- 2 days ago
Ex-bookmaker, Bill Broad (Tony Selby) stands accused of conspiring to defraud contrary to common law.
Lots of familiar faces in this one, including Ian Marter (Harry Sullivan in Doctor Who) and Gerald James (Tully in Sapphire and Steel). Watch out for a phenomenal appearance from Mary Wimbush (Aunt Agatha in Jeeves and Wooster) as the indomitable Mrs Troughton!!
Lots of familiar faces in this one, including Ian Marter (Harry Sullivan in Doctor Who) and Gerald James (Tully in Sapphire and Steel). Watch out for a phenomenal appearance from Mary Wimbush (Aunt Agatha in Jeeves and Wooster) as the indomitable Mrs Troughton!!
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TVTranscript
00:00:00William Broad, you are charged with conspiring to defraud, contrary to common law, in that
00:00:14you, on or about the second day of May 1973, did conspire together with a person or persons
00:00:19unknown to defraud Ronald William Charles and others by manipulating the odds on the
00:00:25totalisator at the Oak Grange Racing Stadium on the second day of May 1973. How do you
00:00:32plead, guilty or not guilty? Not guilty.
00:00:55Members of the jury, we have before us a complicated case. Complicated, I submit, not by its considerations
00:01:10of honesty or dishonesty, not at all. These considerations, I suggest, will become clear
00:01:15to you as the facts are revealed. No, its complexity lies in the amount of expertise that was required
00:01:22to perpetrate this fraud, or coup, as it has been euphemistically called. Now, I'm afraid
00:01:29that you will have to master some of this expertise in order that you may judge of the fraudulency
00:01:33of the actions of the defendant and his associates. Now, I'd like to read you a bare outline of
00:01:39the case, which I hope will help you to follow the witness's testimony. Now, as you've heard,
00:01:44the defendant is charged with manipulating the odds on the totalisator at Oak Grove Stadium,
00:01:49northwest London. Now, his manipulation to judge from the results was extremely successful.
00:01:55Now, it is the prosecution's case that he and persons unknown went to Oak Grove on the day in
00:02:02question, and on the 3.40 race, they prevented any other people at the stadium from betting
00:02:06on the totalisator forecasts, which is, I believe, the most common bet in dog racing.
00:02:13And that by preventing a consensus of wagering, they thereby ensured that the totalisator
00:02:18returns were not a reflection of the respective merits of the dogs competing. In fact, they
00:02:25managed, by obstructing others from betting, to make what should have been the most fancied
00:02:31pair of dogs into rank outsiders, by promoting the genuine outsiders to favoritism by artificially
00:02:37backing them. Well, none of this would be of any concern to anyone except those deprived of
00:02:43the right to wager if it were not for one crucial fact, the fact upon which this case pivots.
00:02:50And that is that bookmakers have for a long time, and in good faith, accepted the returns
00:02:57of the totalisator as a reflection of an animal's worth and the general betting public's opinion,
00:03:04and have therefore been prepared to offer those odds and those dividends to the people using
00:03:09their services away from the courses. So, it is our submission that the defendant in this case,
00:03:16Mr. William Broad, used and abused this trust, and he did it in this way. He selected a forecast
00:03:23that was to him as near to a certainty as was possible. He wagered heavily on this forecast with a
00:03:30number of bookmakers, particularly with a Mr. Ronald Charles, and having wagered with these men who
00:03:36accepted his wager in good faith, he connived to distort the odds of the dogs that he backed by
00:03:42preventing others from backing their own selections. It is the submission of the prosecution in this case
00:03:48that this was a conspiracy and that it was dishonest. My Lord, for my first witness, I should like to call
00:03:55Mr. Ronald Charles. Ronald Charles, please. You are Mr. Ronald Charles of Nightingale Gardens,
00:04:11Fulchester? That's correct. And you are by profession a bookmaker? I am, yes. And you are the proprietor
00:04:17of Off Course Investors, Fulchester? That's correct. Which makes you the largest bookmaker in the city?
00:04:22I, er, I understand that is the case. Biggest film, maybe. And you have your premises in the
00:04:29centre of the city, do you? Cannon Square, that's correct. Now, do you know the defendant,
00:04:33Mr. William Broad? I do. In what capacity do you know him? Well, as a customer, a punter. A punter,
00:04:40my Lord, and members of the jury, as someone who wagers on the... Yes, sir, thank you, Mr. Deedy.
00:04:45My Lord. Did you know Mr. Broad in any other capacity, Mr. Charles? Well, I, er, I don't know what you
00:04:51want me to say. Well, did you habitually meet him anywhere else but on your own premises? Oh,
00:04:55yes, at the Brutus Sporting Club. I'd often use the Brutus in the course of business, you
00:04:59understand, and, er, he was there drinking with, er, well, with people, you understand. I never
00:05:05associated with him there, of course. Now, Mr. Charles, I have tried to outline the risks
00:05:10that a bookmaker takes in offering the odds produced by the totalisator in dog racing.
00:05:14Now, I wondered if you would elucidate this, please, for the benefit of the jury.
00:05:17Yes, of course. Well, of course, the risks are vast. I mean, you can very often come,
00:05:22er, well, I shall say, you can, er, lose a lot of money. Now, would you just give us the
00:05:28mechanics of what happens? Oh, yes, by all means. Well, now, then, er, let's see, it's, er,
00:05:33er, oh, best to express it, you understand. You see, the thing is this. A punter goes to
00:05:38the races, an honest punter, that is, and he wants to back the bet which is normal at the races.
00:05:43Now, that is the forecast bet. Now, that is to say, the dogs which are going to come,
00:05:49or which he thinks are going to come, first and second. You see, it's not like backing
00:05:53the winner straight forward. When you say first and second, Mr. Charles, is that in the correct
00:05:58order, or merely the first two dogs past the post? Oh, I beg your pardon, no, that was my mistake.
00:06:02No, indeed, I didn't make it quite clear. You are right when you say, in the correct order.
00:06:06I see, thank you. Go on, please. Well, now, then, the, the people, the punters, members of the general
00:06:12public at the track, they have their bets on the tote. Now, then, when the race is over, the amount
00:06:18that the tote has taken is divided amongst those who have won. But you understand, this is only amongst
00:06:24those who are actually at the track. So, you might say, well, what about the poor chap who can't get to
00:06:29the track? Now, that's where we come in, the bookmakers. You see, because we, we have no control over it.
00:06:34We can't affect how it's going to turn out. We can't say what it's going to pay. Well, fair enough.
00:06:40I mean, they've all had their chance at the racetrack. They've all backed the fancy. And so,
00:06:44we take the attitude that whatever the tote pays out will be fair. And so, we agree to pay that amount
00:06:50to our clients. What about paid out on this one? The gentleman at the back of the court will be quiet
00:06:56or he will be removed. Very well, Mr. Dealey. All right. Now, Mr. Charles, you've said that you know
00:07:03Mr. Broad as a customer, that is to say, as a punter. Now, what steak was normal for him? I mean,
00:07:10how big were his bets? Oh, small fry, really. Five, ten pounds, seldom more. Then this is small fry.
00:07:16Oh, aye. I mean, considering the league that he'd pretend to be in. I see. And did you always deal
00:07:20with him personally? Oh, good Lord, no. But I mean, I usually see his steaks at some stage.
00:07:26Now, Mr. Charles, would you tell us what happened on the 2nd of May, please?
00:07:29Ah, well, Broad came into the office, into the main office, that is, shortly after we opened. It'd be
00:07:34about a quarter to ten. And he asked to see me. Did he always ask to see you? Well, no. You see,
00:07:40you understand, this wasn't the first time. He liked to throw his weight about a bit, you see.
00:07:45He had an illusion of grandeur, you know. I see. Well, I went in the shop and I asked him what he
00:07:50wanted. And he said he wanted a monkey on the four and six dogs in the 340 at Oak Grove. Well,
00:07:55which is as much as to say he wanted 500 pounds on that forecast. 500 pounds? 500 pounds. What
00:08:02was your reaction? Well, my first reaction was that he was joking. I asked him if he was
00:08:06going to pay him buttons and washers. And what did he reply? Well, to my amazement, and this
00:08:10is the first and only time he's ever surprised me, he took out a roll of noughts and he started
00:08:14counting them out. Well, he had this money in cash? Yes. Ah, but you see, what you've got to
00:08:18understand is this. I mean, the forecast bet isn't usually a big bet. You see, the dividend
00:08:23is decided on a tenpenny stake. That's to say, if the bet pays, well, say a pound, then
00:08:30for ten pence, you get one pound. So for 500 pounds, well, I mean, it was utterly ridiculous.
00:08:36Certainly for a man whose bet was normally in the region of five to ten pounds. Ah, certainly.
00:08:40Did you comment on it to him? Well, I suppose I made some observation. I mean, what tries
00:08:47to be civil? What sort of observation? Well, just as to the size of the bet, I think I said
00:08:52something about him, fancying the dogs very strongly. And what did he reply? Nothing.
00:08:56He didn't answer? No, he just looked at me. I'd have told you to take a running jump with
00:09:00yourself. Leave it out, Gander. He's having a go at you, Billy. Watch him. Leave it out,
00:09:04I said. I will have silence in this court, and I will not remind you again.
00:09:12Now, Mr. Charles, you've said that Mr. Broad put 500 pounds on the 340 race. What happened?
00:09:19Well, the forecast won. The bet came up. Oh, that's fair enough. I mean, the favourite
00:09:24was the winner. Green Aime Beauty, the four-dog. The second favourite came second. Dancer,
00:09:29the sixth dog. Well, I mean, the others, they weren't at the races. The forecast was such
00:09:34an obvious one.
00:09:34Well, Mr. Charles, did the other dogs not appear?
00:09:38Oh, the others did. No chance.
00:09:39You said they weren't at the races.
00:09:42No, I beg your pardon, Your Honour. You see, one gets into such ways of habit, you understand.
00:09:46No, when I say they weren't at the races, I mean, they were a long way behind. You see,
00:09:50they didn't stand a chance.
00:09:52Yes, I see. Go on.
00:09:54You were saying that the forecast was an obvious one, Mr. Charles.
00:09:56Well, of course it was an obvious one. I mean, this favourite was well odds on. Oh,
00:10:00I don't know if you're acquainted with odds and so on, Your Honour.
00:10:03Yes, I have been horse racing, though I must confess I've never been dog racing. However,
00:10:07I do understand the terms, but there may be some in the jury who would be grateful for
00:10:12an explanation.
00:10:13Oh, by all means. Well, now then, first of all, you see, you've got evens. That's a
00:10:1850-50 sort of thing. Say, you back a pound, you win a pound. Now, that's even money. Now,
00:10:24then, when you're into odds on, you win even less. Now, then, three to one, that means you
00:10:29bet three pounds, you win one pound. That sort of thing, you see. So that if any animal is odds
00:10:35on, then it's in with a fair chance. And I can assure you, ladies and gentlemen, these
00:10:40were two hot favourites. The rest at sixes and sevens.
00:10:49In fact, we have the result of this race, my lord, in the agreed bundle of documents. Page
00:10:53seven.
00:10:56The 340 at Oak Grove. First trap, four, Greenain Beauty. Second trap, six, Dancer. Two to one
00:11:02on favourite and five to two second favourite. The other prices were six to one, seven to
00:11:06one and one hundred to eight. That was from the sporting life of the following day, my
00:11:11lord. Now, Mr. Charles, what would you expect from your experiences of bookmaking, a forecast
00:11:18of that kind to pay?
00:11:19On a ten-pen estate?
00:11:20Yes.
00:11:22Fifteen pence. If you were lucky, it might pay seventeen.
00:11:24Not more?
00:11:25Not more.
00:11:25Not even twenty pence?
00:11:26Twenty pence would be ridiculous.
00:11:28So, what, in fact, did it pay?
00:11:30Forty-seven pounds.
00:11:32Really? And what did this mean that Mr. Broad had won for his five hundred pounds?
00:11:37Two hundred and twenty-three thousand, two hundred and fifty pounds, after tax.
00:11:43So you stood to lose a quarter of a million pounds?
00:11:46Well, I mean, it was ridiculous. It was so obvious. I mean, you know, he shouldn't have
00:11:49been so ambitious. He's greedy.
00:11:51What was your reaction?
00:11:53Well, as I said, it was utterly fantastic. It was beyond the bounds of possibility or anything.
00:11:58Any such thing. I didn't believe it. I never did believe it.
00:12:01Well, it was quite funny, really. A couple of the lads, you know, the settlers, they thought
00:12:06they'd play a little bit of a joke on me, you see, and so they wrote up the bet, just
00:12:10as though it was all proper, you see. They wrote out, win, two hundred and twenty-three
00:12:13thousand, and so on, you see, and they left it amongst a pile of slips for me to find.
00:12:18Aye, I made a bit of a good laugh about that.
00:12:21Were there other people with the same bet, Mr. Charles? Completely innocent people?
00:12:25My lord, I must object.
00:12:26I think perhaps you'd better rephrase that question, Mr. Dealey, without any insiduation
00:12:31of guilt.
00:12:31Certainly, my lord. Could you just tell us, Mr. Charles, did you have other bets on this
00:12:36same forecast?
00:12:37Oh, I just, as you said, I mean, people who had nothing to do with this at all, I mean,
00:12:41quite pleased to win a few shillings, you know, quite honestly.
00:12:44Aye, and I can tell you here and now, I've spoken to a lot of these people, and they no more
00:12:48expect me to pay out this ridiculous sum. They just don't expect it.
00:12:52So the people with ten and twenty-penny bets were winning how much?
00:12:55Ninety-four pounds.
00:12:56And what's happening about these people?
00:12:58Well, I mean, I can't possibly pay them out at this price, can I?
00:13:00So what's, what in fact is happening then?
00:13:02They've been put in abeyance. The whole thing's been left in abeyance.
00:13:04You've had to withhold payment of these bets?
00:13:06We've had to, with no option.
00:13:07Does this mean that they...
00:13:08Look, I'm sorry, but I must make this absolutely clear.
00:13:11No one is more sorry than I am to have had to do this.
00:13:14And I must tell you that bookmakers all over the country have been placed in the same position.
00:13:19No one has paid out on this bet. And I can't tell you how sorry we all are.
00:13:23Have you ever had to withhold payment of a bet before?
00:13:26Never. I wouldn't do such a thing.
00:13:28Now look, sir, I must make this absolutely clear to you.
00:13:30A bookmaker in my position can't cheat even if he wanted to.
00:13:34And I can tell you here and now, I love this game so much.
00:13:38See, I get on with all my customers.
00:13:40Well, they're my friends.
00:13:42Well, they are my friends.
00:13:44Well, I wouldn't cheat my mother and father.
00:13:46I wouldn't cheat my customers.
00:13:48I wouldn't want to.
00:13:54Thank you, Mr. Charles.
00:14:04Your honesty is impressive, Mr. Charles.
00:14:08Thank you, sir.
00:14:09Does the expression flimping mean anything to you?
00:14:13Flimping. Oh, I think I've heard it.
00:14:14A practice common among the bookmaking fraternity of giving short odds.
00:14:18Oh, is that so?
00:14:19You have never done this?
00:14:20Never.
00:14:21What about squeezing odds?
00:14:23I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about.
00:14:25My lord, I must object.
00:14:26This witness is not on trial.
00:14:28I submit, my lord, that since the honesty of my client is being called in question,
00:14:32those that do so must surely be prepared to have their own honesty scrutinised,
00:14:36where it bears upon the matter under consideration.
00:14:37Yes, I accept that the honesty of bookmaking in general,
00:14:40and Mr. Charles's practice of it in particular, is germane to the case.
00:14:45However, I would be glad, Mr. Ingrams, if you kept your questions within bounds.
00:14:49Very well, my lord.
00:14:52Have you heard of the practice known, I believe, as squeezing?
00:14:55I don't think so.
00:14:56Making a false favourite.
00:14:58Look, I know nothing about making false favourites.
00:15:00There's lots of rumours about...
00:15:01Bind yourself to answering my questions, please, Mr. Charles.
00:15:04What about a rick, Mr. Charles?
00:15:05Look, I'm sorry, these are on course terms.
00:15:07They've got nothing to do with me.
00:15:08How very convenient.
00:15:10So you would say, would you, that within the context of bookmaking,
00:15:13you are entirely honest?
00:15:14With my hand on my heart, sir, 100% honest.
00:15:18How can you?
00:15:19How can you say it?
00:15:20Ronnie, can you see me here?
00:15:22Eight grand, remember Ronnie?
00:15:23Eight grand.
00:15:24Will you be seated, sir?
00:15:25Your Honour, this court must listen to me.
00:15:27Perjury is what you're hearing.
00:15:28You will resume your seat, sir, and keep quiet, or I shall have you removed from this court.
00:15:32I can't hear that lying skunk and keep quiet.
00:15:35I want her to testify.
00:15:36Why can't I testify?
00:15:37That man robbed me.
00:15:39Squeeze the odds.
00:15:40He knows about squeezing the odds, a lying, cheating swine.
00:15:43He's pulling the wool over your eyes.
00:15:44Look, let me tell you, Your Honour.
00:15:46I could have had him.
00:15:47I could have won £8,000 and that skunk went to the track and squeezed the odds on me.
00:15:52Call me as a witness.
00:15:53Please call me as a witness.
00:15:54I want to be heard.
00:15:58Very clever.
00:15:59Very clever, Bill.
00:16:01It's nothing to do with me, Ronnie.
00:16:03It's a put-up job.
00:16:04Every word of it's true.
00:16:05Gentlemen, I will have order or I shall clear the court.
00:16:09How are we for libel, McBittery?
00:16:10Nothing that is said outside the witness box has any sway with myself or with the jury.
00:16:16But with all due respect, my lord, he's in the witness box and he just said that was a put-up job.
00:16:20What I want to know is if he's on oath, that's thunderous, that's libel.
00:16:23Oh, Mr. Broad.
00:16:26I'm sorry, my lord.
00:16:28Now, members of the jury, will you kindly erase from your mind anything that has been said,
00:16:32both by the man who has just been ejected and anything since then?
00:16:36Now, do you understand that?
00:16:39Very well.
00:16:40Continue, please.
00:16:40Thank you, my lord.
00:16:42So, Mr. Charles, you were telling us, with your hand on your heart, that you are 100% honest.
00:16:47Was I?
00:16:48Well, yes, I think that's true.
00:16:49Aren't you sure?
00:16:50I am, yes.
00:16:52Now, you've told us that Mr. Broad normally bet in stakes of five and ten pounds.
00:16:56Yes.
00:16:56Were you not, therefore, somewhat surprised when he came in and staked 500 pounds?
00:17:00Well, I told you I was.
00:17:02You told us that you made a facetious remark or two, Mr. Charles, but what did you do?
00:17:05What action did you take?
00:17:06Well, what could I do?
00:17:07I took his bet.
00:17:08That's what I'm there for.
00:17:10Did you not lay the bet off?
00:17:11No.
00:17:12Would you not normally lay off some of the bet as large as this one?
00:17:15Mr. Ingrams, could you please explain that term for the jury?
00:17:17Certainly, my lord.
00:17:19It is standard practice amongst bookmakers that when one of them finds himself heavily committed to a single animal,
00:17:25he gives some of the place money to another bookmaker who is not so encumbered,
00:17:29and thus he passes some of the bet on, as it were.
00:17:31I see.
00:17:34Did you not do this, Mr. Charles?
00:17:36No.
00:17:36Why not?
00:17:37Well, because I thought he might come unstuck.
00:17:39Oh, you thought that the bet might lose?
00:17:40Yes.
00:17:41So there was a chance that the bet would lose?
00:17:43There's always a chance that the bet might lose.
00:17:45And anyway, I mean, a bookmaker's got to be a bit of a gambler as well.
00:17:49And anyway, I enjoy it.
00:17:50So I thought I'd hold on to it.
00:17:51I thought the second favourite might just get a nose in front.
00:17:54So you would concede, would you not, Mr. Charles, that Mr. Broad was, in fact, gambling?
00:17:58To an extent.
00:17:59Now, Mr. Charles, you know Mr. Broad, or rather you meet Mr. Broad socially, do you not?
00:18:04At the Brutus.
00:18:06Would you recognise any of Mr. Broad's friends or associates?
00:18:09Yes.
00:18:09Did any of them have a bet with you on that particular forecast that morning?
00:18:13Oh, well, not in the morning.
00:18:14Now, in the afternoon, Williamson...
00:18:15Ah, yes, but you were not in the shop in the afternoon, were you?
00:18:18In fact, I wasn't, but I did hear about it.
00:18:20Thank you, Mr. Charles.
00:18:22No further questions, my lord?
00:18:23No, Mr. Charles.
00:18:25You may go.
00:18:26I call Miss Doreen Tring, please.
00:18:31Doreen Tring, please.
00:18:32Come this way.
00:18:33What is your religion?
00:18:45The Sea of E.
00:18:46Take the testament in your right hand and read aloud the words on this card.
00:18:49I swear by almighty God that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
00:18:55You are Doreen Tring of Abel Avenue, Fulchester?
00:18:58I am.
00:18:59And you're a receptionist, as well as working two days a week at the Oak Grove Dog Stadium?
00:19:03That's right.
00:19:04As what I believe is called a cellar?
00:19:06Yes.
00:19:06What is a cellar, exactly, please?
00:19:08I sell tickets on the tote.
00:19:10It's forecast tickets?
00:19:11Yes.
00:19:12Now, do you remember the events of the 2nd of May this year?
00:19:15Yes.
00:19:15And were you working at Oak Grove on the afternoon of that day?
00:19:18I was, yes.
00:19:20And would you describe to us the events that preceded the 3.40 race as they appeared to you?
00:19:26Well, from where I sit, you can hardly see much outside. You can just see the customer.
00:19:31That's the person buying the tickets?
00:19:33Yes.
00:19:33Or would you describe the arrangement that prevents you from seeing much outside?
00:19:37Yeah.
00:19:38Well, it's like one of them old-fashioned railway ticket offices.
00:19:41It's sort of a window, and it's like round at the top, and it's just narrow, so you can only see right in front of you the customer.
00:19:48That's very clear. Thank you very much.
00:19:51Would you carry on with the events that preceded the 3.40, please?
00:19:54Well, it was all just normal. The 3.20 race went by, and there was a bit of a lull, and then a gentleman came to the window and started buying a couple of tickets.
00:20:04Do you recognise this gentleman in court today?
00:20:06Yes.
00:20:07Would you point at him, please?
00:20:09The accused.
00:20:11Yes.
00:20:11And then what happened?
00:20:13Well, he started talking.
00:20:15What did he say?
00:20:17Oh, you know, silly things. You know men.
00:20:20Yes, but could you be a little more precise?
00:20:22He asked me if I wanted to go out.
00:20:25It's still on, darling.
00:20:26He asked me what sort of lipstick I used, where I got my hair done.
00:20:30And he asked me if I wanted to go out again. Kept coming back to that.
00:20:34Oh, yeah.
00:20:35And he said he didn't fancy the favourites as much as he fancied me.
00:20:38What was your reaction to all this, please?
00:20:42Just laughed at first.
00:20:43But then the queue started building up behind him, and I asked him if he wanted to bet, or else to let the people behind him get by.
00:20:49And what did he say?
00:20:51He said he hadn't started.
00:20:52But he hadn't started betting?
00:20:54Yes.
00:20:54And then what happened?
00:20:55Oh, well, he bet a bit, you know.
00:20:58He kept looking for his pockets for his money.
00:21:00Then he'd take a pound out of his inside pocket and buy a couple of tickets.
00:21:04Oh, and in the middle of it all, he asked me for a pound's worth of shillings for the telephone.
00:21:07And did you give them to him?
00:21:08No.
00:21:08Did you get the impression that he wasn't really a serious backer?
00:21:13Well, he was serious about one thing.
00:21:15Yes, but I mean genuine.
00:21:16A genuine backer, did you think?
00:21:18Oh, no.
00:21:19Definitely not.
00:21:20He was stopping other people.
00:21:22There were people in the queue shouting.
00:21:24Well, I suppose they were in the queue.
00:21:26Well, by the end of it, you could hear it was pandemonium outside.
00:21:29No one could get by.
00:21:30Hmm.
00:21:31Are there other kiosks, you know, in a line with you?
00:21:34How many?
00:21:34Eight.
00:21:35And what was happening in the other kiosks?
00:21:37Well, the same thing.
00:21:38Only with a different man, of course.
00:21:40And for how long did the defendant block the window of your kiosk?
00:21:43Until the 3.40 race went.
00:21:46Towards the end, he was getting quite serious.
00:21:48He was betting quite a lot.
00:21:49Nothing could stop him.
00:21:50How much did he bet?
00:21:52About £40.
00:21:53And all in small amounts?
00:21:54Yes.
00:21:55And all on forecast?
00:21:56That's to say, combinations of two dogs?
00:21:58That's right.
00:21:58Hmm.
00:21:59Were there any two dogs that you noticed that Mr Broad avoided backing?
00:22:04Well, at the time, it's all just a lot of numbers, if you see what I mean.
00:22:07I mean, it's just a jumble.
00:22:09Hmm.
00:22:10But it turned out that he hardly backed the four and the six dog.
00:22:13Hardly.
00:22:14He bought one ticket.
00:22:15And earlier, he told you that he didn't fancy the favourites.
00:22:18As much as I fancied her.
00:22:21Silencing hot.
00:22:22Good old...
00:22:23Silencing hot.
00:22:24The case of the Queen against Broad will be resumed tomorrow in the Crown Court.
00:22:51Ex-bookmaker Bill Broad stands accused of conspiring to defraud contrary to common law.
00:23:17The prosecution case is that Broad and his accomplices conspired together to manipulate the odds on the totalisator at Oak Grove Dog Racing Stadium.
00:23:26And, by preventing anyone else from laying their bets, turned the normal payment of 15 pence for a 10-pence stake into 47 pounds.
00:23:33The prosecution witness now on the stand is a cashier at the dog track on the day in question.
00:23:40Miss Tring, I shan't detain you very long.
00:23:42Miss Tring, you said earlier that towards the end, Mr Broad was betting quite a lot.
00:23:47Yes.
00:23:48Did I?
00:23:49You did.
00:23:50Well, he was.
00:23:51He, er...
00:23:52He got quite serious, you said.
00:23:54Yes.
00:23:56I'm not trying to catch you out, Miss Tring.
00:23:58No.
00:23:59All right.
00:24:00In fact, Miss Tring, what you mean is that Mr Broad was betting quite normally.
00:24:04I suppose so.
00:24:05And when you said that there was pandemonium outside, could you see outside?
00:24:09No, but I could hear.
00:24:11What could you hear?
00:24:12People shouting at him, shouting at him to get a move on.
00:24:14How could you tell that they were shouting at him?
00:24:17Well, I suppose they was.
00:24:18He was blocking the window.
00:24:18You aren't sure that they were?
00:24:20No, I couldn't actually see them.
00:24:22Don't you quite often get people who take a long time to place their bets?
00:24:26Well, not that long.
00:24:27No, but a long time.
00:24:28Longer than the normal time.
00:24:30Yes.
00:24:30If a man wanted to put 40 pounds, say, on various forecasts, and, er...
00:24:35Well, if he'd been in the bar, for instance...
00:24:37Oh, yes.
00:24:37Well, how long might he take?
00:24:39About five minutes.
00:24:40Might they not be shouting from people in the queue?
00:24:43My lord, is this extended speculation necessary or relevant?
00:24:48It would be more to the point, Mr Ingrams, if we could hear of Miss Tring's own experience.
00:24:53As your lordship pleases.
00:24:54Have you ever before this occasion, Miss Tring, known anyone to block the window to your kiosk
00:25:01for any reason for longer than it would normally take him to place a bet?
00:25:05Yes.
00:25:06Frequently?
00:25:07Occasionally.
00:25:08What is the average stake that you take from each customer?
00:25:11Fifty or sixty pence.
00:25:13But Mr Broad staked 40 pounds, Mr Tring.
00:25:17Would you not therefore expect him to take longer than normal?
00:25:20I suppose so.
00:25:20Well, when you've had people, er, shall we call them awkward customers, has there not
00:25:25been shouting from people who you took to be in the queue?
00:25:28Well, yes, I've heard shouting before.
00:25:31I put it to you, Miss Tring, that, er, once Mr Broad had stopped behaving in the way that
00:25:36men will behave, and started betting quite a lot, and getting quite serious, you regarded
00:25:42him as a perfectly normal customer, and that it was only what happened afterwards that
00:25:45caused you to change your attitude.
00:25:47You mean I didn't think anything about it till afterwards?
00:25:49That is precisely what I mean, Miss Tring.
00:25:53Yes.
00:25:54You didn't?
00:25:55No.
00:25:57Thank you, Miss Tring.
00:25:59I've no further questions, Ronald.
00:26:01You may go, Miss Tring.
00:26:08Oi, darling.
00:26:09We can't go on meeting like this.
00:26:13I call Mr Cecil Rhodes-Smith, please.
00:26:18Cecil Rhodes-Smith, please.
00:26:33What is your religion?
00:26:34Church of England.
00:26:36Take the testament in your right hand, and read aloud the words on this card.
00:26:42I swear by Almighty God, the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth, and
00:26:47nothing but the truth.
00:26:49Mr Smith, were you at the Oak Grove Stadium on the 2nd of May?
00:26:52I was at Oak Grove that afternoon, yes.
00:26:55And in which stand were you, Mr Smith?
00:26:57I chose to be in the inexpensive enclosure that afternoon.
00:27:00And do you recall the events that preceded the 340 race?
00:27:04Very clearly, indeed.
00:27:05Would you describe them to us, please, in your own words?
00:27:08Well, I suppose the reason for my vivid recall was wanting, as I did, through information
00:27:14of a sort.
00:27:15If you understand what I mean by information, there's nothing wrong with it, you see.
00:27:19But there were two animals in the race that I did have a particular interest in.
00:27:23There were two dogs that you particularly wanted to back, were there?
00:27:25There were two, yes.
00:27:26I was to have backed them in a forecast.
00:27:28I don't know if you're familiar with this term.
00:27:30We have had that explained to us, yes.
00:27:33Now, Mr Smith, what happened when you went to back this forecast indicated by your information?
00:27:38Oh, an abject impossible.
00:27:41I couldn't do it.
00:27:42I just could not get my wager on.
00:27:44Now, why was that?
00:27:46Well, the queues were completely blocked.
00:27:48This was at the totalisator?
00:27:50At the totalisator, yes.
00:27:51The windows to the totalisator were completely blocked.
00:27:54They were impossible.
00:27:57So what did you do, Mr Smith?
00:27:59Well, there were no alternatives open to me.
00:28:01I stood in a queue, and on realising that there was no movement in it,
00:28:06I transferred to another, only to be met with the same responses.
00:28:10Well, of course, by this time, with only five minutes before the hare ran,
00:28:14you can imagine my frustration.
00:28:16Mr Smith, the hare ran.
00:28:18That is an expression we haven't yet encountered in this hearing.
00:28:22I wonder if you would oblige.
00:28:24By all means, my lord.
00:28:26The hare.
00:28:27Well, the greyhound, you see, is not necessarily an animal that will race of its own accord
00:28:35without the reason of the hare.
00:28:39Perhaps it isn't clear.
00:28:40Well, you see, the greyhound is put in a box, or as it's known, a trap.
00:28:46And so that it won't stay in the trap, which, in spite of the hare, this is something that
00:28:50has been known, and there's a name for it, but so that it won't usually, and to make
00:28:54it want to race, there's the hare.
00:28:57It's not a real hare, of course.
00:28:59That would be ridiculous.
00:29:00Now, the hare, if I understand you correctly, Mr Smith, is a mechanical lure which circles
00:29:07the track, causing the unfortunate animals to pursue it in unwitting competition.
00:29:13That is precisely the size of it, my lord.
00:29:16It might interest your lordship to know that Winston Churchill once referred to greyhound
00:29:20racing as animated roulette.
00:29:22Yes, Mr Dealey, Mr Churchill had a lot to say of value on the practices of our society.
00:29:27I think perhaps you'd better get on.
00:29:30My lord.
00:29:31Mr Smith, you were telling us of your frustration of not being able to place a bet on the 340
00:29:35race.
00:29:36It was five minutes to go before the start of the race, so what did you do?
00:29:40I do apologise.
00:29:42I've completely lost a thread of my thoughts.
00:29:45Well, you've told us that you had some information, and you wished to place a bet on the 340, but
00:29:49you were prevented from doing so.
00:29:51Where did I, where did all this happen?
00:29:53At Oak Grove Stadium, Mr Smith, on the 2nd of May.
00:29:57Oh, yes, I do apologise.
00:30:03I'm sure you'll appreciate my frustration.
00:30:08So I moved to another queue.
00:30:10Well, the story was exactly the same.
00:30:12Cues of people quite rampant.
00:30:14Well, by this time, I was running from one queue to another, and people were hurling abuse.
00:30:18It was really quite shocking.
00:30:20A greyhound stadium is an unsavoury place of best in the inexpensive stands, but this was
00:30:24quite the most deplorable state of affairs.
00:30:26Now, why were the windows of the totalisator blocked?
00:30:29Well, there were men standing there, and fights broke out, and the noise was terrible.
00:30:33But the root cause of the trouble were the men standing at the windows, standing there
00:30:37so that no one else could possibly approach.
00:30:40And did you eventually get your wager on?
00:30:42No, I couldn't.
00:30:43They were totally obstructed.
00:30:45Thank you, Mr Smith.
00:30:48Mr Smith, you said that you had information as to the likely outcome of the race in question.
00:30:53I did, yes.
00:30:54Had you paid for this information?
00:30:56Yes.
00:30:57Which were the two dogs concerned?
00:31:00Well, the eventual winners, as it so happened.
00:31:02Then you must have been extremely angry when they won.
00:31:05I was furious.
00:31:06And these men who...
00:31:07Quite beside myself with rage.
00:31:09Yes, and these men who you say were blocking the windows must have received the full force
00:31:12of your temper.
00:31:13Well, there you are.
00:31:14Which of us likes to be deprived of a winner?
00:31:17Precisely, Mr Smith.
00:31:18And I suggest to you that having been, in your opinion, so deprived, you have built
00:31:22upon and considerably elaborated your story.
00:31:25I suggest to you with great respect, Mr Smith, that this would be only natural, considering
00:31:29your disappointment.
00:31:30I haven't exaggerated, I've told you what happened, just the plain facts of the case.
00:31:36But were all the queues blocked, all of them?
00:31:38All, you could not get a wager on, sir, I can assure you of that.
00:31:41How could you possibly have tried all the queues?
00:31:43Well, the ones I tried, I mean, the ones I tried, that's my meaning.
00:31:46But how many did you try?
00:31:47Four or five at least.
00:31:49I see.
00:31:50Now, you say that these queues, these queues were blocked.
00:31:53They were impossible.
00:31:55By men?
00:31:56Standing there.
00:31:57What were the men doing?
00:31:59Well, standing there, just simply standing there.
00:32:01Were they not betting?
00:32:02Well, not for that long.
00:32:03Could you see that they were not betting?
00:32:05Well, one didn't have to see, it was obvious.
00:32:07We've heard testimony, Mr Smith, from one of the cashiers, that in one case at least,
00:32:11the men indeed were betting, and very heavily.
00:32:13Well, that's nothing to do with me.
00:32:14I can't help what a cashier tells you.
00:32:17I can only tell you what I saw with my own eyes, and that's the only thing a man can say.
00:32:21And that is what he saw with his own eyes, and that is what I saw.
00:32:25But did you go to the front of any of the queues?
00:32:26Of course not.
00:32:27I'm not one to do that.
00:32:29Mr Smith, did you observe any transaction at the tote windows at close quarters?
00:32:33Well, you could not possibly approach.
00:32:35There were fights.
00:32:36People were being violent.
00:32:37You must understand.
00:32:39Thank you very much, Mr Smith.
00:32:41I have no further questions.
00:32:42You may go, Mr Smith.
00:32:45Thank you, my lord.
00:32:50I call Mrs Marjorie Troughton, please.
00:32:53Marjorie Troughton, please.
00:33:02What is your religion?
00:33:13Church of England.
00:33:14Make the testament in your right hand.
00:33:15I swear by almighty God that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth,
00:33:18nothing but the truth.
00:33:20You are Mrs Marjorie Troughton of 24 Alma Road, Hammersmith, London?
00:33:23Yes.
00:33:24And you are the manageress of the totalisator at Oak Grove Stadium.
00:33:28Does this mean that you are in overall charge of the totalisator?
00:33:30It does.
00:33:31It isn't split up into different departments?
00:33:32No.
00:33:34So who are you responsible to?
00:33:36To the punters.
00:33:37Yes, of course, but who does check your work?
00:33:39The auditors.
00:33:40We have two audits here, always surprise checks by the excise department, and then we have
00:33:44an independent auditor from the authority that grants us our license, the local county council.
00:33:47They have their auditor always working at the stadium, checking all the dividends before
00:33:51they're declared.
00:33:52It's absolutely scrupulous.
00:33:54I wonder if you'd describe to us, please, the way that the totalisator dividend is arrived at.
00:33:59Well, certainly.
00:34:00Now, let's take forecast dividend.
00:34:01In any race of six dogs, there are 30 possible combinations, and each combination normally
00:34:05attracts a certain amount of money in bets from the punters.
00:34:08When the result of the race is declared, all the money on the possible combinations is
00:34:11divided amongst the punters who have backed the winning combination, and that's forecast dividend.
00:34:15And I wonder if you could give us some idea as to how much money would be staked on anyone?
00:34:19No, no, it's quite impossible to say.
00:34:20Well, on average, then.
00:34:21Well, it would depend which two dogs.
00:34:23Yes, I see.
00:34:23Well, I do understand your problem in making generalizations in such a circumstantially sensitive
00:34:28context.
00:34:30But I do wonder, though, in all your years of experience, Mrs. Troughton...
00:34:3427 years.
00:34:35In 27 years, Mrs. Troughton, have you ever known two warm favorites only to attract two tenpenny
00:34:40bets?
00:34:41Only once.
00:34:41And when was that?
00:34:42On the afternoon of May 2nd this year.
00:34:44And what would you, purely as a matter of opinion, have expected those two favorites
00:34:48to attract in terms of stakes?
00:34:50Well, my opinion is hardly relevant since there are facts we can draw on in this case.
00:34:54Now, the Tote also runs win and place betting apart from the forecast betting.
00:34:57And since those booths weren't interfered with, we were able to get perfectly normal results
00:35:00in the win betting.
00:35:01So we looked back to our records to find a previous race where we paid identical dividends
00:35:05on the first two dogs.
00:35:07Now, on the afternoon of May 2nd this year, that's the race we're talking about, the win
00:35:10money was 18 pence to a tenpenny stake, which is odds of four to five, and the place money
00:35:14on the second dog paid 17 pence.
00:35:16Now, the last time we had a race with identical dividends was on the 20th of October 1968 in
00:35:21the 8-20 race.
00:35:22And there again, the win money paid 18 pence and the place money on the second dog was
00:35:2517 pence.
00:35:26But the forecast dividend in October paid 4 and 9 pence, which is 23 and a half pence.
00:35:32And in May 2nd of this year, it paid 47 pence.
00:35:35Now, that's an elementary test, but I think the result speaks for itself.
00:35:53Mrs. Stroud, you have at least implied that there was interferences on the betting of
00:35:57the 340 race.
00:35:58Now, in your opinion, was that the case?
00:35:59Yes.
00:35:59And where did this interference take place?
00:36:01In the tote forecast windows, it very soon became apparent that people were betting in
00:36:06a very strange way.
00:36:07And when did you first become aware of this?
00:36:08It was my main assistant in the main control room that first pointed out to me, my chief
00:36:14dividends calculator, Mr. Trevor.
00:36:16And he pointed out to me on the tote board that there didn't seem to be any money at all
00:36:19going on the four and six dogs either way.
00:36:21What is the tote board, Mrs. Stroud?
00:36:23Well, it's a large indicator board that shows the pundits exactly how the betting's going.
00:36:26It's quite straightforward.
00:36:27And you and your colleague could see this board?
00:36:29We have a smaller version of it in the main control room where I work.
00:36:32Well, as I said, he pointed this out to me and we both watched for a while.
00:36:35And though the other four cars were climbing steadily, all the time we watched, there wasn't
00:36:38a flicker for the four and six dogs.
00:36:39So what did you do?
00:36:40I rang down to one of my booze supervisors to see if I could find out what was up and
00:36:44it was very soon clear.
00:36:45Now, the first supervisor I talked to said that...
00:36:47I'm sorry to interrupt.
00:36:50I'm sorry to interrupt you, Mrs. Troughton.
00:36:52But at what stage did you ring your supervisor?
00:36:55Oh, it would be about 3.30.
00:36:56Bettingham had been in progress for about five minutes after the finish of the 3.20 race,
00:37:00maybe six minutes.
00:37:01I see.
00:37:02Would you go on, please?
00:37:03Yes.
00:37:04Well, the first supervisor I talked to said that she was very glad that I rang.
00:37:08Now, you are not allowed to tell us what you were told, Mrs. Troughton.
00:37:12But as a result of what you were told, what did you do?
00:37:16Well, I said I'd go down immediately.
00:37:18Go on, please.
00:37:20So I went down to each of the booths in turn.
00:37:22I spent about two minutes in each.
00:37:23And in every one of them, it was the same story.
00:37:25Except in two instances.
00:37:27There were two windows where betting was going on normally.
00:37:29But, of course, they were crowded as all the punters overflowed onto them.
00:37:31I wonder if you could be a little bit more precise, Mrs. Troughton.
00:37:34Exactly what did you see in these booths?
00:37:36Well, I walked behind the row of cellars, about five or six in each booth.
00:37:40And not all the windows were open, it being the afternoon.
00:37:42I walked down behind the rows of cellars, watched over their shoulders.
00:37:45And, as I said, in every case, it was the same.
00:37:47There was a man just standing there.
00:37:48None of the punters could get their money on.
00:37:49And these men, were they betting?
00:37:51Well, I suppose you could say they were betting.
00:37:52But were they also doing anything that you might think was, well, playing for time?
00:37:56Oh, absolutely.
00:37:57I'll give you one instance.
00:37:58Take unsold tickets.
00:37:59Now, normally, after a race like that one, you'd expect 20 or 30 unsolds.
00:38:03And that is tickets that the punters said wrong or the sellers got wrong.
00:38:07Or, for one reason or another, they've not been paid for, but they've been punched.
00:38:11Now, we have to keep a track of those for the auditors.
00:38:13And after that race, there were 220 unsolds.
00:38:15220.
00:38:16Can we be absolutely clear about the significance of these unsold tickets?
00:38:19Yes, it's one of the ways they were using to hold things up.
00:38:22Yes, but I mean, could you be absolutely explicit as to how they held up proceedings?
00:38:27Well, a man would buy, say, 10 tickets on a four-car, say, on the one and two dogs.
00:38:3110 tickets on the one and two dogs.
00:38:33And then he'd look at the tickets and say, no, he hadn't said the one and two dogs.
00:38:35He'd said the one and three dogs.
00:38:36So she'd put them to one side.
00:38:38He wouldn't pay for them.
00:38:39They'd be unsold.
00:38:39And then she'd have to do the one and three dogs.
00:38:41I see.
00:38:46And there were 220 tickets of this nature?
00:38:49Yes.
00:38:50Thank you, Mrs. Troughton.
00:39:00Mr. Ingrams?
00:39:04Mrs. Troughton.
00:39:05Yes?
00:39:05When you made your tour of inspection, you would have had to pass among the punters in order to reach the booths, would you not?
00:39:13Yes, yes.
00:39:14Was it chaos?
00:39:16Was there pandemonium?
00:39:17Well, there weren't all that many there, it being the afternoon, but there was a certain amount of shouting at the men blocking the queues.
00:39:21Were there any fights?
00:39:22I didn't see any fights.
00:39:24People were not being violently prevented from...
00:39:26No, there didn't appear to be any violence.
00:39:27People were bewildered more than anything.
00:39:29I see.
00:39:31You said you spent a couple of minutes in each booth.
00:39:33Yes.
00:39:34How many booths did you visit?
00:39:35Well, all the booths selling forecast tickets.
00:39:37That'd be about six on that afternoon.
00:39:39And you spent a couple of minutes in each?
00:39:40I didn't time it.
00:39:41You evidently did not time it.
00:39:43With the greatest respect for your invaluable testimony, Mrs. Troughton,
00:39:46it would have meant that you made your last inspection over a minute after the 3.40 race had finished.
00:39:53No, that is not the case.
00:39:54The 3.40 race didn't go off till 3.42.
00:39:58I see, but surely you would have had to get from one booth to another.
00:40:02That must have taken some time.
00:40:03Well, maybe it was only a minute in each.
00:40:04It was enough.
00:40:05One minute in each booth with an average of six cellars must have meant that you only spent seven or eight seconds.
00:40:10Well, it was long enough whatever it was.
00:40:13Was there no action you could take, Mrs. Troughton?
00:40:15Not really.
00:40:16Had you no ground staff, no security staff?
00:40:18Yes, well, it wasn't a robbery.
00:40:19There was nothing illegal.
00:40:20Men were merely betting?
00:40:21No.
00:40:21Which is, after all, what the tote is for.
00:40:23It is, but they were stopping others.
00:40:25Was there anything dishonest, even, in what they were doing?
00:40:27I've told you that as far as we were concerned, there was nothing illegal.
00:40:30May I be absolutely clear, Mrs. Troughton, was there anything that you could describe as dishonest?
00:40:34As far as the tote was concerned, it was not dishonest as such.
00:40:38Exactly.
00:40:40I must thank you very much, Mrs. Troughton, for shedding so much light on what was a rather obscure case.
00:40:47Your testimony was invaluable.
00:40:51That includes the case for the prosecution, my lord.
00:40:57Call your first witness, please, Mr. England.
00:41:00Lord, I call the defendant, William Broad.
00:41:08Look after them, lad.
00:41:11Tell them what you think, Billy.
00:41:12Do some steak.
00:41:18What is your religion, R.C.?
00:41:20Take the testament in your right hand and read aloud the words on this card.
00:41:23I swear by almighty God that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the old truth, and nothing but the truth.
00:41:29You are William Broad of 12 Rodney Square, Fulchester?
00:41:33Yep.
00:41:33And you are managing director of the company Racing Services?
00:41:36That's right.
00:41:38Racing Services is what its name suggests.
00:41:40Yeah, well, it's an umbrella term, isn't it?
00:41:42Covers all aspects of racing.
00:41:43Dogs, horses, anything that will race.
00:41:45But not bookmaking.
00:41:46God help us now.
00:41:47Anything the other side of the fence.
00:41:49Have you ever been associated with bookmaking?
00:41:51Yeah, that's where I started.
00:41:53And what was it that caused you to jump over the fence, as it were?
00:41:56You mean, why'd I go the other way?
00:41:58Yes.
00:41:59Well, can I be honest?
00:42:01Please do, Mr. Broad.
00:42:04Well, it was bent.
00:42:05It was that bent, it disgusted me.
00:42:07If you surprise me, Mr. Broad, I would have expected you to have a very strong stomach.
00:42:11You'd be absolutely right, my lord.
00:42:13Mr. Broad, can you tell us about your first job that first brought you into contact with racing circles?
00:42:19Certainly.
00:42:20Well, I'd come from London originally, and I started selling hills outside Dagenham Stadium.
00:42:25Then I started on the inside, and this really was on the inside.
00:42:28I was working for one of the biggest bookies in the country, if not the biggest.
00:42:32And I was going down the dog tracks every night, backing dogs for this bookies.
00:42:35This bookmaker was backing dogs?
00:42:37Yeah.
00:42:37And these dogs wasn't winning.
00:42:39Either they were stoomers or they was on ice.
00:42:41But they wasn't winning and they wasn't meant to win.
00:42:43It was just a way of making a false favourite.
00:42:45In what way would this be advantageous to a large bookmaker?
00:42:48Well, in every way, my lord.
00:42:49You see, all the money he gets for the favourite goes on the wrong dog.
00:42:53Then you've got a Springer.
00:42:54Well, everyone wants to get on a Springer.
00:42:55It's more money for the bookie.
00:42:56What is a Springer, Mr. Broad?
00:42:58Well, when the price comes tumbling down on a dog,
00:43:01all the doubles, trebles, accumulators with the favourite,
00:43:04well, they all end up beat, lost.
00:43:07And this is a funny thing.
00:43:08All the dogs that I was sent to back never did win.
00:43:11I don't know why or how they didn't know they were going to win.
00:43:14I had my own opinion about it.
00:43:15But anyway, there was nothing illegal in what they was doing.
00:43:19And what was your next job after this?
00:43:21My lord, I do not see the relevance of any of this testimony.
00:43:24Mr Ingrams?
00:43:25I'm rather surprised at my learned friend's objection, my lord.
00:43:28It is the defence's case that there was nothing
00:43:29that could be fairly described as dishonest
00:43:31by any criteria that could be applied
00:43:33to the fields of gambling and bookmaking.
00:43:35My lord, surely honesty is not a mutable concept
00:43:37to be altered according to context.
00:43:39On the contrary, my lord, it would clearly be absurd
00:43:41to apply the same standards of morality in a monastery
00:43:43as in a purely commercial venture such as bookmaking.
00:43:46Yes, I think I can allow that the jury should be alerted
00:43:50to the context in which we are engaged,
00:43:52but I would be very grateful, Mr Ingrams,
00:43:54if you would come to the central point as soon as possible.
00:43:57Very well, my lord. I shall do so now.
00:44:01Mr Broad, did you go into the main offices of off-course investors
00:44:04on the morning of May 2nd?
00:44:05Yeah, I did.
00:44:06What happened?
00:44:07What happened?
00:44:08Well, I went and had a bet.
00:44:09To whom did you give your bet?
00:44:11Silly Sam, the settler.
00:44:12Did you not give your bet to Mr Broad?
00:44:14To Mr Charles?
00:44:15Oh, yeah, but he came out afterwards.
00:44:17You did not ask specifically to see Mr Charles?
00:44:19You're joking.
00:44:20I'd take the bypass to avoid him.
00:44:22Ask him, God help us.
00:44:24Do you know the only reason he came out?
00:44:25Because two days previous, I'd lost about a score on a dog
00:44:28and he was a bit pleased about that.
00:44:29He was having a bit of a gloat.
00:44:31Mr Charles has told us that he loves his customers.
00:44:33Yeah, he loves their money.
00:44:34Do you feel that he extends that love to you?
00:44:37Well, love me?
00:44:38Well, Ronnie Charles would bring back hanging just for me.
00:44:42He dislikes you?
00:44:43He hates me.
00:44:46Mr Broad, after you left Mr Charles's premises, where did you go?
00:44:50Oh, I drove down to London.
00:44:51Picked up a couple of mates in Camden Town.
00:44:53And who were these people?
00:44:54Oh, there was Dead Body, The Ghost and Bunter.
00:44:57Then we all went down the stadium together.
00:44:59Did you meet anyone you knew when you reached the stadium?
00:45:02Yeah, I did, as it happens.
00:45:03Who did you meet there?
00:45:04Well, there was a geezer I knew a bit called Monaghan
00:45:07and another geezer, McGinty,
00:45:09and about a dozen of their mates.
00:45:11All paddies, Irishmen.
00:45:13Had you arranged to meet them there?
00:45:15Well, I wouldn't say arranged.
00:45:17I'd sort of seen them in the pub, the mother red cap,
00:45:19and we'd said, sort of, see you there sort of thing,
00:45:22if you can make it sort of thing.
00:45:24But before you go into all this,
00:45:25what you've got to say is, why was we going there?
00:45:27Yes, I am coming to that.
00:45:28Yeah, well, I'll tell you.
00:45:29We was going there for one reason, one reason alone,
00:45:32and that was to get a good price for that forecast.
00:45:34Now, when you say to get a good price,
00:45:35what exactly do you mean?
00:45:36Well, decent odds. Simple as that.
00:45:38Could you not have relied upon the odds
00:45:39that would have been declared?
00:45:41Well, of course, I could have relied on the declared odds,
00:45:43but I'd have been a bit of a mug, though, wouldn't I?
00:45:45I mean, it's just me against the bookies,
00:45:47the legalised mafia.
00:45:48It's just me and those two dogs against that lot.
00:45:51I mean, one of us has got to use our loaf,
00:45:53and I could hardly rely on the two dogs, could I?
00:45:54I mean, they've got brains about that big.
00:45:56Smaller than Ronnie's.
00:45:58I'll tell you one thing, though.
00:46:00I'd worked out that forecast, and I'd put my wedge on it.
00:46:03And I was blowed if I was going to take Tuppence for me trouble.
00:46:05The case of the Queen against Broad
00:46:30will be resumed tomorrow in the Crown Court.
00:46:32Bill Broad is charged with conspiracy to defraud
00:46:55by manipulating the odds on the totalisator
00:46:57at Oak Grove Dog Racing Stadium.
00:47:00Broad denies that a conspiracy existed
00:47:02and is now giving the court his version
00:47:04of the event which took place on the 2nd of May, 1973.
00:47:07How did it happen, then, that so many of the tote windows
00:47:12were blocked in the way that has been described?
00:47:14It was the IRA, wasn't it?
00:47:16Monaghan and his gang of paddies.
00:47:18You had not planned this with Monaghan?
00:47:21Well, I wouldn't say planned.
00:47:22It was like I said we'd met in the pub the week before,
00:47:25and I was telling him how I fancied these two dogs
00:47:28and how I didn't think that I'd get much of a prize for them.
00:47:31And we was talking about manipulating prices.
00:47:33Well, let's face it, manipulating prices, punters and bookers,
00:47:36it's been going on for yonks.
00:47:37So he said how he might like to help me
00:47:39and he'd get a few of his lads.
00:47:41Well, he was working on this big building site, you see.
00:47:43He said, well, I'll get the lads from Kerry
00:47:45and I'll get a few of the boys from, oh, I don't know,
00:47:47Lockingvar, some Irish part.
00:47:49Anyway, he said, with them,
00:47:50you'll be able to get as much money as you want on.
00:47:52So we had a bit of a talk and a bit of a laugh.
00:47:54I didn't think any more about it.
00:47:56You know, it's one of those talks you have in a pub.
00:47:58And McGinty, he wasn't even in on it.
00:48:00Anyway, when I got down there, I couldn't believe it.
00:48:05When you got to the track,
00:48:06there were how many men there
00:48:07willing to help you in placing money?
00:48:09Well, there was about, there was five of us
00:48:11and there was Monaghan and his mates,
00:48:14about a dozen of them.
00:48:15And there was about half a dozen people I knew
00:48:18from old times, like, you know.
00:48:19Acquaintances?
00:48:20Yeah, I suppose it was about 23, 24, all told.
00:48:23How was it then that with so many unexpected helpers
00:48:26you had sufficient money to go round?
00:48:28Well, I had a century each for us.
00:48:31So that's, what, that's 500.
00:48:35So instead, we had about 40 each.
00:48:37And we give the hands about a score each.
00:48:39Something like that.
00:48:40But, I mean, it was so unplanned, though.
00:48:41I mean, it wasn't true.
00:48:43I found myself handing out fivers
00:48:44like they was potato crisps.
00:48:46It was just as well.
00:48:47We didn't try to get the money on alone, though.
00:48:49I mean, those ladies down there,
00:48:50I mean, they are that slow.
00:48:52Nothing personal, love.
00:48:54But, I mean, it is.
00:48:54It's chronic.
00:48:55I mean, half of them don't know a greyhound from a goldfish.
00:48:58And the other half are deaf.
00:48:59You say, five and four, please, lady.
00:49:00They say, sorry, me watch is stopped.
00:49:02I mean, it's like a geriatric ward.
00:49:05All except you, of course, darling.
00:49:07Kindly restrict yourself to the matters in hand, Mr Broad.
00:49:10Sorry, my lord.
00:49:12Anyway, I mean, we just wouldn't have even got
00:49:14hundred on a combination like that.
00:49:15No chance.
00:49:16Mr Broad, was it ever your intention
00:49:18to prevent other people from betting?
00:49:20Well, it didn't come into it.
00:49:21It was at no time part of your plan
00:49:23to prevent others' betting?
00:49:24No.
00:49:25It would have helped us, as it happens.
00:49:26Why do you say that?
00:49:28Well, I mean, if more people had bet it,
00:49:30the dividend wouldn't have been so high.
00:49:32So we wouldn't have had all this hollering.
00:49:33Could you please explain exactly what you mean by that?
00:49:36Well, the dividend was £47.
00:49:38And that was on, er...
00:49:40Well, that was on about ten winning tickets, was it?
00:49:42No, there were 14 units on the winning combination
00:49:44with a projected win dividend of £47
00:49:46and a book price of £2 to £1
00:49:48as compared with trap number three
00:49:49with a projected win dividend of £40 to £1
00:49:52and a book price of £20 to £1...
00:49:53Mrs Troughton!
00:49:55I'm very sorry to interrupt you,
00:49:57but evidence from the body of the court
00:49:59is not admissible.
00:50:01The jury will erase from their minds
00:50:04anything that they have understood.
00:50:08Go on, please.
00:50:09Thank you, my lord.
00:50:10Well, anyway, I mean, supposing it had been
00:50:1214 winning tickets, supposing it had been
00:50:15about 50 winning tickets.
00:50:17Well, then the dividend would have been
00:50:18about £8 or £9
00:50:19and you would have said,
00:50:21oh, unexpectedly large dividend.
00:50:23But you wouldn't have invoked the law of the land.
00:50:25That's a certainty.
00:50:26No, I see.
00:50:27So, in fact, you could say
00:50:28that your hopes were destroyed by a lack of planning.
00:50:31It's too true.
00:50:33To what extent were you taking a chance, Mr Broad,
00:50:35or were you indeed gambling
00:50:36when you embarked on this venture?
00:50:38Well, to every extent.
00:50:39I already had 500 down the swanny
00:50:41if those dogs lost.
00:50:43Was anyone who helped you to place bets
00:50:45paid for doing so?
00:50:46No.
00:50:47No one received any payment of any kind?
00:50:49No.
00:50:50Oh, I bought my drink.
00:50:51Before or after the race?
00:50:53Before.
00:50:54And 24 bottles of Guinness.
00:50:57Mr Broad,
00:51:01did it at any time occur to you
00:51:02that you should not do this
00:51:03because it was dishonest?
00:51:04Never.
00:51:05Do you consider that it was dishonest?
00:51:08Well, how can it be dishonest?
00:51:09I mean, the bookie arranges the odds in his favour all the time.
00:51:12So I've got no qualms if I, as a punter,
00:51:14can go out and get myself some decent odds on a decent bet.
00:51:17Thank you, Mr Broad.
00:51:18And even then, the bookmaker wins.
00:51:19I mean, he just don't pay.
00:51:20Do you reckon, ladies and gentlemen,
00:51:22that if you find him my favour, he'll pay?
00:51:24Never, Mr Broad.
00:51:24I offered you your steak back.
00:51:26I don't want me steak back.
00:51:27Gentlemen.
00:51:29I'm sorry, my lord.
00:51:31Very well, Mr Dealey.
00:51:33And you're ready.
00:51:35You seem to have extremely high principles
00:51:37that made you turn your back on bookmaking.
00:51:41Was that bent?
00:51:42It disgusted me.
00:51:44But this squeamishness doesn't appear to have affected you
00:51:46when it comes to equally dubious practices as a punter.
00:51:49Well, you ain't equally dubious.
00:51:50You're beating the book.
00:51:51Well, I could perceive nothing to distinguish
00:51:53the manipulation of odds that you perpetrated at Oak Grove
00:51:56from the manipulation that you pretended to abhor
00:51:59earlier on in your testimony as performed by bookmakers.
00:52:02Is there indeed any distinction that you could point to?
00:52:06The difference is, which I'm surprised you don't realise,
00:52:08that they're doing it all the time.
00:52:10So you've got to do it back when you get a chance.
00:52:12So you don't abhor it at all, do you?
00:52:14As long as you're doing it.
00:52:16It's always the game, isn't it?
00:52:17And all your earlier testimony, your pious attitude,
00:52:20going over to the other side, was all just eyewash.
00:52:23Well, it is disgusting to me
00:52:25when you're always claiming all the time
00:52:27that you stand to lose as much as the punter,
00:52:29when everything's arranged so much by you as the bookie
00:52:32that you can't lose, in fact.
00:52:33Oh, Mr Broad, it's all very tortuous.
00:52:36You must forgive me if I doubt your sincerity.
00:52:39You're forgiven.
00:52:40Mr Broad, you've asked this court to believe.
00:52:42I've told this court.
00:52:43All right, you've told this court.
00:52:45And in doing so, you've asked them to believe.
00:52:47But there's no compulsion.
00:52:49The Jew went down to Oak Grove on the afternoon in question,
00:52:51and there you met no less than 20 people
00:52:54who were willing to help you place bets merely by chance.
00:52:57Well, not by chance.
00:52:59Well, almost by chance.
00:53:00Six of them, you say, completely by chance.
00:53:02Well, I'm bound to meet someone I know
00:53:04at any big dog track.
00:53:05I've been at the game that long.
00:53:06But, Mr Broad, 20.
00:53:09Now, I put it to you, Mr Broad,
00:53:10that you arranged with these people to be there,
00:53:13and for a very specific purpose.
00:53:15Look, I met Monon at about half past two,
00:53:17and we went into the bar,
00:53:18and his lads were sort of wandering about,
00:53:20and I asked if he could get them to help.
00:53:22And those that agreed, I gave about a score to.
00:53:25And that was it.
00:53:26And how many of them disagreed?
00:53:28Well, I don't know.
00:53:29I don't know if any of them did.
00:53:30No, because if they're going to disagree,
00:53:31they wouldn't have been there in the first place,
00:53:32would they, Mr Broad?
00:53:33Well, maybe he'd mentioned something to them.
00:53:35I don't know.
00:53:35Oh, surely it must have been apparent
00:53:37that they knew what they were there for.
00:53:38They'd been prepared.
00:53:39Look, how could they have cooperated
00:53:41in such an over-successful operation?
00:53:43I told you, I don't know,
00:53:45and I don't really...
00:53:47Well, I'm not supposed to say that, am I?
00:53:50You don't really care.
00:53:52Hmm, fair enough.
00:53:54And so, Mr Broad,
00:53:55you say that in order to put this money on,
00:53:57you used the services of two dozen of your friends,
00:54:0024 men,
00:54:02and yet you say it was not your intention
00:54:03to block the windows of the tote.
00:54:05Well, it wasn't.
00:54:07Did it not occur to you
00:54:07that there would have been an easier way
00:54:09to have put this money on?
00:54:10No.
00:54:11No, because in that way,
00:54:12you would not have blocked the windows, would you?
00:54:14What way?
00:54:15How long have you been around racing, Mr Broad?
00:54:17Oh, all my life.
00:54:1815 or 20 years,
00:54:19and it didn't occur to you
00:54:20that you could have gone to the manageress of the tote
00:54:22to put this money on?
00:54:23No, it didn't.
00:54:24Why should I?
00:54:25To let other people bet, Mr Broad.
00:54:28Oh, do leave off.
00:54:30I mean, it's one thing to be fair,
00:54:31but you don't want to end up
00:54:32cutting your own throat, do you?
00:54:33Ah, so it was your intention
00:54:35to prevent other people from betting, then?
00:54:36Well, let me put it this way.
00:54:38I knew that if I could get my money on the outsiders,
00:54:41it would prevent people
00:54:42from putting their money on the favourites,
00:54:43and that's what I wanted.
00:54:44Thank you, Mr Broad.
00:54:45I think you can at least agree on that point,
00:54:47although we may express ourselves differently.
00:54:50There was one thing you said, though, Mr Broad,
00:54:53that puzzled me.
00:54:54Go on.
00:54:55Well, you said you didn't realise
00:54:56that the forecast would come out so high,
00:54:58that the dividend would be so large.
00:55:00Quarter of a million, I didn't.
00:55:01And yet we've heard
00:55:02that there is an indicator board
00:55:03to give you just such information
00:55:05on display by law.
00:55:06So how come you did not realise?
00:55:09Well, I didn't look at the indicator.
00:55:11I didn't think to check, to be honest.
00:55:12It's not far more likely that you did check it,
00:55:15and that you were very glad to see
00:55:16how few tickets had been sold on your forecast.
00:55:19No.
00:55:19And it wasn't until you realised
00:55:20that the bookmaker was going to refuse
00:55:22to pay out on your deliberately rigged forecast.
00:55:25That you were full of self-congratulation.
00:55:27Well, I was pleased it had come off,
00:55:29but he should pay by law.
00:55:31Mr Broad,
00:55:33you have said nothing to weaken the impression
00:55:35that the whole of this thing
00:55:35was a carefully and deliberately planned conspiracy,
00:55:39both in its nature and intention,
00:55:41fraudulent and dishonest.
00:55:43Good, Alpus.
00:55:45Well, I'm glad it's them
00:55:46that's going to have to decide.
00:55:47Thank you, Mr Broad.
00:55:52Very well, officer.
00:55:54I call Patrick McGinty, my lord.
00:56:09You are Patrick McGinty of 14 Castle Road, Camden Town, London?
00:56:13That's correct.
00:56:14And you are a landscape gardener?
00:56:16Uh, yes.
00:56:19Mr McGinty, do you know Mr Broad?
00:56:21No, sir.
00:56:22I've never met him in my life.
00:56:24Mr McGinty, did you not meet Mr Broad
00:56:26at the Oak Grove Greyhound Stadium
00:56:27on the 2nd of May?
00:56:29Uh, accepted Oak Grove, sir, on that day.
00:56:32But not before that?
00:56:33Only in a pub, sir, in Camden Town.
00:56:36So you did not know him well?
00:56:38Oh, no, sir, no.
00:56:39I was introduced to him.
00:56:41How many times had you met him
00:56:42before you met him at the stadium?
00:56:45At the stadium?
00:56:46That's correct, sir.
00:56:47Yes.
00:56:47But before that, Mr McGinty,
00:56:49how many times?
00:56:51Before that.
00:56:52Before that, yes.
00:56:53Once?
00:56:54Once, yes.
00:56:55That would be about it.
00:56:57Not more.
00:56:58And did Mr Broad,
00:56:59did Mr Broad suggest to you
00:57:00that you go to Oak Grove Stadium that day?
00:57:03Oh, not at all.
00:57:04Well, I went on my own,
00:57:06like me and some of my mates.
00:57:08How many of you?
00:57:10Well, about 20 of us sat off
00:57:12and about 10 of us got there.
00:57:15And how, how, uh,
00:57:16who suggested that you should go there?
00:57:18No one suggested it.
00:57:20Well, how did it happen then?
00:57:22We all went down there in the bus.
00:57:25Were these other men working at landscape gardening?
00:57:28Well, uh, like,
00:57:28there was about a dozen in the garden
00:57:30and a couple of brickies and their mates and so on.
00:57:34But there was nothing underhand
00:57:35or out of the way about it.
00:57:36I'm sure there was not, Mr McGinty.
00:57:38How did you get there?
00:57:40Aye, well, uh,
00:57:42the weather was terrible that day.
00:57:43You couldn't lay a brick.
00:57:45I saw it was set off
00:57:46and with a good afternoon.
00:57:48Boys are boys,
00:57:49with a really good afternoon.
00:57:50Mr McGinty,
00:57:51how did you get to the stadium?
00:57:54And the lorry?
00:57:55Mr McGinty,
00:57:56am I to infer that you
00:57:57and 20 was it of your fellows
00:57:59abandoned your work
00:58:00without asking leave
00:58:01from anyone in authority,
00:58:03instead went down
00:58:04to a dog racing stadium
00:58:05in a vehicle belonging to the firm?
00:58:08Now, have I followed
00:58:09your testimony correctly?
00:58:10There was nothing underhand
00:58:12about it, Your Honor.
00:58:13Were you given permission
00:58:14for this exercise?
00:58:16Permission?
00:58:17I'm sorry,
00:58:19I ain't completely lost,
00:58:20Your Honor.
00:58:21Did you ask for leave
00:58:22from your work?
00:58:24We backed the dogs
00:58:25that we fancied
00:58:25a new question.
00:58:26Oh, please try.
00:58:27Try to understand me,
00:58:28Mr McGinty.
00:58:29Was there any...
00:58:31Was there a foreman in charge?
00:58:34There was, sir.
00:58:35And did he give you leave?
00:58:36He did, sir.
00:58:37He'd come with us.
00:58:39But he didn't tell us
00:58:40what to back.
00:58:42Go on, Mr Ingram.
00:58:44Oh, but I would like
00:58:46to make it quite clear
00:58:47to your Honours,
00:58:47we was never told
00:58:48at any time
00:58:49what to back.
00:58:50Yes, sir.
00:58:50We have taken your point,
00:58:52Mr McGinty.
00:58:53Now, when you and your companions
00:58:55arrived at the track,
00:58:56were you met by Mr Broad?
00:58:58No.
00:58:59Did you see Mr Broad
00:59:00at any time
00:59:01during the afternoon?
00:59:02No.
00:59:03Did you receive money
00:59:04or receive any instructions
00:59:06from anyone
00:59:07during the course
00:59:07of the afternoon?
00:59:08Oh, well,
00:59:09like I won a bit
00:59:10and I lost a bit
00:59:11and that was about
00:59:12the size of it.
00:59:13Do you remember
00:59:14what you backed
00:59:15in the 340 race?
00:59:16There are six dogs, sir,
00:59:18and they all look
00:59:19much the same to me.
00:59:20Can you not remember,
00:59:21Mr McGinty?
00:59:22No, sir.
00:59:23I do, man.
00:59:24Of course I do, yes.
00:59:26I mean,
00:59:26the 340...
00:59:27I had a good bit
00:59:28on the 340 race
00:59:29for a mate.
00:59:30This mate of mine,
00:59:31he went home
00:59:32a couple of months ago.
00:59:33Now, he had a good tip.
00:59:35Now, this man had a...
00:59:36Monaghan,
00:59:36he had a good tip
00:59:37and when he had a good tip
00:59:38he went in strongly,
00:59:39you know.
00:59:40Like, I don't know
00:59:41if any of you fellas
00:59:41have been to the dogs here.
00:59:42No, I don't suppose
00:59:44you have.
00:59:45Well, like,
00:59:45it can be a terrible job
00:59:47like just getting
00:59:47the money on.
00:59:48You know,
00:59:48it's that slow leg.
00:59:50And this mate of mine,
00:59:51he said,
00:59:51like, he gave me
00:59:52a few quid
00:59:52and he asked me
00:59:53to get it on for him.
00:59:54The 340 race,
00:59:56of course I remember.
00:59:58But, um,
00:59:59I do not remember
01:00:00the name of the dogs now.
01:00:01This was on a forecast,
01:00:03was it not?
01:00:03It was, sir.
01:00:04And this was a tip
01:00:05that he'd had
01:00:06and I got it on for him.
01:00:08Like you would yourself,
01:00:09you know,
01:00:09for a mate.
01:00:09Did the tip come
01:00:10from anyone
01:00:11that you know?
01:00:12No, sir.
01:00:13It was quite, uh,
01:00:16ensayed,
01:00:17if you understand me.
01:00:18Thank you,
01:00:19Mr. McGinty.
01:00:19Mr. McGinty,
01:00:37did you block a window
01:00:38of the tote
01:00:38at Oak Grove Stadium
01:00:39between 320
01:00:40and the start
01:00:41of the 340 race?
01:00:44Um,
01:00:45well,
01:00:45you can't bet
01:00:46two at a time,
01:00:47that's certain.
01:00:48Yes,
01:00:48but did you block
01:00:49this window deliberately?
01:00:51Well,
01:00:52like,
01:00:52when I was betting
01:00:53at the window,
01:00:54I was blocking
01:00:54the window deliberately
01:00:55or not.
01:00:56Mr. McGinty,
01:00:57the point of counsel's
01:00:58question was,
01:00:58I think,
01:00:59quite clear.
01:01:00Were you occupying
01:01:01the window
01:01:01of the totalisator
01:01:04in order to prevent
01:01:05other people
01:01:05from using it,
01:01:06or were you
01:01:07genuinely betting?
01:01:09Oh,
01:01:09I was genuinely
01:01:10betting,
01:01:10Your Honour.
01:01:11On behalf of Mr. Monaghan,
01:01:12who is now
01:01:13going back home, sir.
01:01:14Well,
01:01:14who gave you the money
01:01:14to back on this race?
01:01:16Mr. Monaghan himself, sir.
01:01:17And did Mr. Monaghan,
01:01:18who is unfortunately
01:01:19unable to be with us today,
01:01:21also give your companions
01:01:22money to bet with?
01:01:24Uh,
01:01:24some of them,
01:01:25I think, sir,
01:01:25but I would not like
01:01:27to be, uh,
01:01:28emphatic.
01:01:29No.
01:01:31Now,
01:01:32you've told us
01:01:32that you were genuinely
01:01:33betting for the whole time
01:01:35that you occupied
01:01:35the tote window.
01:01:36Now,
01:01:36for how long was that?
01:01:38Oh,
01:01:38like,
01:01:39I didn't time it, sir,
01:01:40but it was a good way.
01:01:41Was it the whole time
01:01:42between the end
01:01:42of the 3.20 race
01:01:43and the start
01:01:44of the 3.40?
01:01:45Oh,
01:01:45no,
01:01:45no,
01:01:45not the whole time,
01:01:46sir,
01:01:47um,
01:01:47but a good bit of it.
01:01:49Hmm.
01:01:50Now,
01:01:50you've told us
01:01:50that you met,
01:01:51uh,
01:01:51Mr. Broad at Oak Grove
01:01:52on that afternoon.
01:01:53That's correct, sir.
01:01:55And I met him
01:01:55in the pub
01:01:56in Camden Town.
01:01:57And if I said
01:01:58three words to him
01:01:59on both occasions,
01:01:59I'd be astonished.
01:02:01Did he seem
01:02:01to know Mr. Monaghan?
01:02:03Uh,
01:02:04he,
01:02:04he did exchange
01:02:05a few words with him.
01:02:06I put it to you,
01:02:07Mr. McGinty,
01:02:08that you and your companions
01:02:09went down to Oak Grove Stadium
01:02:10on that afternoon
01:02:11at the suggestion
01:02:11of Mr. Monaghan.
01:02:13I,
01:02:13am I to answer that?
01:02:16Just answer
01:02:17as to whether you agree
01:02:18that that was the case.
01:02:21And what's he asking?
01:02:22I mean,
01:02:23like,
01:02:23I've got to know
01:02:24what I'm committing myself to.
01:02:25Did you go
01:02:26to Oak Grove
01:02:27Dog Racing Stadium
01:02:28at the suggestion
01:02:29of Mr. Monaghan?
01:02:30Well,
01:02:31Mr. Monaghan
01:02:31was the foreman, sir.
01:02:33Is that relevant?
01:02:35Oh,
01:02:35you had to do
01:02:35what he said.
01:02:37Well,
01:02:38did he suggest
01:02:39that you went
01:02:39to the dog racing stadium
01:02:41that afternoon?
01:02:42No,
01:02:42your honour.
01:02:46There seems to be
01:02:47a good deal
01:02:47of concern here.
01:02:49How and why
01:02:50and all the cross
01:02:51and the i's
01:02:51and dot and the t's
01:02:52of how we went
01:02:52to this meeting.
01:02:53And I'm sure
01:02:54you've got your reasons
01:02:55for it.
01:02:56So look,
01:02:56I'll tell you,
01:02:57look,
01:02:58I'm going to put you
01:02:59in the picture
01:02:59just as clear as I can.
01:03:00Would you like that?
01:03:02I've no further questions,
01:03:03my lord.
01:03:03No further questions,
01:03:04my lord.
01:03:04You may go.
01:03:07That concludes
01:03:08the case for the defence,
01:03:09my lord.
01:03:12Members of the jury,
01:03:14it is a submission
01:03:14of the prosecution
01:03:15in this case
01:03:16that there was
01:03:17a conspiracy
01:03:18to manipulate
01:03:19the totalisator odds
01:03:20on the 2nd of May.
01:03:21That is to say,
01:03:22there was collusion,
01:03:23it was premeditated,
01:03:25it was planned in advance,
01:03:26and it did not
01:03:27happen spontaneously.
01:03:29The second part
01:03:30of our case
01:03:31is that this conspiracy
01:03:32was dishonest
01:03:33by any acceptable
01:03:34definition
01:03:35of the concept
01:03:36of honesty.
01:03:37You may say
01:03:38that we're dealing
01:03:38in a twilight world
01:03:40where everyday standards
01:03:42do not apply,
01:03:42but in doing so,
01:03:44you would be
01:03:44ducking the issue.
01:03:46It is precisely
01:03:46in the areas
01:03:47where dishonesty
01:03:48and corruption
01:03:49are most likely
01:03:50to occur
01:03:50that they must
01:03:51most rigorously
01:03:51be stamped out
01:03:52when they do.
01:03:53Now let us
01:03:56look at the claims
01:03:57that we would
01:03:58not convict
01:03:59this defendant
01:03:59of fraud
01:04:00because the bookmakers
01:04:01are such a lot
01:04:02of frauds themselves.
01:04:03Now clearly I suggest
01:04:04that this is
01:04:05an untenable position.
01:04:06Even if it were true,
01:04:08far better to bring
01:04:08the bookmaker
01:04:09to book
01:04:09than to sanction
01:04:11a gluttonous anarchy
01:04:12by ignoring
01:04:12this fraud.
01:04:14And anyway,
01:04:14is it true?
01:04:15The bookmaker,
01:04:16after all,
01:04:16is only Lady Luck's
01:04:17physical manifestation
01:04:18is therefore bound
01:04:19to get his shins kicked.
01:04:20As to the rather,
01:04:24well,
01:04:24I'm tempted to say
01:04:25embarrassingly naive
01:04:26claims by the defense
01:04:27that this was not
01:04:28a conspiracy
01:04:29but a
01:04:29see you there
01:04:31if you happen
01:04:31to be able
01:04:31to make it
01:04:32kind of arrangement.
01:04:33Well,
01:04:34if the enterprise
01:04:35was an abject failure
01:04:36one might have
01:04:37more time
01:04:37for this explanation.
01:04:40But in the light
01:04:41of the outcome,
01:04:42members of the jury,
01:04:42I suggest
01:04:43that there is only
01:04:44one conclusion
01:04:44that you can come to
01:04:46and that is
01:04:47that there was
01:04:48poor thought
01:04:50and extremely
01:04:51careful planning
01:04:52involved in this
01:04:53enterprise.
01:04:55And I suggest,
01:04:55therefore,
01:04:56your only verdict
01:04:56is one of guilty.
01:05:03Members of the jury,
01:05:05let us be very clear
01:05:06that what happened
01:05:07on the 2nd of May
01:05:08was a gamble.
01:05:10There was no certainty
01:05:11as to the outcome.
01:05:13Had those two dogs
01:05:14not come first
01:05:15and second,
01:05:16and remember,
01:05:16there are 29
01:05:17other permutations
01:05:19that could have occurred,
01:05:20Mr. Broad
01:05:21would have lost
01:05:21a thousand pounds
01:05:22and he would not
01:05:23be before you today.
01:05:26Now,
01:05:26what is a gamble?
01:05:28An archdeacon
01:05:29of Westminster
01:05:30once defined it
01:05:31rather well,
01:05:31I think,
01:05:32as a process
01:05:33by which a man
01:05:34seeks to lay hold
01:05:35of his neighbor's goods
01:05:36without making
01:05:37any equivalent return.
01:05:39And yet,
01:05:39that is the very process
01:05:40to which my learned friend
01:05:42would have you
01:05:42apply the normal standards
01:05:45of immutable honesty.
01:05:49Now,
01:05:49make no mistake,
01:05:50members of the jury,
01:05:50the bookmaker
01:05:51is out for the punter's cash.
01:05:53Mr. Charles
01:05:54chose to accept
01:05:55Mr. Broad's wager in full.
01:05:57Indeed,
01:05:58he seems to have regarded it
01:05:59as something of a challenge.
01:06:01And when the coin
01:06:02falls on the side
01:06:03of the punter,
01:06:04we must surely applaud,
01:06:06not convict.
01:06:08That's the question
01:06:09of conspiracy.
01:06:10My learned friend
01:06:11chose to pour scorn
01:06:12on the defendant's description
01:06:13of the informality
01:06:15of the arrangement,
01:06:16presumably because
01:06:17he has no arguments
01:06:18with which to discredit it.
01:06:20But I suggest to you,
01:06:21members of the jury,
01:06:22that it is not at all
01:06:22difficult to conceive
01:06:24of arranging to meet
01:06:25a group of people
01:06:25if they can make it.
01:06:26I know that I have done so,
01:06:28and I'm sure that
01:06:28many of you
01:06:29recall instances
01:06:30when you have done so too.
01:06:32And as to the charge
01:06:34of dishonesty,
01:06:36the manageress
01:06:37of the totalisator herself
01:06:38testified
01:06:39that there was nothing
01:06:41dishonest,
01:06:41nothing illegal
01:06:43in what Mr. Broad did
01:06:44as far as the totalisator
01:06:46was concerned.
01:06:48And above all,
01:06:49and in conclusion,
01:06:51I would ask you
01:06:51to appreciate
01:06:52that in Mr. Broad
01:06:53we are dealing
01:06:54with a man
01:06:55of immense skill
01:06:56and perception
01:06:56where gambling
01:06:57is concerned.
01:06:59And anything in gambling
01:07:00which is the result
01:07:01of such skill
01:07:02and perception
01:07:03whilst retaining
01:07:04the necessary
01:07:04and essential element
01:07:05of uncertainty
01:07:06cannot,
01:07:07in my submission,
01:07:09be dishonest.
01:07:09I therefore ask you
01:07:11to return a verdict
01:07:11of not guilty.
01:07:14Now,
01:07:15members of the jury,
01:07:16you and you alone
01:07:18are the sole judges
01:07:19of the questions
01:07:20of fact.
01:07:21I am here,
01:07:22it is my duty,
01:07:23to instruct you
01:07:24as to the law.
01:07:26Now,
01:07:27the offence
01:07:27of conspiracy
01:07:28to defraud
01:07:29was not created
01:07:30by statute
01:07:31but has its origins
01:07:32in the history
01:07:33of the common law.
01:07:35Conspiracy
01:07:36is no more
01:07:36than a common agreement
01:07:38or common design.
01:07:40Now,
01:07:41the prosecution
01:07:41says that this agreement
01:07:42was reached
01:07:43at the earliest
01:07:44at a public house
01:07:45in Camden Town
01:07:46and at the latest
01:07:48at the race course
01:07:49itself.
01:07:50And even on the defendant's
01:07:52own account
01:07:52of the matters here,
01:07:54you may well feel
01:07:55that there has been
01:07:56some acting
01:07:57in concert.
01:07:58Now,
01:07:59the conspiracy
01:08:00must be
01:08:01to defraud.
01:08:02And defrauding
01:08:03has two elements.
01:08:04First,
01:08:05there is the element
01:08:06of obtaining
01:08:07something
01:08:07from the person
01:08:08to be defrauded
01:08:09and second,
01:08:11of causing him
01:08:12to act
01:08:13to his own disadvantage.
01:08:15Now,
01:08:16the prosecution
01:08:16say that the person
01:08:17to be defrauded
01:08:18was Mr. Charles
01:08:19and it's quite clear
01:08:20from the evidence
01:08:21that in this case
01:08:21the totalisator
01:08:23could not
01:08:24be defrauded.
01:08:25Now,
01:08:26we come to the last
01:08:27and most important
01:08:28part of this offence
01:08:29and that is the question
01:08:31of dishonesty.
01:08:33Now,
01:08:33the defendant says
01:08:34what I did
01:08:35was not dishonest,
01:08:37it was no better
01:08:38and it was no worse
01:08:39than goes on
01:08:40in dog racing
01:08:41at any time.
01:08:42Well,
01:08:43what is honest,
01:08:45what is dishonest?
01:08:46That is for you
01:08:47to decide.
01:08:48You set the standards
01:08:50and those standards
01:08:51are the standards
01:08:53of right-thinking people.
01:08:54If you feel certain
01:08:57that the defendant
01:08:58acted dishonestly,
01:09:00then you must convict.
01:09:02But if you are not sure,
01:09:04well,
01:09:05then you must acquit
01:09:05because I must remind you
01:09:07it is the duty
01:09:08of the prosecution
01:09:09to prove its case
01:09:10beyond all
01:09:11reasonable doubt.
01:09:14Well,
01:09:14members of the jury,
01:09:15will you kindly retire now
01:09:17to consider your verdict?
01:09:19All stand.
01:09:20members of the jury,
01:09:31will your foreman
01:09:32please stand?
01:09:33Just answer this question
01:09:35yes or no.
01:09:36Have you reached a verdict
01:09:37upon which you are
01:09:37all agreed?
01:09:39Yes.
01:09:39Do you find
01:09:40the accused
01:09:40William Broad
01:09:41guilty or not guilty?
01:09:43Guilty.
01:09:46Oi,
01:09:46Ronnie,
01:09:47the Kenny too.
01:09:48No.
01:09:48No.
01:09:48No.
01:10:09Mr. Justice Campbell
01:10:12sentenced William Broad
01:10:14to three years imprisonment.
01:10:16A chance for you
01:10:16to join another jury
01:10:17in assessing the facts
01:10:18when our cameras return
01:10:19to the Crown Court.
01:10:21The Crown Court
Recommended
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