Crown Court - Love and War (1984) - video Dailymotion

Jezza

Crown Court, Love and War. Russell Steadman is charged with intent to cause Grievous Bodily Harm. Some top acting talent here: Renee Asherson, William Gaunt, Peter Egan, Joanna McCallum and Sylvia Syms star.

Transcript

00:00:00The case you're about to see is fictional, but the procedure is legally accurate.

00:00:19The characters are played by actors, but the jury is selected from members of the public.

00:00:30I didn't know you'd gone over to the other side, Nigel.

00:00:44What?

00:00:45Supporting the ladies, that's what you call them.

00:00:54How say you, Russell Steadman? Are you guilty or not guilty?

00:01:00Not guilty.

00:01:01Members of the jury, the case you're about to hear concerns more than a regrettable accident.

00:01:06Miss Hilary Rogers could so easily have been killed.

00:01:09In the early hours of Sunday, September 18th, 1983, Russell Steadman ran Miss Rogers down with his car.

00:01:15The couple had just left Steadman's company dinner, a dinner which ended for Miss Rogers in bruises and broken bones.

00:01:21The accused stands indicted with causing her grievous bodily harm with every intention of doing just that,

00:01:29of deliberately driving his car at a woman whose only crime was to reject his offers of marriage.

00:01:35The truth I give shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

00:01:38Are you Miss Hilary Rogers of Three Rose Cottage, Slimbourne, near Fulchester?

00:01:44I am.

00:01:45And are you a schoolteacher at Slimbourne Junior School?

00:01:47That's right.

00:01:49What was your relationship to the accused on the night of September 17th?

00:01:52He was my lodger.

00:01:53He had been for just over two years.

00:01:55We were friendly, well, on and off, until it became obvious he had to go.

00:02:00Obvious?

00:02:01He wanted us to be more than friends.

00:02:03More than a lodger and a friend?

00:02:05Yes.

00:02:06What was that?

00:02:07Please speak up, Miss Rogers.

00:02:09Yes, he wanted to be my lover.

00:02:11Was he ever your lover?

00:02:13No, never.

00:02:15What happened when you refused his attentions?

00:02:17The first time he seemed to understand.

00:02:20The second time we had a row.

00:02:22Then the rows became more frequent until he agreed to find new accommodation.

00:02:27But it never materialised.

00:02:28Did Steadman explain why he failed to go?

00:02:30He was too busy.

00:02:32He's just been promoted to a senior sales position at Aston Avionics.

00:02:36He was working abroad a lot.

00:02:38Didn't see him much.

00:02:39It was better.

00:02:40But when we did meet, he just wanted to talk about his problems.

00:02:44He got himself into a real rat race, poor little man.

00:02:47Miss Rogers, the accused is well above the average height.

00:02:51He's morally small.

00:02:52A small man in a large system.

00:02:54I felt sorry for him, that's all.

00:02:56Miss Rogers, please, you're not allowed to give us your opinions.

00:02:59Only the facts.

00:03:00Well, it is a fact.

00:03:01Anyway, he always wanted to know my opinion.

00:03:04Don't you think it better that we let the accused speak for himself at the proper time?

00:03:08I'm sure he's quite capable.

00:03:11If we could, what happened on the last occasion you discussed your relationship?

00:03:15He'd just come back from a trip to South America.

00:03:19He wanted to know who I'd been seeing.

00:03:21Men.

00:03:22I mean, I could have asked him the same question.

00:03:24Who'd he been selling arms to?

00:03:27That's his line.

00:03:29Marvelous, isn't it?

00:03:29The accused asked you, have you been seeing any men?

00:03:32Well, I was perfectly free to see who I liked.

00:03:34It's my house.

00:03:35Then he said that I should settle down with him, being 33.

00:03:41Settle down always sounded like a compost heap to me.

00:03:45He reminded me that I was getting old, and that if I didn't watch out, I would find myself on the shelf, not being much to look at.

00:03:53Did he offer any solution?

00:03:56He asked me to marry him.

00:04:01Everything about us is different.

00:04:03I mean, as if I could, politically, ideologically.

00:04:06He'd just been selling nuclear guidance systems.

00:04:09I'm a member of C&D.

00:04:11It's impossible.

00:04:12He was lucky he hadn't been thrown out on his ear ages ago.

00:04:15Yet you did agree to go to his company dance.

00:04:17Yes.

00:04:17Well, he'd often ask me to functions, either at work or the Freemasons, ladies' nights.

00:04:23I always refused.

00:04:25But at one of our meetings of the women's disarmament group, we were discussing arms sales, and I realised how very little I knew about them.

00:04:32So I thought I'd use Russell's next shindig as field work.

00:04:37What happened at the dinner dance?

00:04:39I found out that he'd been telling everyone we were getting engaged.

00:04:43And what did you tell everyone?

00:04:45That it was nonsense, of course.

00:04:48If we could go on to events immediately prior to the incident, did you meet anyone you particularly remember?

00:04:54Yes, Mark Bowles, the managing director's son.

00:04:57We had a few dances.

00:04:59He had some very interesting ideas on east-west strategy.

00:05:03Did anything else happen?

00:05:05Well, I had to arrange another day to see Mark, to carry on our discussion uninterrupted,

00:05:11because Russell kept butting in, introducing me to more cronies.

00:05:16It got more and more obvious that he'd built up a web of lies about our relationship.

00:05:21I acted as the single woman I am.

00:05:24I talked to a man whose ideas I found attractive.

00:05:27And Mark seemed to like me, too.

00:05:30Were you trying to make Stedman jealous?

00:05:33No.

00:05:34No, I'd only do that if I was trying to attract him.

00:05:36It was quite the reverse.

00:05:39But Russell insisted on being childish.

00:05:40If we could, Miss Rogers...

00:05:41He's always been so aggressive his whole life.

00:05:44The best salesman, the best lover, Russell Stedman, the Empire's answer to Exocet.

00:05:49He's very frightened of failing.

00:05:51Please, Miss Rogers, facts.

00:05:53We're only interested in the facts.

00:05:55Just like Mr. Gradgrind.

00:05:59A character in Charles Dickens' Hard Times, my lord.

00:06:03Yes, Mr. Stedman, I do know.

00:06:05But shall we exercise ourselves in unravelling this particular tale and not worry too much about literature?

00:06:10Do get on.

00:06:10So, what happened at the end of the evening?

00:06:15Well, as I was collecting my coat, Russell accused me of going off with Mark.

00:06:22And he said, I suppose you've been telling everyone I'm no good in bed.

00:06:28Well, he was pretty hysterical.

00:06:30I'd only told people we weren't getting engaged.

00:06:33Then he said that I needed looking after.

00:06:35What did you do?

00:06:37I'm afraid I laughed because if anyone had been doing any looking after,

00:06:40it was me, listening to his problems.

00:06:43For heaven's sake, I even did his laundry.

00:06:46Anyone would think I was more his mother than his landlady.

00:06:49Did the accused say anything else?

00:06:51Yes.

00:06:51He said, if you're too stupid to see you need my help, you can go to hell.

00:06:56He told you to go to hell?

00:06:58Those were his exact words.

00:06:59Yes.

00:07:00Then, well, then he started to cry.

00:07:05I tried to stop him, but he went outside, so I followed.

00:07:08Mr. and Mrs. Bowles went out, too.

00:07:11She button-holed me again.

00:07:13Mrs. Bowles.

00:07:14We'd been discussing poetry earlier, Tennyson of all people.

00:07:19And for once, Russell didn't interrupt us, but he went to fetch the car.

00:07:22And what did you do?

00:07:24I strolled across the forecourt with Mrs. Bowles, looking at the stars.

00:07:29They were very bright.

00:07:29I stopped and looked up to try and see the great bear.

00:07:34Mrs. Bowles was chilly, I think, so she went back in.

00:07:37Did anything else happen?

00:07:39Oh, yes.

00:07:40It was while I was looking up that I heard the car.

00:07:43As it came screeching round the corner, I looked and saw that it was Russell's.

00:07:48He was driving straight at me, and the lights were off.

00:07:51Its headlights off?

00:07:52Yes, as it came round the corner.

00:07:54But then, as it straightened up, sort of more parallel to the building, he flashed his lights on very briefly.

00:07:59Well, the lights dazzled me, and then they went off again.

00:08:02What did you do then?

00:08:03Well, I knew Russell must have seen me, so I stayed where I was, some 50 yards from the building.

00:08:08How fast do you think the car was travelling?

00:08:10Quite fast.

00:08:1230-ish.

00:08:13It was a long building, so he had some distance to cover before he reached the main door.

00:08:18Stedman was driving his car at about 30 miles an hour towards the main door.

00:08:22No, no, he was driving it at me.

00:08:25Well, did he slow down, sound his horn, make any recognition, he knew you were there?

00:08:29No, he just kept coming.

00:08:31So what did you do?

00:08:33When I realised that he wasn't going to stop, I ran back towards the main door.

00:08:39But Russell changed directions.

00:08:41As I changed position, he steered towards me.

00:08:43He was still driving at me.

00:08:45And where were you by the time the car almost reached you?

00:08:48Some 40 yards from the main steps.

00:08:51Well, I waved my arms and I shouted.

00:08:55It wasn't as if it was a dark night, but he didn't stop.

00:08:59Then the car hit me, my left leg.

00:09:02My evening dress got caught in something, the bumper perhaps, and I was dragged along for some distance.

00:09:09What were your injuries?

00:09:10A complicated fracture of the femur, plus severe bruising and grazing.

00:09:14I still have pieces of gravel and cinder in my leg.

00:09:18The leg was worse than it could have been because of a recent ankle injury.

00:09:22After you were injured, do you remember anything?

00:09:26Yes.

00:09:27Russell standing over me.

00:09:28Well, he didn't bend down to help, he just stood there.

00:09:31Saying, all I asked you to do was to marry me.

00:09:34Was that so dreadful?

00:09:36Then I'm afraid I passed out.

00:09:38So, as usual, Russell had the last word.

00:09:41Thank you, Miss Rogers.

00:09:43No further questions.

00:09:45Miss Rogers.

00:09:46It is Miss, not Miss.

00:09:48Miss.

00:09:49Yes.

00:09:51Now, Miss Rogers, you just told the court that Stedman's car came screeching round the corner.

00:09:56That's right.

00:09:56It was coming straight at you, its lights off.

00:09:59Yes.

00:09:59Then you told us, as it straightened up, sort of more parallel to the building, its lights flashed on very briefly and you were dazzled.

00:10:06Yes.

00:10:06So, initially, the car was coming straight at you, then it changed direction, caught you in its headlights.

00:10:12Yes.

00:10:13How?

00:10:15I don't understand.

00:10:16Well, when the lights flashed on and dazzled you, had you moved from your original position?

00:10:20No.

00:10:21Well, perhaps you'd explain how the car could have been going in two separate directions, and yet both times be aimed at you, if you didn't move.

00:10:29I didn't move.

00:10:30Oh, I put it to you, Miss Rogers, that you moved.

00:10:33When you ran back towards the building, you ran into the path of the oncoming vehicle.

00:10:37No.

00:10:38And because Russell Stedman had not seen you, he was neither trying to hit you or miss you.

00:10:42I did run, but no, it wasn't like that.

00:10:45When Russell came round the corner, he didn't come round the corner.

00:10:48He came sort of straight out from the side car park in a wide arc, away from the building, across the forecourt.

00:10:54I was standing there looking up at the stars.

00:10:56When I looked down, the car was in mid-turn.

00:10:58Coming straight towards me.

00:11:00Then it straightened up, parallel to the building, flashed its lights on and off, but it was still coming straight at me.

00:11:06Well, I didn't move until it was obvious Russell wasn't going to stop.

00:11:12Miss Rogers, you stated to my learned friend that when the car lights flashed on, you knew Stedman must have seen you.

00:11:18How did you know?

00:11:18Well, I was dead centre in the lights.

00:11:20What colour was your dress and coat?

00:11:23The dress was black, the coat greyish.

00:11:26Black and grey.

00:11:27It was night time.

00:11:28You were dressed in dark colours, yet you still maintain that Stedman must have seen you in that split second of light.

00:11:34The stars were shining.

00:11:35It was very bright.

00:11:37And Russell obviously changed directions when he saw me.

00:11:39Then he flashed his lights to make sure that he had me bang in his sights.

00:11:42Oh, no, Miss Rogers, I would suggest you're far too fond of making up stories.

00:11:45This isn't evidence, this is an interpretation of what you think Stedman had in his mind.

00:11:52Now, if we could move back in time.

00:11:54Now, you tell the court that Stedman was lucky he hadn't been thrown out on his ear.

00:11:58That's right.

00:11:59Miss Rogers, did you know there are perfectly adequate legal means of evicting unwanted lodgers?

00:12:05Yes.

00:12:05Oh, why didn't you use them?

00:12:07It wouldn't have been very nice.

00:12:09It seemed a bit extreme.

00:12:10Oh, you don't like being extreme?

00:12:12No, not unnecessarily.

00:12:13You're a feminist, member of an anti-nuclear organisation.

00:12:17Oh, that's different.

00:12:18And you can thoroughly disrupt Mr Stedman's dinner dance, yet you refuse to take the normal legal action to evict your so-called lodger.

00:12:25It just didn't seem right.

00:12:27And he had promised to go.

00:12:29I put it to you, Miss Rogers, that it didn't seem right because you were in fact living together as lovers.

00:12:34No.

00:12:35Wasn't the term lodger used only to avoid embarrassment because you were an unmarried schoolteacher in a small village?

00:12:41No, of course not.

00:12:42This is 1984.

00:12:44But you were a very obliging landlady.

00:12:46How do you mean?

00:12:46Well, despite the level of rows you'd have us took place at Rose Cottage, you accepted his bad moods, his personal comments, jealousy, listened to his problems, even saw to his laundry.

00:12:56Yes, I'm in a caring profession, Mr Hurst.

00:12:59I'm a junior schoolteacher.

00:13:00Those are the sort of functions I carry out daily.

00:13:02Oh, so you're telling us you were not Mr Stedman's lover.

00:13:06You were merely treating him as you would one of your junior boys.

00:13:09Yes, I am paid to care for little boys, just as I was paid to care for Russell.

00:13:13But had not Mr Stedman on several occasions asked to marry you?

00:13:17And had you not on several occasions accepted?

00:13:20No, never.

00:13:21Marriage falls quite outside the job description.

00:13:23Well, can you explain then why a perfectly attractive, eligible, successful young man should announce to his colleagues that he was engaged if he'd had no encouragement?

00:13:31Mr Hurst, what exactly is your line of argument here?

00:13:35You and I both know that provocation is only relevant in a murder trial, not a grievous bodily harm.

00:13:41Indeed so, my lord.

00:13:42I am merely trying to prove that Miss Rogers is a totally unreliable witness and that her testimony should not be believed.

00:13:50Very well.

00:13:50Look, if anyone should have been provoked, it was me, not him.

00:13:54Yes, living with him, I became more aware of violence.

00:13:57His!

00:13:59Well, if he can sell weapons, he's quite capable of driving a car at me.

00:14:02Oh, come, come, Miss Rogers, this isn't a violent man.

00:14:05Six months ago, he pushed me down the stairs.

00:14:07I was trying to get his things out of my house at the time when he pushed me.

00:14:10Well, ask Jeannie Franklin.

00:14:11Miss Rogers, she was there.

00:14:12She called the police.

00:14:15This is no concern of the court.

00:14:17No, the police weren't overly concerned either.

00:14:19Look...

00:14:20They said...

00:14:20Yes, yes.

00:14:21If we could leave this gossip, please, and get back to the case in hand...

00:14:24They said that I was a big, strapping girl and quite capable of looking after myself, even though I'd broken my ankle.

00:14:29My lord, this is most prejudicial to my case.

00:14:31My client is not being tried for some instant, the facts of which cannot be proved.

00:14:35To be fair, Mr. Harris, you did introduce the subject with a question of your own.

00:14:39I will, nevertheless, instruct the jury to put it out of their minds.

00:14:43You will please ignore the witness's last disclosure.

00:14:45What did your friends think of Stedman?

00:14:50They didn't approve.

00:14:51Oh, so you wouldn't have been able to tell them that you were sleeping with the enemy.

00:14:56This is ridiculous.

00:14:57I have never slept with Russell Stedman.

00:14:58Then why did Mr. Stedman accuse you of telling everyone he was no good in bed?

00:15:02Well, I can't be expected to account for his paranoia now, can I?

00:15:05Throughout this examination, you felt free to comment on another man's thoughts.

00:15:10I mean, you told my learned friend that Stedman had to be the best lover, the best...

00:15:13Why do you say the best lover?

00:15:14Well, I just...

00:15:15I mean, why would you say he was trying to be the best lover if you had no experience of his attention?

00:15:20All right, all right.

00:15:20What if I had slept with him?

00:15:22Of what possible interest can it be to anyone?

00:15:24No interest at all, Miss Rogers, none at all.

00:15:30The court does not care how many men you sleep with, but it does care whether or not you are telling the truth.

00:15:37And throughout this testimony, you have repeatedly lied about your relationship with Russell Stedman.

00:15:41You have told the jury a lie.

00:15:45Is there any reason why they should not dismiss the rest of your evidence as a lie?

00:15:54What do you think, Mrs Rogers?

00:16:06It might never happen.

00:16:09My daughter dragging us through the dirt.

00:16:14Why couldn't she get married like everyone else?

00:16:17She only slept with the bloke.

00:16:19You girls have no idea how to treat a decent young man when one comes along.

00:16:24He wanted to marry her.

00:16:26No, not our Hillary.

00:16:28It would be too easy.

00:16:30Simple.

00:16:31Instead, we have this.

00:16:33And all her daddy and I ever wanted was for her to be happy.

00:16:42Miss Rogers, why didn't you tell us about your affair with Mr Stedman?

00:16:46Partly because it was nothing.

00:16:48But to me, it was nothing.

00:16:51I didn't realise it was going to get to be so important to him, but it did.

00:16:55When did the affair take place?

00:16:57Last Christmas.

00:16:59Well, holidays aren't very good for people on their own, and I couldn't face going to mother's.

00:17:04So, well, it just happened.

00:17:08And after the holiday?

00:17:10It didn't work out.

00:17:10Yes, well, a man like Russell.

00:17:16Look, I'm not beautiful.

00:17:19You wouldn't call me beautiful.

00:17:20And I did find him attractive physically.

00:17:24The thought that we could live together in my little house.

00:17:28Well, I liked the idea.

00:17:30But after a week or two, he got to be so possessive.

00:17:33Possessive.

00:17:35And sexually, when it came to it, he wasn't quite surprised.

00:17:41I thought he would have been more experienced.

00:17:43Anyway, by the end of the New Year holiday, reality dawned.

00:17:49It was as if we came from different planets.

00:17:51What did you do then?

00:17:52We talked.

00:17:54I didn't want to hurt him.

00:17:57He'd even asked me to marry him.

00:17:58Eventually, he said he would leave.

00:18:02But he didn't.

00:18:03No.

00:18:04But I did try to get him out of my house, and that's when he pushed me down the stairs.

00:18:08Please, Miss Rogers, the law only allows us to deal with the offence in hand.

00:18:12Look, sleeping with Russell, and trying to make a relationship work with him, shocked me.

00:18:18It shocked me.

00:18:20It shocked me that, for all my strength outwardly, my independence,

00:18:24I could be so vulnerable, so frightened of a future on my own,

00:18:29that I'd link myself with a man who I despise.

00:18:32I don't hate him, but I do despise his ideas, his whole way of living.

00:18:41I was too ashamed to say I'd slept with him.

00:18:43That's why I didn't tell you.

00:18:45I couldn't tell anyone.

00:18:48Did you deliberately try to mislead this court?

00:18:51Oh, no.

00:18:53No, not at all.

00:18:55You are Mark Bowles of the Cedars, Fulchester Heights,

00:18:58son of Mr. Henry Sidgwick Bowles, managing director of Aston Avionics.

00:19:02That's right.

00:19:02What is your profession?

00:19:04I'm a third-year history student at Sussex University.

00:19:06I hope to teach if there are any jobs.

00:19:08And if there aren't, will you go into your father's business?

00:19:10No chance.

00:19:11I object to the way he earns his money.

00:19:13Yet you went to his company dance.

00:19:14He told me to.

00:19:16Tell us about the evening.

00:19:18It was the usual boring farce,

00:19:20middle-aged couples waltzing around worrying about their careers,

00:19:23oblivious of the fact that the weapons they make

00:19:25could destroy the whole structure of the world.

00:19:27It felt more like a wake than a celebration.

00:19:29Did you speak to anyone?

00:19:31There were the usual introductions.

00:19:32And I met Hilary Rogers.

00:19:34She was as out of place as I was.

00:19:35Tell us what happened.

00:19:36She was with Stedman.

00:19:38They were talking to Bartlett, the personnel director.

00:19:40I joined them for a drink.

00:19:42Did the accused say anything to you?

00:19:44When he realised who I was, he was all over me.

00:19:47Then he introduced Hilary, Miss Rogers, as his fiancée.

00:19:50Was there any reaction to that information?

00:19:53Bartlett grinned in his usual inane way.

00:19:56Told Stedman it would be nice to get his file straight at last.

00:19:59It would be nice to get his file straight at last?

00:20:01Yes, it puzzled Miss Rogers, too.

00:20:03So she asked him what he meant.

00:20:04Apparently, Bartlett reckoned there was space in Stedman's personal file

00:20:07for details about his wife, whether she'd fit in and all that.

00:20:10Did either Miss Rogers or Stedman say anything?

00:20:13Hilary turned pale.

00:20:14So Stedman laughed and stuck his arm round her waist and said,

00:20:17Don't worry, sweetheart, everyone's going to love you.

00:20:20And then Hilary told Bartlett she wasn't engaged to Stedman,

00:20:22had no intention of ever being so, and then she walked away.

00:20:25Did you see Miss Rogers again?

00:20:27I went and asked her for a dance.

00:20:29And how long did you dance?

00:20:30On and off throughout the first half of the evening,

00:20:32until Stedman got too much.

00:20:34How do you mean?

00:20:35Well, he kept bringing people to meet Hilary,

00:20:37still introducing her as his fiancée.

00:20:38It was ludicrous.

00:20:39The first couple of times she just laughed it off,

00:20:41but then she started to get angry, denied it.

00:20:44So I told Stedman to, um, well, to keep away.

00:20:47Did he?

00:20:48Not exactly.

00:20:49He hovered like a wounded vulture.

00:20:52Eventually it was Hilary who thought she ought to go and join him

00:20:54as she'd come with a jealous idiot, that's what I thought of him.

00:20:57But she was remarkably understanding, considering.

00:20:58During the evening, did you have any more dealings with the accused?

00:21:02Not until it was nearly time to leave.

00:21:03We met in the gents.

00:21:04Did he speak?

00:21:05Oh, yes.

00:21:07He told me Hilary didn't need some immature academic layabout

00:21:10who knew, um, well, who knew bugger all about the real world,

00:21:14that's what he said,

00:21:15and that she was into proper men.

00:21:17It was pathetic.

00:21:18I thought he'd been reading some trashy novels or something.

00:21:20Is that the last you saw of the accused?

00:21:22No, I saw him in his car.

00:21:23And where was that?

00:21:24In front of the main entrance.

00:21:25The car was coming across the forecourt,

00:21:27and I could see Hilary quite a way away to my left.

00:21:29As I watched, the car changed directions,

00:21:31levelled up, and drove towards her.

00:21:33The headlights went on, spotlighting Hilary.

00:21:35I realised that he'd seen her

00:21:36and thought he was probably going to stop and pick her up.

00:21:38It was then that I turned round to light my cigarette.

00:21:40I only turned back when I heard Hilary yell,

00:21:42Russell, don't.

00:21:43And when you turned back, what did you see?

00:21:46Well, the lunatic didn't even try to brake,

00:21:48and he switched the lights off.

00:21:49The car was almost on top of Hilary.

00:21:51She was running towards us, waving her arms,

00:21:53but she tripped on her long dress.

00:21:55And then the car swerved towards her and hit her.

00:21:58The speed didn't drop at all.

00:21:59How fast do you estimate he was going?

00:22:01At least 30.

00:22:02But if he tried, I'm sure he could have stopped.

00:22:06Thank you, Mr. Bowles.

00:22:10Have you seen Miss Rogers since the incident?

00:22:13Yes.

00:22:14Often?

00:22:16A bit.

00:22:17Often enough to become totally familiar

00:22:19with her version of the relationship with Stedman?

00:22:22Yes, I suppose so.

00:22:23Often enough to become totally familiar with Miss Rogers?

00:22:28Yes, actually, as it happens, but I...

00:22:30I put it to you, Mr. Bowles,

00:22:31that your intimate friendship with Miss Rogers

00:22:33has unduly influenced your attitude

00:22:35to the events of that evening.

00:22:37Well, that's ridiculous.

00:22:37I made a statement on the night it happened.

00:22:39Yes, but even then, you'd already decided

00:22:41to take Miss Rogers away from Mr. Stedman.

00:22:43Take her away?

00:22:45What kind of language is that?

00:22:46This is past the age of the chastity belt.

00:22:48She didn't belong to him.

00:22:49She doesn't belong to me, for that matter.

00:22:51She was perfectly capable of making her own choice.

00:22:53Now, you said that during the evening,

00:22:57Miss Rogers was remarkably understanding considering.

00:23:00Considering what?

00:23:01Considering Stedman's behaviour.

00:23:04Mr. Bowles, how old are you?

00:23:0620, but I'll be 21 soon.

00:23:07Do you have a lot of experience of relationships

00:23:09between men and women?

00:23:10I've had a few girlfriends.

00:23:12A few?

00:23:13Two, actually, and now Hillary.

00:23:15Who at 33 is hardly a girl.

00:23:18Now, did you know that some relationships

00:23:19between men and women thrive on conflict?

00:23:22I don't understand.

00:23:23Is it possible that Miss Rogers

00:23:24was remarkably understanding

00:23:26because what you were witnessing

00:23:27between her and Mr. Stedman

00:23:29was part of their normal relationship?

00:23:31No, from what Hillary said.

00:23:32From what Hillary said.

00:23:33I put it to you, Mr. Bowles,

00:23:36that your whole testimony rests

00:23:38on what Hillary said about Stedman,

00:23:40both on that evening and subsequently.

00:23:42No, all I know is that he drove his car at her.

00:23:45Could what you have seen have been an accident?

00:23:47Never.

00:23:48Mr. Bowles, is it not the case

00:23:49that when you came to make your statement,

00:23:51you were already predisposed

00:23:52to find Stedman guilty?

00:23:54No.

00:23:55No further questions, thank you.

00:23:57I suppose you're going to tell us next

00:23:58you got a kick out of being flattened

00:23:59by Macho Man's car.

00:24:00Mr. Bowles.

00:24:01Mr. Bowles!

00:24:02The case of the Queen and Stedman

00:24:18will be resumed tomorrow

00:24:19in the Crown Court.

00:24:20The case you're about to see,

00:24:50is fictional.

00:24:51The procedure, however, is legally accurate.

00:24:54The characters are played by actors,

00:24:55but the jury is selected

00:24:56from members of the public.

00:24:58The Crown contend that Russell Stedman

00:25:00drove his car at Miss Hillary Rogers

00:25:02with intent to do her grievous bodily harm.

00:25:05It's the contention of the defence

00:25:06that Miss Rogers sustained her injuries accidentally

00:25:09when she ran into the park of the car.

00:25:11Sexy schoolmistress in after-school activities.

00:25:24Typical.

00:25:25They get it all wrong.

00:25:26It's not how she was brought up.

00:25:28Is it asking too much to want to see her settled?

00:25:31But no.

00:25:32Now she's cradle-snatching.

00:25:35Taken up with a 20-year-old.

00:25:37Her daddy's too ashamed to show his face.

00:25:40He had such high hopes of his Hillary.

00:25:43His Hillary.

00:25:44Yes.

00:25:45Well, she doesn't get it from me.

00:25:47Look, just who is it's on trial here, Mrs Rogers?

00:25:51I would contend, my lord,

00:25:53that such misleading reporting

00:25:54can only suggest to the jury

00:25:55that Miss Rogers brought her injuries upon herself,

00:25:57that Stedman was provoked into running her down.

00:26:00Whilst it is true that the prosecution's case

00:26:02depends upon proving a motive of jealousy

00:26:04and unrequited love,

00:26:05it is nevertheless quite wrong of the newspapers

00:26:07to suggest that Miss Rogers was in any way to blame.

00:26:09Mr Hurst?

00:26:12It's already been adequately pointed out by your lordship

00:26:15that provocation is not an issue

00:26:17in a case of grievous bodily harm.

00:26:19And if it is not an issue,

00:26:21I fail to see why my learned friend

00:26:22takes such exception to a few tabloid articles.

00:26:26Mr Steed?

00:26:27My lord,

00:26:28the jury has been tainted with misinformation

00:26:30likely to cause it to look unduly favourably upon the accused.

00:26:34I would request that the jury be discharged.

00:26:37I would agree, Mr Steed,

00:26:38that as far as Miss Rogers personally is concerned,

00:26:41the tabloids have jumped to some

00:26:43unfortunate and hurtful conclusions.

00:26:47And the matter in hand

00:26:48is not finally whether Miss Rogers was Stedman's lover

00:26:52or whether she had other lovers.

00:26:55It is whether or not Stedman

00:26:56ran her over deliberately.

00:26:59This application is refused.

00:27:01Yes, I accompanied my husband

00:27:08to the Aston avionics executive dinner

00:27:10as I have for the past 20 years.

00:27:13Was there anything unusual about this year, Mrs Bowles?

00:27:15Yes, Miss Rogers was run over.

00:27:17That made a change.

00:27:18There have been years

00:27:19when I would gladly have done the same thing to Henry

00:27:21if only to relieve the boredom.

00:27:23Yes, Mrs Bowles,

00:27:24if we could confine ourselves to what you saw.

00:27:25One is allowed to dream, Mr Steed.

00:27:28But not in the court's time, Mrs Bowles, thank you.

00:27:31I was walking across the forecourt with Miss Rogers.

00:27:35She was such a breath of fresh air.

00:27:37Yes, that's what was different.

00:27:39We'd been talking about poetry.

00:27:41Tennyson.

00:27:41And we were looking at the stars.

00:27:43Then Henry called me back.

00:27:46He'd stayed sheltered in order to light his filthy cigar.

00:27:49I don't think he sees stars anymore.

00:27:53Anyway, he called.

00:27:55I turned back.

00:27:56Habit of a lifetime, I suppose.

00:27:58He shouts, I respond.

00:28:01I got back to the steps

00:28:02and then I heard the car and turned round.

00:28:04Where did you first see the car?

00:28:05Well, it was coming in a sort of semicircle

00:28:08across the open space in front of the building.

00:28:10There was dust flying everywhere.

00:28:11It must have been doing 35.

00:28:13Then it half turned,

00:28:15crossed in front of the building,

00:28:17but a long way off,

00:28:17on the same line as Miss Rogers.

00:28:20On the same line as Miss Rogers?

00:28:21Yes, level with Hillary.

00:28:23Then what happened?

00:28:24Then the headlamps went on.

00:28:26You could see her in the light.

00:28:27Then almost immediately they went off.

00:28:29Could you see Miss Rogers

00:28:30before the headlamps were switched on?

00:28:32Oh, yes.

00:28:32The stars were very bright.

00:28:35She was standing there by herself.

00:28:37She looked very,

00:28:39very complete

00:28:41on her own.

00:28:43I envied her.

00:28:45What happened then?

00:28:46I realised Russell

00:28:47was showing off his toy.

00:28:49My husband had given him

00:28:50a new company car.

00:28:52He was headed straight for the girl

00:28:53and very fast.

00:28:54Did the driver make any attempt to stop?

00:28:56No, none.

00:28:58What did Miss Rogers do?

00:29:00That's what I don't understand.

00:29:01She didn't do anything.

00:29:03She just stood there

00:29:04like a frightened rabbit.

00:29:06It was only at the last minute

00:29:07that she suddenly shouted something

00:29:09and waved her arms.

00:29:10Then she turned and ran towards us

00:29:12at the front door.

00:29:12But the car changed direction.

00:29:15It drove the way she was running

00:29:17and then it hit her

00:29:18and she was dragged along the ground

00:29:20before the car stopped.

00:29:22And what did Steadman do?

00:29:23He got out of the car

00:29:24and he went over to Hillary.

00:29:26But he didn't bend down.

00:29:28He didn't even bend down

00:29:30to comfort her.

00:29:31He just stood there

00:29:33looking down at her.

00:29:34I got there as fast as I could.

00:29:36I put my fur coat over the poor girl

00:29:38until the ambulance arrived.

00:29:39And your husband?

00:29:40What did he do?

00:29:41Oh, he wasn't careful

00:29:43of getting anywhere fast.

00:29:45What was wrong with him?

00:29:47He was drunk.

00:29:50Thank you, Mrs Bowles.

00:29:52Mrs Bowles,

00:29:54was Miss Rogers introduced you

00:29:56as Steadman's fiancée?

00:29:57Yes, but later she denied it.

00:29:59I turned him down in front of everyone.

00:30:01Good for her.

00:30:03So you're on her side.

00:30:06Mr Hurst,

00:30:07I had a similar introduction

00:30:08to company life.

00:30:10If I had known then

00:30:11what I know now,

00:30:12the uselessness,

00:30:14the pretense,

00:30:15Miss Rogers was wise

00:30:17to get out when she could

00:30:18before she needed

00:30:19the usual anaesthetics.

00:30:21Anaesthetic, Mrs Bowles?

00:30:23A few gins.

00:30:25Oh, so you'd been drinking

00:30:26at the dinner?

00:30:27Like everyone else.

00:30:29I wasn't driving

00:30:30and I had to keep up

00:30:32with my husband.

00:30:33A woman must keep up.

00:30:34You told the court earlier

00:30:36that your husband was drunk.

00:30:37Does that mean

00:30:38that you were drunk too,

00:30:39Mrs Bowles?

00:30:40I didn't say

00:30:41I had caught him up,

00:30:42now did I?

00:30:44Now you said

00:30:45that you found Miss Rogers

00:30:46to be a breath of fresh air.

00:30:48Yes.

00:30:49Or was that

00:30:49because she expressed

00:30:50the same antagonism

00:30:51to the company and men

00:30:52that you yourself

00:30:53were feeling?

00:30:54I, well,

00:30:57yes.

00:30:58Yes, it was.

00:30:59I would suggest,

00:31:00Mrs Bowles,

00:31:00that you were favourably

00:31:01disposed towards Miss Rogers

00:31:02before the incident

00:31:03and this has coloured

00:31:04your evidence.

00:31:05Mr Hurst,

00:31:05I do know what I saw.

00:31:07Mrs Bowles,

00:31:08do you drive?

00:31:09No, we have a chauffeur.

00:31:12Is it true

00:31:12that you suffered

00:31:13a childhood accident

00:31:14that has left you

00:31:15blind in one eye?

00:31:18Yes.

00:31:18Is that why you don't drive

00:31:20because you have

00:31:20impaired vision?

00:31:21No.

00:31:22And I don't wear spectacles.

00:31:25My long sight

00:31:26is better than

00:31:26my husband's

00:31:27drunk or sober.

00:31:29Is it true

00:31:29that the loss of sight

00:31:30in one eye

00:31:30entails a loss

00:31:31of three-dimensional vision?

00:31:34Yes.

00:31:35Is the effect

00:31:35of this in real terms

00:31:36a difficulty

00:31:37in distinguishing

00:31:38relative distances

00:31:39in assessing

00:31:39whether one object

00:31:40is nearer

00:31:41or farther away

00:31:42than the other?

00:31:42Yes, but like

00:31:43everything else in life,

00:31:44one learns to compensate.

00:31:46You told this court

00:31:47that the accused

00:31:47was driving a long way out

00:31:49but on the same line

00:31:50as Miss Rogers.

00:31:50Yes.

00:31:51But, Mrs. Bowles,

00:31:52it was night time.

00:31:53You were watching a girl

00:31:53in a dark black dress

00:31:56and a grey coat

00:31:57and a fast-moving car.

00:31:58There was none

00:31:58of the usual paraphernalia

00:31:59of street life

00:32:00against which

00:32:00to judge distances.

00:32:02Only a flat expanse

00:32:03of cinder-coloured space.

00:32:04I know that.

00:32:06He drove at her.

00:32:08She tried to move

00:32:09out of the way.

00:32:11But, Mrs. Bowles,

00:32:12with your impaired vision,

00:32:13it was impossible

00:32:14for you to judge

00:32:14whether she moved

00:32:17into Mr. Stedman's line

00:32:19or out of it.

00:32:19You are determined

00:32:21not to believe

00:32:22a word I am saying.

00:32:23And I'm sure,

00:32:24Mrs. Bowles,

00:32:24that however much

00:32:25you believe

00:32:26your account

00:32:27of what you saw

00:32:27that night,

00:32:28you're not equipped

00:32:29to give the court

00:32:30reliable information.

00:32:31Not equipped?

00:32:32I have managed

00:32:33perfectly well for years.

00:32:34I...

00:32:34Mr. Hurst,

00:32:37if you would care

00:32:38to polish your own spectacles,

00:32:40you would be able

00:32:40to see what a ruthless

00:32:41young man Stedman is.

00:32:43Not as cultivated

00:32:44as my Henry,

00:32:45but along the same lines.

00:32:46And even I can see that.

00:32:49I arrived alone.

00:32:51We were shorthanded.

00:32:52It was 1.16 on Sunday,

00:32:54the 18th of September.

00:32:56And Miss Rogers

00:32:56had not been moved

00:32:57and lay on the ground

00:32:58some 25 yards

00:32:59from the main canteen entrance.

00:33:01She was unconscious

00:33:02and covered with a fur coat.

00:33:03Can you tell us

00:33:04what the other people

00:33:05at the scene were doing?

00:33:06A lady was somewhat hysterical.

00:33:08I later ascertained

00:33:09that it was Mrs. Bowles.

00:33:10Her husband was doing

00:33:11his best to subdue her.

00:33:13Did the accused speak to you?

00:33:16He said he'd been indoors

00:33:17and had been sick.

00:33:18I asked him what had happened,

00:33:19but before he could answer,

00:33:20Mr. Bowles said

00:33:21he'd seen it all

00:33:21and it was an accident.

00:33:23Mrs. Bowles shouted

00:33:24it was deliberate.

00:33:25I decided it would be best

00:33:27to caution the accused

00:33:28who said,

00:33:30I'm saying nothing

00:33:30until I see my lawyer.

00:33:32Don't worry, officer,

00:33:33that won't be long.

00:33:34He's on his way.

00:33:34I just called him.

00:33:35You mean that whilst

00:33:36Stedman was inside the building

00:33:37he had called his lawyer?

00:33:38Yes, that's what he said.

00:33:39So by the time you cautioned him

00:33:40his lawyer was already on the way?

00:33:41Apparently.

00:33:41What happened

00:33:43once the ambulance arrived?

00:33:44Mr. Mark Bowles

00:33:45was anxious to go

00:33:46with Miss Rogers.

00:33:47I thought he was a boyfriend

00:33:48so I agreed.

00:33:49Then I checked the ground.

00:33:52There was a longish skid mark

00:33:54ending at the spot

00:33:55where Miss Rogers lay.

00:33:56Did you measure it?

00:33:57No, sir.

00:33:58Forensic would do that

00:33:58in the morning.

00:33:59I did do a quick check

00:34:00of the car,

00:34:01tyres, etc.

00:34:02Without moving it,

00:34:03you understand.

00:34:04Everything seemed

00:34:05in good working order.

00:34:06Did you check the lights?

00:34:07Yes, they were working too.

00:34:09What happened then?

00:34:10The premises were locked

00:34:11and instructions left

00:34:12with the night watchman

00:34:13that nothing was to be moved.

00:34:14Did you post a policeman

00:34:15on guard?

00:34:16Unfortunately not, sir.

00:34:18The next morning

00:34:19I returned to the scene

00:34:20with Forensic

00:34:20to get details of the skid.

00:34:22We might have been able

00:34:23to ascertain the speed

00:34:24of the car

00:34:24when it hit her.

00:34:25Did you get those details?

00:34:27Unfortunately not.

00:34:28The night watchman

00:34:29had gone off shift

00:34:30and someone

00:34:31had moved the car.

00:34:33We'd been unable

00:34:34to trace the culprit

00:34:35and a lot of cars

00:34:36had driven over the spot

00:34:37before we reached it.

00:34:39Thank you, Constable.

00:34:42Constable,

00:34:42you just told the court

00:34:43that Stedman called

00:34:44a lawyer.

00:34:45Yes.

00:34:46Is that not his right?

00:34:47Yes.

00:34:48Had the ambulance

00:34:49been called?

00:34:50Yes, some ten minutes earlier.

00:34:51And who had called it?

00:34:52Mr Stedman, I believe.

00:34:54Before he called a lawyer?

00:34:55Yes, it would seem so,

00:34:56but he...

00:34:57he seemed too calm.

00:35:00Too calm?

00:35:00Yes, considering

00:35:01he'd just knocked

00:35:02the girl over.

00:35:03But you've just told the court

00:35:04that Mr Stedman

00:35:05had been sick.

00:35:06Well, that's what he said.

00:35:07I didn't see him.

00:35:08Was Mr Stedman breathalyzed?

00:35:11Yes.

00:35:12And the result?

00:35:13We barely got a reading.

00:35:15Obviously,

00:35:16he'd hardly touched a drop.

00:35:17Well, could the fact

00:35:18that he was sober

00:35:19have accounted

00:35:19for his calm behaviour?

00:35:22Yes, it could have.

00:35:23When the car was test-driven,

00:35:24did you find any defects?

00:35:26No, none at all.

00:35:27It was almost brand new.

00:35:29Did you examine

00:35:30the windscreen?

00:35:31Yes, it wasn't very clean.

00:35:34Ah, could you elaborate?

00:35:35The accused had been

00:35:36parked under some lime trees

00:35:37that were shedding their leaves.

00:35:39The windscreen

00:35:40was somewhat sticky.

00:35:41At night,

00:35:42would the accused

00:35:42have had difficulty

00:35:43seeing through the windscreen?

00:35:45Well, it's surprising

00:35:45how many people do manage

00:35:46to drive with dirty windscreens.

00:35:48But could the sticky substance

00:35:49on the windscreen

00:35:50have impaired

00:35:51Mr Stedman's vision?

00:35:53Perhaps.

00:35:54Could it have contributed

00:35:55to an accident?

00:35:56In the right circumstances.

00:35:57And could those circumstances

00:36:00have been found

00:36:01on a September night

00:36:02on an unlit forecourt

00:36:03where a woman

00:36:04in a black dress

00:36:05and a grey coat

00:36:06was standing

00:36:06where the defendant

00:36:07did not expect

00:36:08to see her?

00:36:09Yes.

00:36:10Possibly.

00:36:11Of course it was

00:36:26an accident.

00:36:27How could it be

00:36:28anything else?

00:36:29Not content

00:36:30with showing her parents up.

00:36:32She's putting

00:36:32poor Russell

00:36:33through all this.

00:36:35He was always

00:36:36very nice to me.

00:36:38Are you Miss Jean Franklin?

00:36:39Yes.

00:36:40Miss Franklin,

00:36:41where do you live?

00:36:41Number 5 Rose Cottages

00:36:43next door to Hillary

00:36:44and him.

00:36:45Would you tell the court

00:36:46what happened

00:36:46on September 15th

00:36:47three days before

00:36:48Miss Rogers was run over?

00:36:49I dropped into

00:36:50number 3

00:36:51about some posters

00:36:52Hillary had been

00:36:52promising to circulate

00:36:53but when I walked

00:36:54in the kitchen

00:36:55Russell was sat

00:36:56at the table.

00:36:57Did he say anything

00:36:57to you?

00:36:58He asked me

00:36:59why I hadn't knocked

00:37:00and I told him

00:37:01I never did.

00:37:02So he said

00:37:03well you'd better start

00:37:04things are changing

00:37:04round here.

00:37:05Did you understand

00:37:06what he meant?

00:37:07Not exactly.

00:37:08Anyway I made

00:37:09a cup of tea

00:37:09and sat down

00:37:10to wait for Hillary.

00:37:11There was a lot

00:37:12of bonking and banging

00:37:13going on upstairs.

00:37:14She was obviously busy.

00:37:15Old Russell had only

00:37:16started to unroll

00:37:17my posters.

00:37:19He reckoned

00:37:19that for women

00:37:20nuclear protests

00:37:21have replaced housework

00:37:22but if it kept us

00:37:23off the streets

00:37:24he supposed

00:37:25it didn't do any harm.

00:37:26I laughed

00:37:27because obviously

00:37:27we'd been on the streets

00:37:28with a vengeance.

00:37:29He didn't like me laughing.

00:37:31Miss Franklin

00:37:31what is the point

00:37:33you're trying to make?

00:37:35The point is

00:37:35Lord Chip

00:37:36he couldn't see

00:37:37there was anything

00:37:37wrong in nuclear weapons

00:37:38just so long as he had

00:37:39one of the key jobs

00:37:40in the business

00:37:41provided he had a career.

00:37:43Miss Franklin

00:37:43please

00:37:43I assume you are here

00:37:45for some other purpose

00:37:46than to give us a

00:37:47lecture on nuclear disarmament.

00:37:49It wouldn't go amiss.

00:37:52I don't imagine

00:37:52you've already told

00:37:53the monopoly on protest.

00:37:55There is I believe

00:37:56an organisation called

00:37:57lawyers for nuclear disarmament.

00:38:00Now shall we get on

00:38:01with the point in hand?

00:38:02Well the point is

00:38:02Hillary came down

00:38:03from upstairs

00:38:04told Russell his things

00:38:05were packed

00:38:06and he could leave

00:38:06right away.

00:38:07What was his response?

00:38:09He said he could leave

00:38:10but he wouldn't

00:38:11and she might as well

00:38:12unpack his shirts now

00:38:13to save her having

00:38:14to iron them again.

00:38:15Then he spilled tea

00:38:16on my posters.

00:38:18He said that was

00:38:18an accident too.

00:38:20Then what happened?

00:38:21I'm afraid I couldn't

00:38:22help myself

00:38:23friend or no friend.

00:38:25I said you don't

00:38:26iron the bleeping

00:38:28bleepers shirts

00:38:29do you?

00:38:29And that's when

00:38:30Russell shouted at Hillary

00:38:31to keep her bloody

00:38:32harpies out of the house.

00:38:34I think he must have

00:38:35meant me and the girls.

00:38:37Did she reply?

00:38:39She said if anyone

00:38:39was going it was him.

00:38:41But he just smiled.

00:38:43Smiled for a long time

00:38:44and then said

00:38:45over your dead body

00:38:47over your dead body

00:38:48sweetheart.

00:38:50Over your dead body.

00:38:52Those were his exact words.

00:38:53Yeah.

00:38:54He meant it.

00:38:56The smile wiped

00:38:57from his face

00:38:58as he said it

00:38:58calm as anything.

00:38:59And of course

00:39:01three days later

00:39:01he'd run her down.

00:39:04Miss Franklin

00:39:05you just told the court

00:39:06that Stedman

00:39:07had asked her to start

00:39:08knocking at the door

00:39:08before entering

00:39:09because things were changing.

00:39:11That's right.

00:39:11Throwing his weight about.

00:39:13Well could he have meant

00:39:14that he and Miss Rogers

00:39:15were going to formalise

00:39:16their relationship

00:39:17get engaged

00:39:18and you'd no longer

00:39:19be welcome in their house?

00:39:20She wouldn't do that.

00:39:22But could it have meant that?

00:39:23How?

00:39:24He'd already shoved her

00:39:25down the stairs once.

00:39:26Miss Franklin

00:39:26and that information

00:39:27is totally outside

00:39:28the scope of this trial.

00:39:30The jury will ignore

00:39:31ignore that last remark.

00:39:33But it's not

00:39:33the sort of information

00:39:34you ignore when deciding

00:39:35whether or not

00:39:36to marry a bloke

00:39:37is it?

00:39:37Anyway Hillary

00:39:38was upstairs

00:39:39packing his things.

00:39:39But in the three days

00:39:40between her telling him

00:39:41to go and the company

00:39:42dance

00:39:43Russell Stedman

00:39:43did not move out.

00:39:45Do you know why not?

00:39:46I suppose he got heavy

00:39:48and she caved in

00:39:49as usual.

00:39:50Or Miss Rogers

00:39:51never really wanted

00:39:52him to leave.

00:39:54Miss Franklin

00:39:55when the accused said

00:39:56he would only leave

00:39:57over Miss Rogers

00:39:58dead body

00:39:59could it have been

00:40:00a joke?

00:40:01Some joke.

00:40:02Well he did also

00:40:03call her sweetheart.

00:40:04Yeah but who'd want

00:40:05to be called sweetheart

00:40:06by him?

00:40:06Now I put it to you

00:40:07Miss Franklin

00:40:07that what you were

00:40:08witnessing was part

00:40:09of an elaborate game

00:40:10played privately

00:40:11between Miss Rogers

00:40:14and the defendant

00:40:14a game to which

00:40:15you were not privy.

00:40:16Then she'd have been

00:40:17safer playing solitaire.

00:40:19I told her she should

00:40:19get him out of her house.

00:40:20I would suggest

00:40:21Miss Franklin

00:40:22that your evidence

00:40:23today if that's

00:40:24if that's what you

00:40:25call it

00:40:26is biased by your

00:40:27dislike both of the

00:40:28defendant and his

00:40:29profession.

00:40:31Well do you or do you

00:40:33not disapprove

00:40:34of Mr. Stedman?

00:40:35That's obvious.

00:40:37But for that matter

00:40:38I disapprove of you

00:40:39and Mr. Steed.

00:40:40I don't see why Hillary

00:40:41didn't have a woman

00:40:41barrister.

00:40:42Miss Franklin

00:40:43the witness didn't

00:40:44choose her barrister.

00:40:46Mr. Steed was

00:40:47allocated.

00:40:48Then who chose you?

00:40:49It would be nice to

00:40:50see a woman

00:40:50instead of you.

00:40:52I agree.

00:40:53I can think of far

00:40:54more comfortable

00:40:54places to be than

00:40:55here trying to keep

00:40:56you to the point.

00:40:57I do get on

00:40:58Mr. Hurst.

00:40:59My lord.

00:41:00Miss Franklin

00:41:00did you see

00:41:01Mr. Stedman's car

00:41:02run into Miss Rogers?

00:41:04Of course not.

00:41:05I wasn't there.

00:41:06Then I think you

00:41:07can be of no

00:41:08further help.

00:41:09Thank you

00:41:09Miss Franklin.

00:41:13You might stand

00:41:14down Miss Franklin.

00:41:16You mean

00:41:16no one in this

00:41:18mealy-mouthed

00:41:19court is going to

00:41:19say anything about

00:41:20him pushing her

00:41:20down the stairs?

00:41:21Miss Franklin

00:41:22I've already

00:41:22explained.

00:41:23He pushed her.

00:41:24She broke her

00:41:25ankle.

00:41:26With a car

00:41:27he broke her

00:41:27leg.

00:41:28Now one accident

00:41:29I could take

00:41:29but not two.

00:41:30Not two.

00:41:31Miss Franklin

00:41:31you will please

00:41:32leave the box.

00:41:34Not much point

00:41:35staying.

00:41:37Rotten male

00:41:37dominated system.

00:41:39They are the

00:41:39rules Miss Franklin.

00:41:40Yeah and who

00:41:41made the rules?

00:41:41Men!

00:41:43Come on

00:41:43men!

00:41:43That closes

00:41:48the case

00:41:49for the

00:41:49prosecution.

00:41:51You are

00:41:52Mr. Russell

00:41:53Stedman of

00:41:5353 Rowlands

00:41:54Avenue

00:41:55Fulchester

00:41:55a senior

00:41:56sales manager

00:41:57at Aston

00:41:58Avionics.

00:41:58Correct.

00:41:59What was your

00:42:00relationship with

00:42:01Miss Rogers?

00:42:03Initially I was

00:42:03her lodger.

00:42:05Hillary and I

00:42:05really got together

00:42:06last Christmas.

00:42:07That was the

00:42:08turning point.

00:42:09Before that I'd

00:42:10stayed there

00:42:10but we'd

00:42:11never...

00:42:12At Christmas

00:42:13you became

00:42:13lovers?

00:42:14Yes.

00:42:15And things

00:42:15escalated very

00:42:16quickly.

00:42:16I suppose that's

00:42:17the way love

00:42:17can go.

00:42:19But I wasn't

00:42:19altogether happy

00:42:20with the

00:42:20arrangement.

00:42:21Living together

00:42:22without being

00:42:22married.

00:42:23I don't hold

00:42:23with that sort

00:42:24of thing.

00:42:25So we got

00:42:25engaged.

00:42:26That was last

00:42:27March just

00:42:27before I went

00:42:28away on business.

00:42:29What happened

00:42:29when you came

00:42:30back?

00:42:31Well she'd

00:42:31broken it off.

00:42:32She said she

00:42:33was scared.

00:42:34She wasn't ready.

00:42:35I did find out

00:42:36from her mother

00:42:36she'd been holding

00:42:37meetings at the

00:42:38house.

00:42:39Feminists.

00:42:40I think she'd

00:42:41been influenced.

00:42:42Yes.

00:42:42Please don't

00:42:42tell us what

00:42:43you think.

00:42:43Just tell us

00:42:44what happened.

00:42:45Well of course

00:42:45once I was

00:42:46home she

00:42:46changed her

00:42:46mind.

00:42:47The engagement

00:42:47was on again.

00:42:48Was the

00:42:49engagement

00:42:49subsequently

00:42:50broken off?

00:42:51Yes.

00:42:51Several times.

00:42:52Moving on to

00:42:53the night of

00:42:53the dinner

00:42:54dance.

00:42:54Did you

00:42:55invite Miss

00:42:55Rogers?

00:42:56No but she

00:42:57insisted on

00:42:57coming.

00:42:58She'd even

00:42:58bought a new

00:42:59dress.

00:43:00She tended

00:43:00to prefer those

00:43:01shapeless

00:43:02dungaree

00:43:03efforts.

00:43:04Her dress

00:43:05seemed to

00:43:05step in the

00:43:05right direction

00:43:06so I agreed

00:43:06to let her

00:43:07come.

00:43:07Why didn't

00:43:08you invite her

00:43:08in the first

00:43:10We'd only just

00:43:11got over our

00:43:11last row.

00:43:12And what was

00:43:13the row about?

00:43:15Do I have to

00:43:16answer that?

00:43:17Yes Mr.

00:43:18Steadman I'm

00:43:18afraid you do.

00:43:21Well I found

00:43:22out she'd been

00:43:22seeing another

00:43:24man while I

00:43:24was away.

00:43:25It may have

00:43:26been more than

00:43:26one.

00:43:27What was that?

00:43:28It may have

00:43:29been more than

00:43:29one.

00:43:30Men.

00:43:31Men she was

00:43:32seeing.

00:43:32Ah.

00:43:34And what did

00:43:35you do when

00:43:36you found out?

00:43:37Well I didn't

00:43:37fly off the

00:43:38handle.

00:43:38We talked

00:43:39about it

00:43:39rationally.

00:43:40I was sure

00:43:41that if I was

00:43:41patient she'd

00:43:42change.

00:43:43After all we

00:43:44were back

00:43:44together again.

00:43:45So this row

00:43:46was the

00:43:46background to

00:43:47the night

00:43:47of the

00:43:47dinner dance?

00:43:48Right.

00:43:49Can you tell

00:43:50us how the

00:43:50evening progressed?

00:43:52Well the

00:43:52trouble began

00:43:53with the first

00:43:53group of guests

00:43:54we met.

00:43:55They congratulated

00:43:56Hilary and I

00:43:57on our engagement.

00:43:58But she bridled,

00:44:01denied it and

00:44:02went on about

00:44:02men treating

00:44:03women as

00:44:03possessions.

00:44:04So I took

00:44:05her away to

00:44:06dance.

00:44:07Well from

00:44:07then on I

00:44:08virtually had

00:44:08to chaperone

00:44:09her.

00:44:10Or to save

00:44:11her from

00:44:11herself you

00:44:12understand.

00:44:12She can be

00:44:12very silly at

00:44:13times.

00:44:13Mr.

00:44:14Steadman,

00:44:14Mr.

00:44:14Steadman,

00:44:15that really

00:44:15is not for

00:44:16you to say.

00:44:17Yes but even

00:44:17her mother thought

00:44:18she was stupid

00:44:18to turn me

00:44:19down.

00:44:20That's as

00:44:20may be Mr.

00:44:21Steadman but

00:44:21it's not part

00:44:22of this case.

00:44:23Now do go

00:44:23on Mr.

00:44:23Hurst.

00:44:24My lord,

00:44:24did you stay

00:44:25with Miss

00:44:25Rogers all

00:44:26evening?

00:44:27Well I

00:44:28would have

00:44:28done if it

00:44:28hadn't been

00:44:29for him forcing

00:44:29his attentions on

00:44:34it's as simple

00:44:34as that.

00:44:35How?

00:44:36Well Bartlett

00:44:36and I were

00:44:37discussing how

00:44:38many of the

00:44:38younger managers

00:44:39were married.

00:44:40It seemed I

00:44:40was very much

00:44:41in the minority

00:44:42being 35 and

00:44:43not married.

00:44:44Well frankly

00:44:45Bartlett went

00:44:45on a bit too

00:44:45long and

00:44:46frightened Hillary.

00:44:47She thought

00:44:48she couldn't

00:44:48live up to

00:44:49being an

00:44:49executive wife.

00:44:51So I gave

00:44:51her a cuddle

00:44:52to reassure

00:44:52her.

00:44:54Well by then

00:44:54Mark had

00:44:55joined us and

00:44:55put in his

00:44:56six penneth

00:44:56said marrying

00:44:57a man in

00:44:58the weapons

00:44:58business gave

00:44:59a whole new

00:44:59meaning to

00:45:00the nuclear

00:45:00family.

00:45:01Something crass

00:45:01like that.

00:45:03What could I

00:45:03do?

00:45:04Punch him on

00:45:05the chin

00:45:05the boss's

00:45:06son?

00:45:07Anyway that

00:45:07set Hillary

00:45:08off again.

00:45:09She even

00:45:09told Bartlett

00:45:10we won't

00:45:10engage.

00:45:12She was

00:45:13completely

00:45:13overawed.

00:45:14Later that

00:45:14evening did

00:45:15you quarrel

00:45:15with Miss

00:45:16Rogers just

00:45:16before you

00:45:17went out to

00:45:17collect your

00:45:17car?

00:45:18No.

00:45:19I only told

00:45:19her to fetch

00:45:20her coat and

00:45:20wait for me

00:45:21outside.

00:45:21Did you at

00:45:22any time accuse

00:45:23her of telling

00:45:23everybody you

00:45:24were no good

00:45:25in bed?

00:45:26No of course

00:45:27not.

00:45:28Anyway it

00:45:29wouldn't have

00:45:29been true.

00:45:30Did you at

00:45:30any time tell

00:45:31Miss Rogers to

00:45:32go to hell and

00:45:33then you yourself

00:45:34burst into tears?

00:45:35Tears?

00:45:36At the annual

00:45:37executive dinner?

00:45:38No way.

00:45:39Look there

00:45:39wasn't a man

00:45:40there who

00:45:40wasn't competition

00:45:41I ask you

00:45:41would it be any

00:45:42time to start

00:45:43blubbing?

00:45:44If we could

00:45:44move on.

00:45:45Now you went

00:45:46to fetch your

00:45:47car.

00:45:47Yes.

00:45:47Were you upset

00:45:48by anything?

00:45:50Well I was a

00:45:50little sad

00:45:51Hillary hadn't

00:45:52done better.

00:45:53A bit weary

00:45:54you know

00:45:54realising how

00:45:54much more

00:45:55time, energy

00:45:56and money

00:45:56it would

00:45:57take.

00:45:58But I

00:45:58didn't give

00:45:59up.

00:46:00I'm not the

00:46:00sort to give

00:46:01up.

00:46:01Tell us what

00:46:02happened when

00:46:02you collected

00:46:02your car.

00:46:03It was in

00:46:03the side car

00:46:04park, the

00:46:04management

00:46:05car park.

00:46:06Some visitors

00:46:07had pinched my

00:46:08space so my

00:46:08new Audi was

00:46:09parked under

00:46:09the wretched

00:46:10lime trees.

00:46:11Well they

00:46:11should have

00:46:11been chopped

00:46:11down.

00:46:12The sticky

00:46:13mess from

00:46:13the leaves

00:46:14gets all

00:46:14over the

00:46:14windows.

00:46:15It's a

00:46:16parking space

00:46:16reserved for

00:46:17junior odds

00:46:18and sods.

00:46:18And when

00:46:18you reached

00:46:19your car?

00:46:20Well the sticky

00:46:20guns was all

00:46:21across the

00:46:21windscreen.

00:46:22I tried wiping

00:46:23it with the

00:46:23wipers but it

00:46:24only made it

00:46:24worse.

00:46:26But the side

00:46:27car park is

00:46:27floodlit and it

00:46:28didn't seem to

00:46:29block my vision

00:46:29too much.

00:46:30So I drove off

00:46:31and turned the

00:46:31corner of the

00:46:32building.

00:46:32What sort of

00:46:33speed were you

00:46:33doing?

00:46:34Twenty, not

00:46:34more than

00:46:35twenty.

00:46:35And at what

00:46:36point did you

00:46:36put your lights

00:46:37on?

00:46:38Well I should have

00:46:38put them on when

00:46:39I got in the

00:46:39car.

00:46:40But the side

00:46:41car park was

00:46:41so light I

00:46:42forgot to put

00:46:42the headlights

00:46:43on.

00:46:44Well then when

00:46:44I turned the

00:46:45corner of the

00:46:45building I

00:46:46couldn't see a

00:46:46thing.

00:46:47There are no

00:46:48decent lights

00:46:48there other

00:46:49than those at

00:46:49the main door

00:46:50and I had this

00:46:51muck all over

00:46:52the windscreen.

00:46:53Well I fumbled

00:46:54for the switch

00:46:55but not being

00:46:55familiar with

00:46:56the new dash

00:46:56I couldn't

00:46:57find it.

00:46:58Then my hand

00:46:59caught the dip

00:46:59switch for a

00:47:00couple of

00:47:00seconds and

00:47:01flashed them

00:47:01on and off.

00:47:02And did you

00:47:03see anything in

00:47:04that couple of

00:47:04seconds?

00:47:05Well I wasn't

00:47:06sure.

00:47:07Something seemed

00:47:08to move so I

00:47:08swerved left

00:47:09to avoid it.

00:47:09You altered

00:47:10course immediately?

00:47:11Oh yes just

00:47:11in case.

00:47:12Which took me

00:47:13towards the

00:47:13front of the

00:47:14building.

00:47:15Well then

00:47:16suddenly I saw

00:47:16a woman to

00:47:17my right.

00:47:18She was

00:47:18running towards

00:47:19me.

00:47:20I swerved

00:47:20left again but

00:47:21she ran into

00:47:22my path.

00:47:24I hit her.

00:47:27All right I

00:47:28should have had

00:47:28the headlights on

00:47:29or done something

00:47:29about the

00:47:30windscreen but I

00:47:30was going to

00:47:31sort it out when

00:47:31I stopped at

00:47:32the door.

00:47:33But look I

00:47:34didn't expect

00:47:34the silly

00:47:35ca...

00:47:35I didn't expect

00:47:38Hillary to be

00:47:38hanging around

00:47:39in the dark

00:47:39now did I?

00:47:40What did you

00:47:40do when you

00:47:41hit her?

00:47:42Jammed on the

00:47:43brakes.

00:47:43I'd dragged

00:47:44her along a

00:47:45bit.

00:47:47She looked

00:47:47dreadful lying

00:47:48there.

00:47:50I'm afraid I

00:47:50messed it up.

00:47:51I froze.

00:47:51I couldn't do

00:47:52anything.

00:47:53It was Mrs.

00:47:53Bowles who

00:47:54saw to Hillary.

00:47:55She put a coat

00:47:55over her.

00:47:57She was shouting

00:47:57at me.

00:47:59Then Henry,

00:48:00Mr. Bowles,

00:48:00started shouting

00:48:01at her.

00:48:01I suppose the

00:48:02noise got me

00:48:03going.

00:48:03I ran to

00:48:04ring an

00:48:04ambulance.

00:48:05Thank you,

00:48:05Mr. Steppen.

00:48:07Well, I was

00:48:08careless.

00:48:09It was

00:48:10careless driving.

00:48:11But I

00:48:12wouldn't...

00:48:14Well, not on

00:48:14purpose.

00:48:16She's a nice

00:48:17girl.

00:48:17She had

00:48:18potential.

00:48:20Even now,

00:48:20after being

00:48:21dragged through

00:48:21this court,

00:48:22I'd still

00:48:22forgive her.

00:48:24Really, I

00:48:24would.

00:48:33The case

00:48:44of the

00:48:44Queen and

00:48:45Steadman

00:48:45will be

00:48:45concluded

00:48:46tomorrow

00:48:46in the

00:48:47Crown Court.

00:48:48She's

00:49:03a

00:49:04The case you're about to see is fictional.

00:49:21The procedure, however, is legally accurate.

00:49:23The characters are played by actors,

00:49:25but the jury is selected from members of the public.

00:49:28The Crown contend that Russell Steadman

00:49:30drove his car at Miss Hillary Rogers

00:49:32with intent to do her grievous bodily harm.

00:49:35The defence maintained that Miss Rogers

00:49:36sustained her injuries accidentally

00:49:38when she ran into the path of the car.

00:49:41Even now he'd have her back.

00:49:43Not many men would do that.

00:49:45And think what it's done to his career.

00:49:47Well, not to mention what it's done to Hillary's leg.

00:49:49Well, aren't you worried she might never get rid of her limb?

00:49:51Of course, her daddy and I never have understood

00:49:53how she turned out to be such a large girl.

00:49:56Me being so petite.

00:49:58Now with a limp.

00:49:59And Russell, such a good-looking young man, isn't he?

00:50:02Some girls are never satisfied.

00:50:08You told the court earlier that you thought

00:50:10it would take more time, energy and money

00:50:12to transform Miss Rogers into a suitable wife.

00:50:16That's right.

00:50:17But I was willing to try.

00:50:18Is that how you usually conduct your courtships?

00:50:21I don't understand.

00:50:22I'm asking you,

00:50:23do you usually spend time, energy and money on women?

00:50:25Well, not unless it's worth it, no.

00:50:27Not unless it's worth it.

00:50:29I see.

00:50:29So when Miss Rogers decided not to marry you,

00:50:31did it anger you to see a potential investment

00:50:33going down the drain?

00:50:34Look, Mr. Steed, it was just nerves.

00:50:37I know Hillary.

00:50:38She denied the engagement because she's shy.

00:50:41She has an inferiority complex.

00:50:43So how did comments about her age, her looks,

00:50:45help lessen her inferiority complex?

00:50:47Well, it never used to be like that.

00:50:49She never used to criticise before she fell in with them.

00:50:52I could talk without getting kicked in the teeth.

00:50:55Look, no one likes to be disapproved of.

00:50:57We're talking about your opinion of Miss Rogers,

00:50:59not her criticism of you.

00:51:01Yes, well, I didn't start until she kept on at me.

00:51:04And anyway, it's true,

00:51:04women don't age as well as men.

00:51:06She should have married me.

00:51:07I only wanted things to be the way they were before.

00:51:09You mean when Miss Rogers didn't criticise?

00:51:12Yes.

00:51:13Well, there's nothing wrong with me.

00:51:15I'm a pretty average sort of person.

00:51:18In fact, I've done rather well.

00:51:20Do you regard yourself as a good-looking man, Mr. Steedman?

00:51:24Yes.

00:51:25Yes, I get by.

00:51:26Ambitious, presentable, reliable.

00:51:28What is this?

00:51:29Why did you continue to bother with a woman

00:51:30who'd become feminist, anti-nuclear, and frankly, critical?

00:51:33Well, I kept hoping she'd get back to normal.

00:51:35She knew how hard I worked.

00:51:36I didn't need all this stupid hassle.

00:51:39I just wanted to get married and have done with it.

00:51:41I needed her to be there, that's all.

00:51:43And what did she need?

00:51:46God knows.

00:51:47Let's return to events earlier that night.

00:51:49Mark Bowles and Miss Rogers were dancing together.

00:51:51You told my learned friend that you were not jealous.

00:51:53She was being polite.

00:51:54Oh, come, come, Mr. Steedman.

00:51:56You've just told us that Mark Bowles was trying to take her from you.

00:51:58Well, he was trying, but I didn't regard him as a serious threat.

00:52:01If you didn't feel threatened, why did you repeatedly interrupt their dancing?

00:52:03Because I had to introduce Hillary to everyone.

00:52:05What, even though she was saying at every turn that she was not engaged to you?

00:52:09Yes.

00:52:09I put it to you, Mr. Steedman, that the sole motive for interrupting Miss Rogers' dancing

00:52:15was because you were jealous of the attention she was paying Mark Bowles.

00:52:18Then what if I was?

00:52:20Isn't it allowed any more?

00:52:22I suppose it's thought too old-fashioned if a man feels protective towards his girl.

00:52:26You told this court that you hesitated to invite Miss Rogers to the dinner dance

00:52:29because you were just getting over your last row.

00:52:33Was it a major row?

00:52:34Yes, all out.

00:52:36But you also told this court that you didn't fly off the handle,

00:52:39you talked about things rationally,

00:52:42and you were sure if you were patient, she'd change.

00:52:45Yes. Yes, I did say that.

00:52:46Are you really telling us, Mr. Steedman, that that is a description of an all-out row?

00:52:51It was afterwards. It came afterwards.

00:52:52The rational patient talk came after the all-out row?

00:52:55Yes.

00:52:56I would suggest, Mr. Steedman, that there never was any such patient talk.

00:53:00Look, I would suggest that you have been at great pains to present yourself to this court

00:53:05as an understanding man, whereas in reality you are often angry and violent.

00:53:10I'm not violent.

00:53:12Didn't Miss Rogers repeatedly ask you to leave her house?

00:53:15Yes, but she always changed her mind.

00:53:17Did she not act in a very civilised manner towards you,

00:53:19asking you to leave, not resorting to law, but you would not quit her house?

00:53:22If she wanted me to leave, she could have thrown my belongings out into the street.

00:53:25I was away often.

00:53:26So you're telling this court that you would only accept her rejection of you

00:53:29if she threw your belongings violently from her house,

00:53:31returned violence with violence?

00:53:32No, she slept with me.

00:53:34And then, as was her right, she decided she no longer wished to.

00:53:37Well, I knew she'd change. She'd have to.

00:53:38Had to? Why?

00:53:39Because whether she liked or not, you would make her change?

00:53:42You make it all sound so...

00:53:44The night of the dinner dance must have been a great disappointment to you.

00:53:47Yes, of course.

00:53:48You told your boss and all your colleagues that you were engaged,

00:53:51but Miss Rogers persisted in denying the engagement.

00:53:53Yes. She sabotaged all my plans.

00:53:58But at the end of the evening, you say you did nothing more than to ask Hillary to get her coat.

00:54:02That's right.

00:54:04You mean that after several hours of public humiliation and disappointment,

00:54:07you merely asked her to get her coat?

00:54:10Yes. All I was trying to do was to help her.

00:54:13But she persisted in being ungrateful, so you said to her,

00:54:16if you're too stupid to say you need my help, you can go to hell.

00:54:19Well, I might have said something like...

00:54:20Like...

00:54:21Go to hell?

00:54:22Well, yes. Yes, all right.

00:54:25But I didn't cry. I certainly did not cry.

00:54:27So having told Miss Rogers to go to hell, you went to fetch your car.

00:54:31That's right.

00:54:32And what did Miss Rogers do?

00:54:35Well, I left her wandering about on the forecourt with Mrs. Bowles.

00:54:39It worried me what she might be saying to her while I was away.

00:54:42I wondered if I should go back.

00:54:44But then Mrs. Bowles went towards the door and left Hillary on her own.

00:54:47So I hurried to get my car.

00:54:49Why did you hurry?

00:54:50Well, I wanted to get back to Hillary before she joined the others again.

00:54:54What speed were you doing when you drove around the corner from the car park?

00:54:56Not more than 20.

00:54:58Are you sure?

00:54:59Well, you've just told us that you were in a hurry.

00:55:01Look, I'm not trying to hide anything.

00:55:02It may have been a bit more.

00:55:04Mr. Sturdman, I put it to you that because you were in a hurry,

00:55:06you took the corner from the car park too fast.

00:55:08Even if I did, it was still an accident.

00:55:09And it was then that you spotted Miss Rogers?

00:55:11No, I never saw her.

00:55:12It was impossible to see for all the muck on the windscreen.

00:55:14But you told my learned friend that you did see something.

00:55:16You said something seemed to move.

00:55:17I wasn't sure.

00:55:17Why didn't you stop then?

00:55:18It wasn't far to the door.

00:55:19But if something seemed to move, why didn't you stop immediately?

00:55:21I didn't think it necessary.

00:55:23I put it to you, Mr. Sturdman,

00:55:25that you didn't stop because you knew Miss Rogers was there

00:55:27and you intended to hit her.

00:55:29It was impossible to see for all the muck on the windscreen.

00:55:32Why did Aston Avionics give you a new car?

00:55:34I've been promoted to management proper from junior sales.

00:55:38Junior sales?

00:55:38Would they be the junior odds and sods who usually park under the lime trees?

00:55:43Yes.

00:55:44So as a recent junior yourself,

00:55:45you must have had great experience of parking under the lime trees.

00:55:48Yes.

00:55:49Then there must have been many summer evenings

00:55:50when you drove out of the car park with a somewhat smudgy windscreen.

00:55:53Yes, but I usually put my lights on.

00:55:56Look, I've admitted not putting them on.

00:55:57For heaven's sake, it's a new car.

00:55:59Doesn't it take everyone time to get used to all the knobs?

00:56:01You found the windscreen wipers exactly where you wanted them.

00:56:04You found the wipers, but not the lights.

00:56:06A fluke, that's all.

00:56:07But to find the wipers,

00:56:08you must have had to run your hand over a button or two.

00:56:10Are you telling us that in that process,

00:56:12you did not find the light switch?

00:56:14Yes, it was luck.

00:56:15I found the wipers first time.

00:56:16Luck?

00:56:18You told my learned friend

00:56:19that you didn't expect Hillary to be hanging about in the dark.

00:56:23That's right.

00:56:24But you just told us

00:56:25that you saw Miss Rogers on the forecourt before you went for your car.

00:56:28Well, I didn't think she'd still be there.

00:56:29But you hurried to your car after seeing her.

00:56:32Surely that didn't give her time to move.

00:56:34I didn't expect her to still be there.

00:56:35What had you expected?

00:56:36For her to sprint back to the door in a long evening dress?

00:56:40Mr. Steadman, I would suggest

00:56:41that on reaching the corner of the building,

00:56:43you looked back and saw Miss Rogers standing alone,

00:56:46and you hurried to your car

00:56:47in order to take advantage of the situation,

00:56:50in order to run her down.

00:56:51Rubbish.

00:56:52And you invented the dirty windscreen

00:56:53to make it seem like an accident.

00:56:55I suppose you're like me.

00:56:56You work on commission.

00:56:57The more convictions you get, the more you earn.

00:56:59Mr. Steadman,

00:57:01Mr. Steed is paid to get at the truth.

00:57:03I put it to you

00:57:04that you drove at speed out of the car park

00:57:06with your lights off

00:57:07because you wanted to run Miss Rogers over.

00:57:09You wanted to run her over

00:57:10because she had humiliated and rejected you.

00:57:13Oh, I'd believe it,

00:57:14if you think it's the truth.

00:57:16Look, do you reckon I have difficulty with the ladies?

00:57:18Me?

00:57:19Yes, she blew hot and cold,

00:57:20but it was all part of the game.

00:57:22I was supposed to chase.

00:57:24Oh, yes, she liked me coming after her.

00:57:25She liked that.

00:57:26If we could move on.

00:57:28After your car hit, Miss Rogers,

00:57:30what did you do?

00:57:33I went to her, but I couldn't bend down.

00:57:35I was too shaken.

00:57:37Did you speak?

00:57:38No.

00:57:39You mean it is safer to tell this court

00:57:41that you said nothing

00:57:41rather than admit what you did say?

00:57:43That's not true.

00:57:45Did you not say to Hillary

00:57:46while she lay injured and shocked on the ground,

00:57:48all I asked you to do was to marry me,

00:57:51was that so dreadful?

00:57:52No, of course not.

00:57:53You had run her over as a punishment

00:57:54for turning you down.

00:57:55She ran under my wheels.

00:57:57But if you had accidentally run Miss Rogers over,

00:57:59why did you immediately call your lawyer?

00:58:00Well, I would have had to have called one sooner or later.

00:58:02How did you know

00:58:03it wouldn't just be reported as an accident?

00:58:05I suppose I'm cautious by nature.

00:58:06No, Mr. Stedman.

00:58:07You had heard what Mrs. Bowles was shouting at you.

00:58:09She was shouting

00:58:10that you had deliberately tried to kill Hillary.

00:58:12Hillary?

00:58:14Half the time,

00:58:14she didn't know whether she was dead or alive.

00:58:17She said she couldn't be fully alive

00:58:18without finding herself as a woman,

00:58:20being independent.

00:58:21But she wanted me.

00:58:23And when she had me,

00:58:24there was nothing ideological about it.

00:58:27That's when she lived.

00:58:28And the next day,

00:58:29she'd say I was killing her,

00:58:31bleeding her,

00:58:31trying to tie her down.

00:58:33She wanted everything.

00:58:35Too much.

00:58:37And what's a man supposed to do?

00:58:38Talk?

00:58:39Keep talking it over?

00:58:41God, we talk so much,

00:58:42words didn't mean anything anymore.

00:58:43So you stopped talking

00:58:45and you took some action.

00:58:47You tried to kill her.

00:58:50What?

00:58:51Throw everything away for her?

00:58:55I'm not that stupid.

00:58:57No further questions, thank you.

00:58:58And her singing,

00:59:10Jesus wants me for a sunbeam.

00:59:14Sweet as anything.

00:59:16She was such a good little girl.

00:59:19Who'll want her for a sunbeam now?

00:59:22Look,

00:59:23just because she didn't want to marry him,

00:59:25it doesn't mean that she should be punished.

00:59:29When I was a girl,

00:59:30we knew how to live.

00:59:32Yeah, well,

00:59:33maybe things are harder nowadays,

00:59:35for men and women,

00:59:36making up the rules as we go along.

00:59:39New rules.

00:59:46Are you Henry Sidgwick Bowles

00:59:48of the Cedars-Fulchester Heights?

00:59:50Indeed so.

00:59:50And what is your profession?

00:59:52I'm, uh,

00:59:53managing director of Aston Avionics.

00:59:56I'm a scientist.

00:59:58I set up the business

00:59:59about 21 years ago.

01:00:00Now,

01:00:00will you tell the court

01:00:01about this year's executive dinner?

01:00:04Yes.

01:00:05Stedman had assured me

01:00:06he was bringing his young lady,

01:00:07which I was pleased to hear.

01:00:09And did you meet her?

01:00:11Yes,

01:00:11naturally.

01:00:12Margaret and I

01:00:12always make a point

01:00:13of greeting our guests

01:00:14at the door.

01:00:15We like to put everyone

01:00:16at their ease.

01:00:17And how was Miss Rogers

01:00:18introduced to you?

01:00:19As Stedman's fiancée.

01:00:21And did Miss Rogers react

01:00:22in any way

01:00:23at being introduced

01:00:24as Stedman's fiancée?

01:00:25Yes,

01:00:26she smiled.

01:00:27She was pleasant enough.

01:00:29Do you have any further dealings

01:00:30with the couple

01:00:30during the evening?

01:00:31Yes,

01:00:31Margaret and I

01:00:32invited them

01:00:33to our table

01:00:33after dinner

01:00:34for brandy.

01:00:35I was interested

01:00:36to meet Miss Rogers

01:00:37as Stedman had told

01:00:38everyone so much about her.

01:00:39Was there any specific

01:00:40topic of conversation?

01:00:42Unfortunately,

01:00:43yes.

01:00:44My son Mark

01:00:45his education

01:00:46or rather his lack

01:00:47of any visible progress

01:00:49in it.

01:00:51Nothing to do

01:00:52with Stedman,

01:00:53you understand.

01:00:53Stedman was solid.

01:00:55He's not an academic.

01:00:56Just an ordinary school

01:00:57but business-minded.

01:01:00Bright.

01:01:01Did Miss Rogers

01:01:01join in the conversation?

01:01:03Yes,

01:01:03she was talking

01:01:04to my wife

01:01:04about poetry.

01:01:06And then when I asked her

01:01:07what she thought

01:01:07university would be like

01:01:08by the time

01:01:09my 12-year-old got there

01:01:10she became angry.

01:01:12She said she thought

01:01:13that if the nuclear weapons

01:01:15industry continued

01:01:15to expand

01:01:16we'd all be blown

01:01:17to smithereens by then.

01:01:19I thought that was

01:01:20rather uncalled for.

01:01:21Particularly as she'd

01:01:21just been talking

01:01:22about poetry

01:01:23most intelligently

01:01:24with my wife.

01:01:25Did you see the couple

01:01:26again during the evening?

01:01:27Yes,

01:01:28but not until

01:01:28it was time to leave.

01:01:30They were in the foyer

01:01:31talking.

01:01:32Russell didn't look

01:01:33too happy.

01:01:34She seemed to be

01:01:35trying to argue.

01:01:36Was Mr. Stedman

01:01:37hysterical,

01:01:38crying?

01:01:39Oh, absolutely not,

01:01:40no.

01:01:40I thought he seemed

01:01:41to be coping

01:01:41most tolerantly.

01:01:43And then he left

01:01:44to get his car.

01:01:45And what did you do?

01:01:46I waited for my own

01:01:47to be brought round.

01:01:48Margaret was out

01:01:49across the forecourt

01:01:51talking with Miss Rogers,

01:01:53obviously undeterred.

01:01:55I called for her

01:01:57to come back

01:01:58into the warm,

01:01:59which she did,

01:02:00leaving Miss Rogers

01:02:01out there in the dark.

01:02:03And that's when

01:02:04Stedman's ID

01:02:04came round the corner.

01:02:05And what speed

01:02:07do you estimate

01:02:07the car was doing?

01:02:0820, if that.

01:02:10He came round the corner,

01:02:12travelled in a direction

01:02:1345 degrees diagonally

01:02:15away from the building

01:02:16and then straightened up.

01:02:18You noticed anything

01:02:18about the car?

01:02:19He didn't have his lights on,

01:02:21which, of course,

01:02:21legally he wasn't obliged

01:02:22to do until he was

01:02:23out on the road.

01:02:24What happened then?

01:02:26Stedman flashed his lights

01:02:27briefly and then

01:02:28carried on.

01:02:29Now, after a moment,

01:02:31Miss Rogers took it

01:02:32into her head to move.

01:02:33If she'd stayed

01:02:33where she was,

01:02:34she'd have been all right.

01:02:36But she ran into his path.

01:02:39He swerved,

01:02:40but she kept on running.

01:02:42Stedman couldn't avoid her.

01:02:44Thank you, Mr Bowles.

01:02:46Oh, Mr Bowles,

01:02:48your wife,

01:02:49had she been drinking?

01:02:52Well, I...

01:02:54You know, we...

01:02:55My lord,

01:02:56it does seem disloyal.

01:02:57Sorry if it upsets you,

01:02:59Mr Bowles,

01:02:59but please try

01:03:01to answer the question.

01:03:03Well, yes,

01:03:03I'm afraid Margaret

01:03:04has got a bit of a problem.

01:03:07She can hold herself

01:03:07to get in public,

01:03:08certainly misunderstand me,

01:03:09but, yeah,

01:03:11she drinks.

01:03:12She'd had quite a bit.

01:03:19Were you drunk

01:03:20that evening, Mr Bowles?

01:03:21Certainly not.

01:03:22But you'd just been

01:03:23to a dinner dance

01:03:24and you had a chauffeur

01:03:24to take you home.

01:03:25Yes, for me,

01:03:26this was not a social function.

01:03:27A captain you know

01:03:28must always be

01:03:29in charge of his ship.

01:03:30As you left the dinner dance,

01:03:31you say you saw

01:03:32the couples talking.

01:03:34Yes, but I couldn't hear

01:03:35what they were saying.

01:03:35Did it seem to be

01:03:36more than just Stedman

01:03:37asking Miss Rogers

01:03:38to fetch her coat?

01:03:39Oh, yes.

01:03:40But if anybody

01:03:40had been rejected,

01:03:41it appeared to me

01:03:42to have been her.

01:03:43She put out a hand

01:03:44to stop him leaving

01:03:45and he moved away.

01:03:48Just made me wonder.

01:03:49Wonder what?

01:03:51Well, look,

01:03:51I'm not unaware

01:03:52of the pressures

01:03:52which executive life

01:03:53puts on a young man.

01:03:55Ideally,

01:03:56a wife should be

01:03:56a man's greatest ally.

01:03:59Friend, even.

01:04:00Is it company policy

01:04:01for managers to be married?

01:04:04Generally, yes.

01:04:05But I'm quite sure

01:04:06Stedman would have

01:04:06found the right wife

01:04:07eventually.

01:04:08So by the end

01:04:08of a rather disastrous evening,

01:04:10could Mr Stedman

01:04:10have been feeling

01:04:11somewhat pressured

01:04:11by his lack

01:04:12of public success

01:04:13with Miss Rogers?

01:04:14No, I'm sorry.

01:04:15I don't understand.

01:04:16The company required

01:04:17that he be married

01:04:18and Miss Rogers

01:04:18have been publicly

01:04:19denying their engagement.

01:04:20Could that have put him

01:04:20under some pressure?

01:04:21Oh, yes, possibly.

01:04:23Possibly.

01:04:23If we could move on.

01:04:26You told us

01:04:26that the car

01:04:27was doing 20,

01:04:28if that.

01:04:29Correct.

01:04:30And that the car

01:04:30travelled in a direction

01:04:3145 degrees diagonally

01:04:33away from the building

01:04:34for a couple of dozen yards

01:04:35before straightening up.

01:04:36Yes.

01:04:38That's quite a detailed description.

01:04:40Well, I'm a scientist.

01:04:41Detailed matter.

01:04:43Is it correct

01:04:44that you made

01:04:44two statements

01:04:45to the police,

01:04:46one on the night

01:04:47of the incident

01:04:47and another

01:04:48four days later?

01:04:50Yes.

01:04:50Which statement

01:04:51contained the details

01:04:52we've just heard?

01:04:54Well, obviously,

01:04:55they both dealt

01:04:55with the same incident.

01:04:56Come, come, Mr. Bowles.

01:04:58Let us be more precise

01:04:59and scientific

01:05:00in the matter.

01:05:01The second

01:05:02was the more detailed.

01:05:04Would that account

01:05:04for the fact

01:05:05that the speed

01:05:05of Stedman's car

01:05:06got slower

01:05:07between the first

01:05:07and second statement?

01:05:08I didn't specify

01:05:09in my first statement

01:05:10what speed he was travelling.

01:05:11Only that he was going

01:05:12pretty fast.

01:05:14Yes.

01:05:16Yet in your second statement

01:05:17you say he was only doing

01:05:1820, if that.

01:05:20That I consider

01:05:21to be fast

01:05:21in a car park.

01:05:22Mr. Bowles,

01:05:23are you sure

01:05:24you were not drunk

01:05:24when you made

01:05:25your first statement?

01:05:26I have already

01:05:27assured you I was not.

01:05:28Yet you were,

01:05:28for some reason,

01:05:29incapable of giving

01:05:30the police

01:05:30a detailed account

01:05:31of the events.

01:05:32Yes, just with time

01:05:33to think,

01:05:34I recall more,

01:05:34that's all.

01:05:36Are you seriously

01:05:37telling us,

01:05:38Mr. Bowles,

01:05:39that you,

01:05:39a scientific man,

01:05:40remembered more

01:05:41four days after the event

01:05:42than one hour later?

01:05:43Oh, yes.

01:05:43Did you discuss

01:05:47the incident

01:05:47with your wife?

01:05:48Yes.

01:05:49Did your discussion

01:05:50lead to a series

01:05:51of bitter rows?

01:05:53Oh, Margaret

01:05:54had worked herself up

01:05:55unnecessarily,

01:05:56assisting Stedman

01:05:57had done it deliberately.

01:05:58So she was not

01:05:59your friend

01:06:00and ally

01:06:01in the matter?

01:06:02How could she have

01:06:03seen what happened

01:06:04when she was drunk?

01:06:06Yet your wife

01:06:07gave the police

01:06:08a detailed statement

01:06:09at the time

01:06:09of the incident,

01:06:10something you failed

01:06:11to do?

01:06:12I honestly

01:06:14didn't believe

01:06:15that anyone

01:06:16would,

01:06:17could believe Margaret.

01:06:19I thought my own

01:06:20statement was just

01:06:20a formality.

01:06:21But when you realised

01:06:22your wife was going

01:06:23to be believed

01:06:23and Stedman charged,

01:06:25you decided to alter

01:06:26your statement

01:06:26to make it look

01:06:27more like an accident?

01:06:28No.

01:06:30I put it to you,

01:06:31Mr. Bowles,

01:06:31that this matter

01:06:32has become a personal

01:06:33battle between you

01:06:34and your wife,

01:06:35a battle that has

01:06:36little to do

01:06:36with the true facts.

01:06:37Nonsense.

01:06:39Besides,

01:06:39I believe it is

01:06:40not unusual

01:06:40for a witness

01:06:41to make a second

01:06:41statement.

01:06:42Correct.

01:06:43But in that event,

01:06:44it is difficult

01:06:44for the jury

01:06:45to determine

01:06:45which statement

01:06:46to believe,

01:06:48if either.

01:06:50Let us return

01:06:51to some different

01:06:52evidence.

01:06:53After the incident,

01:06:55did the police

01:06:55leave instructions

01:06:56with the night watchman

01:06:56for the car

01:06:57not to be moved?

01:06:58I believe so, yes.

01:06:59And yet it was moved.

01:07:00Regrettably, yes.

01:07:01Did you return

01:07:02to the factory

01:07:02early on Sunday morning,

01:07:03the day after the dance?

01:07:05Yes, I had some

01:07:05important work to finish.

01:07:06Had you already been

01:07:07arguing with your wife?

01:07:09As it so happens, yes.

01:07:10So, having finished

01:07:11your first statement,

01:07:13returned home,

01:07:14had a row,

01:07:15journeyed back

01:07:16to the factory,

01:07:17that didn't give you

01:07:17much time to sleep?

01:07:19Unfortunately,

01:07:20in my business,

01:07:20sleep is at a premium.

01:07:22Mr. Bowles,

01:07:23did you move

01:07:23Stedman's car

01:07:24in order to destroy

01:07:25evidence that might

01:07:25corroborate your wife's story?

01:07:27My lord,

01:07:27if my learned friend

01:07:28is making allegations,

01:07:29then he must provide

01:07:30evidence.

01:07:30Quite so.

01:07:32Do you have

01:07:33relevant evidence,

01:07:34Mr. Stede?

01:07:35No, my lord.

01:07:35The police failed

01:07:36to find anyone

01:07:37who moved the car,

01:07:38but it is nevertheless

01:07:38most peculiar

01:07:39that an important piece

01:07:40of police evidence

01:07:41was destroyed

01:07:42during the two hours

01:07:43Mr. Bowles

01:07:45was on the premises.

01:07:49And members of the jury

01:07:50consider the accused

01:07:52repeatedly refused

01:07:53to leave

01:07:53Miss Rogers' house.

01:07:55He said he would

01:07:55go only over

01:07:56her dead body.

01:07:58Three days later,

01:08:00Miss Rogers

01:08:00was severely injured.

01:08:02Added in a dance,

01:08:03Miss Rogers repeatedly

01:08:04denied any engagement

01:08:05to Stedman,

01:08:06and before leaving,

01:08:07the couple had an argument

01:08:08in which the accused

01:08:09told her to go to hell.

01:08:12A few minutes later,

01:08:14Miss Rogers

01:08:15was severely injured.

01:08:17Bearing these facts

01:08:17in mind,

01:08:18ladies and gentlemen,

01:08:19you must ask yourselves

01:08:20whether Miss Rogers

01:08:21wanted to marry this man,

01:08:22this man who she has said

01:08:24she despised.

01:08:27And what of the

01:08:27fateful car journey?

01:08:29The accused said

01:08:30his windscreen was dirty,

01:08:32and he couldn't see.

01:08:34But yet,

01:08:34it was no dirtier

01:08:35than it had been

01:08:36on many occasions.

01:08:38The accused told us

01:08:39he could not find

01:08:40the switch to his headlamps,

01:08:41yet he conveniently

01:08:42found the windscreen wipers.

01:08:45Ask yourselves

01:08:46if you can believe

01:08:46this intelligent man's

01:08:48ineptitude

01:08:48behind the wheel

01:08:50of a car.

01:08:51And also consider

01:08:52that the defense stressed

01:08:53the accused

01:08:54did not expect Miss Rogers

01:08:55to be hanging about

01:08:56on the forecourt.

01:08:57Yet Stedman himself said

01:08:59he saw her standing alone

01:09:01before he hurried off

01:09:02to fetch his car.

01:09:04The facts add up

01:09:05to something more

01:09:06than an accident.

01:09:07And surely,

01:09:08ladies and gentlemen,

01:09:09it is because Stedman

01:09:10knew it was no accident

01:09:11that even before

01:09:12the police cautioned him,

01:09:14he had telephoned

01:09:14his lawyer.

01:09:16He had telephoned

01:09:17his lawyer

01:09:17whilst Miss Rogers

01:09:18still lay injured

01:09:20upon the ground.

01:09:22But the prosecution's case

01:09:23rests solely

01:09:24on the testimony

01:09:25of Miss Rogers,

01:09:26and she has been seen

01:09:27in this court

01:09:28to be a liar.

01:09:30And I urge you

01:09:31to ponder

01:09:31whether you can be impressed

01:09:32by the prosecution's witnesses.

01:09:35Mrs. Bowles,

01:09:36who has defective vision

01:09:37and drinks,

01:09:38what uses her testimony.

01:09:40Mark Bowles,

01:09:41now Miss Rogers'

01:09:42latest lover.

01:09:43We all know

01:09:44where his sympathies lie.

01:09:46And Jean Franklin,

01:09:47who has openly admitted

01:09:48her ideological dislike

01:09:50of the defendant.

01:09:52That leaves

01:09:53the police constable,

01:09:54who admitted

01:09:54under oath

01:09:55that the stickiness

01:09:56on the windscreen

01:09:57could,

01:09:58in the right conditions,

01:09:59have contributed

01:09:59to an accident.

01:10:01An accident,

01:10:03ladies and gentlemen.

01:10:05And what were

01:10:05these conditions?

01:10:07It is night,

01:10:09and a woman in black

01:10:10stands on a dark

01:10:11cinder forecourt.

01:10:14Members of the jury,

01:10:14you have seen

01:10:15Stedman for yourselves,

01:10:17a hard-working,

01:10:18law-abiding man.

01:10:20He was even willing

01:10:21to forgive Miss Rogers

01:10:22her affairs with other men.

01:10:23He is, in short,

01:10:25a civilized man,

01:10:26patiently doing his best

01:10:28for the woman he loved.

01:10:30And now,

01:10:32finally,

01:10:32ladies and gentlemen,

01:10:34the prosecution

01:10:35has brought the charge

01:10:36and have to prove it

01:10:38to you

01:10:39before you can convict.

01:10:41it is for you to determine

01:10:46on the evidence

01:10:47you have heard

01:10:48whether Russell Stedman

01:10:50deliberately

01:10:51drove his car

01:10:53at Miss Rogers

01:10:54with the intention

01:10:55of causing her

01:10:57serious bodily injury.

01:10:59I urge you

01:11:02to weigh the facts

01:11:03most carefully.

01:11:07I will retire,

01:11:09elect a foreman

01:11:10to speak for you,

01:11:11and consider

01:11:12your verdict.

01:11:17Members of the jury,

01:11:18will your foreman

01:11:18please stand?

01:11:21Please answer

01:11:21my next question,

01:11:23yes or no.

01:11:24Have you reached

01:11:25a verdict

01:11:25on which you're all agreed?

01:11:27Yes.

01:11:27Do you find

01:11:28Russell Stedman

01:11:29guilty or not guilty

01:11:31of causing

01:11:32grievous bodily harm

01:11:33with intent?

01:11:34Not guilty.

01:11:36And that is

01:11:36the verdict of you all?

01:11:38Yes.

01:11:41May my client

01:11:42be released,

01:11:42my lord?

01:11:43Yes,

01:11:43he's free to go.

01:11:57You can join

01:12:04another jury

01:12:04when our cameras return

01:12:05to bring you

01:12:06a further case

01:12:07in the Crown Court.

01:12:08Your meeting

01:12:22will berieve

01:12:23to make

01:12:25a little

01:12:26quarter

01:12:27สues

01:12:27vous

01:12:28Either

01:12:29ou

01:12:30's

01:12:31or

01:12:31Eller

01:12:32ou

01:12:33ou

01:12:34ou

01:12:35ou

01:12:36ou

01:12:37ou

Crown Court - Love and War (1984)

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