Former student racks up £4,500 library fine after returning book 61 years late

telegraph.co.uk ^ | 13 Jun 2014

[Gamecock]

A former student was faced with a £4,500 fine when he returned a library book 61 years late.

Ron Webster, 91, was working as a research assistant at Liverpool University in 1953 when he borrowed Professor AR Radcliffe-Brown's Structure and Function in Primitive Society.

He was so taken with its contents he decided to keep it with him when he was invited to London to continue his research.

Mr Webster was determined to confess to his crime regardless of the cost, so he took the book back on a trip to the city with his son-in-law, Rick Walker.

Mr Walker said: "Ron had been warned very firmly by the friends he plays cards with at the local pub that he would be landed with an enormous fine, and feel the full force of the law. They didn't expect to see him again!"

The £4,510 total was calculated on the basis of the current charge of 20p per day for late return of books.

[Gamecock]

Ron had been warned very firmly by the friends he plays cards with at the
local pub that he would be landed with an enormous fine,
and feel the full force of the law.

If you think this is about overdue fines and missing books, you'd better think again.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

He should have asked for a discount and tell them 2p off.

[PapaNew]

61 years late, Ron Webster, 91, was working as a research assistant at Liverpool University in 1953 when he borrowed Professor AR Radcliffe-Brown's Structure and Function in Primitive Society.

Wow, that would make him 152 years old. Probably too late to do much about it.

[muir_redwoods]

If you’re going to live into your 90’s, it’s best to have a sense of humor.

[DanielRedfoot]

Bwahahaha! It’s Bookman

Wonder if he drew pee pees and wee wees in any of them?

[ansel12]

"University librarian, Phil Sykes (right) waived the fine on condition that Ron Webster (left) doesn't do it again"

[Fiji Hill]

Structure and Function in Primitive Society: Essays and Addresses by Alfred R. Radcliffe-Brown (New York: Free Press, 1952) goes for $4.31 at the American Book Exchange site.

[B4Ranch]

University librarian, Phil Sykes (right) waived the fine on condition that Ron Webster (left) doesn’t do it again Photo: Liverpool Echo

[Slings and Arrows]

I hope like h*ll that Mr Webster had someone take a look at that growth on his head - it looks a lot like skin cancer to me.

[Gamecock]

Too old.
That is British healthcare, and soon ours too.

[Larry Lucido]

"University librarian, Phil Sykes (right) waived the fine on condition that Ron Webster (left) doesn't do it again"

Doesn't what, borrow the same book again for 61 more years? Yeah, he probably won't be doing that again. :-)

[Larry Lucido]

What’s worse, the book was “flagged,” and they made him pay full retail for it in addition to the fine. He tried to take it across the street and donate it to the homeless shelter, but that didn’t work out well.