the first tune he recognised.

"I had only sung two to three lines and he came over to me and said 'I'm guilty.' "

Mr Wishnowsky, who admits to having attended a couple of Robbie Williams concerts in the past, and was lead-vocalist/drummer of pub band Xpose in the 1980s, said Mitford was "really good natured about it".

Mitford, a concreter, says his boss went into hysterics when he heard the story, considering it highly amusing.

Mitford is philosophical about the guilty plea for a charge that he says has been hanging around for too long.

"Three-and-a-half years, and it came down to a bet in a bar."

He insists, however, that his guilty plea is not an admission of guilt.

"I only went guilty because I lost the bet. Otherwise, I would have gone to trial, and I would have beaten him."

He will return to court for sentencing next month.

Mr Wishnowsky's boss, Detective Sergeant Tim Smith, said the story was a great example of two guys sorting out their differences over a beer.

"I just think it's great that off-duty, and socially, a criminal and a police officer are shown to have a respect for each other."

As for Mr Wishnowsky, he is coming to terms with his new nickname: Robbie.

Mr Wishnowsky, who admits to having attended a couple of Robbie Williams concerts in the past

LOL, GUILTY! ;)

Funny story. :D

Vlatka, how come I can't see your name? It also says you registered in 1970???
:?
It wasn't till I clicked quote that I saw your name

1084142038]

Singing cop told to plug it

12.05.2004

Palmerston North's singing detective Dave Wishnowsky has been ordered to pipe down by police top brass.

Mr Wishnowsky made international headlines last week after it was revealed he karaoked a guilty plea from a Black Power member.

Gang man Willie Mitford told Mr Wishnowsky at a city bar that he would plead guilty to a theft charge if the detective sang karaoke for him.

The former musician sang Robbie Williams' hit Better Man and Mitford returned to Palmerston North District Court to change his plea.

Mr Wishnowsky's exploits caught the attention of the media but when a radio station tried to speak to the detective on Friday, he had been gagged by his superiors.

Mr Wishnowsky had no comment about the matter yesterday.

His superiors were equally reticent.

Acting police district commander Inspector Sam Hoyle said police would be making no comment on the matter because it was still before the court until Mitford was sentenced.

That opinion was reiterated by a spokeswoman for the office of Police Commissioner Rob Robinson, who said the matter was sub judice.

Mitford's lawyer, Glenn Mason, was concerned police "would take a confession from somebody under the influence of alcohol ... but my client had a view, and he took a decision that was his to make".

Mitford will be sentenced on the theft charge on June 14.