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Crown Court: the gripping courtroom drama from the 1970s and 1980s.
"A ten year old girl has accused a man of groping her as she made her way past his seat in the cinema. However, it is the girls' mother who is in the dock accused of blackmailing the man, demanding money from him in return for not reporting the incident to the police. The man denies the child's' accusation and claims that he had slapped her leg for being rude to him." - IMDB
William Mervyn, David Ashford and Frederick Treves star.

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TV
Transcript
00:00:00On a Sunday in December, Mrs Grace Moresby, who is the mother of 10-year-old Tracy, called
00:00:20on Geoffrey Haynton and accused him of an indecent assault on her child in a small suburban cinema
00:00:25the afternoon before. Cases of child molesting are not uncommon. Hundreds are tried by our
00:00:31magistrates every year, but this case is different. It was Geoffrey Haynton, the alleged child
00:00:36molester, who called in the police. And it is not Geoffrey Haynton who is sitting in the
00:00:40dock today, but the mother of the child who is said to have been sexually assaulted.
00:00:46And I'd like to repeat, we are not here to consider a case of sexual offence against the
00:00:50child. We are here to try Mrs Grace Moresby on the very serious charge of attempted
00:00:55blackmail. I shall be calling only two witnesses. Mr Geoffrey Haynton, who has brought the charge
00:01:01against Mrs Moresby, and who will testify in this court that she completely fabricated the
00:01:06very damaging accusation of a sexual attack against her daughter in order to extort money
00:01:12from him. I shall also be calling Mr Lawford Brown, CBE, the eminent theatrical agent.
00:01:19I call Geoffrey Haynton.
00:01:25What is your religion?
00:01:31The Church of England.
00:01:32Take the book in your right hand and read aloud the words on the card.
00:01:36I swear by Almighty God that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth,
00:01:40and nothing but the truth.
00:01:41You are Geoffrey Donald Haynton of 12 Northfield Terrace, Fulchester.
00:01:45I am.
00:01:46And you are an actor by profession.
00:01:48That is correct.
00:01:49Would you regard yourself as a successful actor?
00:01:51Or perhaps rather as a contented one. I'm not famous at all. You could say that I was
00:01:56a jobbing actor. Most of my work is in television and films. I make a comfortable living out
00:02:01of it. I have a pleasant house here in Fulchester. I run a car.
00:02:04On the afternoon of Saturday the 7th of April, you drove to London to visit the majestic cinema
00:02:10in Talbot Road, New Cross.
00:02:11Yes.
00:02:12Why did you travel so far to go to the cinema?
00:02:14Well, I had a small part in a film there which I'd missed on the first time round.
00:02:18And I wish to go and take a look at my performance.
00:02:21Will you tell the court exactly what occurred in the cinema?
00:02:24Yes. It was a Saturday afternoon. The cinema was full of children.
00:02:28A lot of rushing about and shouting. It was really rather noisy.
00:02:32It was quite a bad film so I expect they were bored.
00:02:35Well, I didn't mind the dinner first. In fact, it was really rather amusing.
00:02:37Some of the wisecracks they were shouting at the screen were really very, very witty.
00:02:40But in my row, there was one little girl sitting in the middle of my row who was very irritating
00:02:46and troublesome.
00:02:47That would be Tracy Moresby, daughter of the accused.
00:02:50Yes. She kept getting up from her seat and pushing past me to go and see the other children.
00:02:54They didn't seem to welcome her company.
00:02:56Then a few minutes later, she pushed back past me again.
00:02:58Did you speak to her about this?
00:02:59Yes, about three times. I asked her very politely, would she please remain in her seat?
00:03:04She didn't take any notice at all.
00:03:05Well, despite all the jostling and pushing, she went on pushing past me and behaved as
00:03:11if I wasn't there at all, as if I didn't exist.
00:03:13Tell me, Mr. Haynton, did it not occur to you to move your seat?
00:03:16Well, I didn't feel I should be driven from my seat by this child.
00:03:19I paid for my ticket. I wanted to watch the film in peace.
00:03:22Anyway, I felt that she would follow me if I did move.
00:03:25What made you so sure of that?
00:03:26Well, she was so obviously enjoying making a nuisance of herself.
00:03:30The way she pretended to ignore me was so elaborate.
00:03:33I realised it was a battle of wills.
00:03:34I realised she wanted to make me lose my temper.
00:03:36And did she succeed?
00:03:38Yes, eventually she did.
00:03:40On the last occasion she pushed past me, she was very rough indeed.
00:03:45She banged my knees, stamped on my feet.
00:03:47And I spoke to her very sharply. I said, stop that at once.
00:03:50And then she spoke to me, or rather shouted.
00:03:52What did she say?
00:03:54She said, shut your face, you stupid old freak.
00:03:58Well, of course, I didn't know what to say to this, but I really suddenly saw red.
00:04:01I smacked her on the leg.
00:04:04Not hard, I didn't want to hurt her, but I wanted her to realise that she couldn't get away with this sort of rusedness.
00:04:09Did you touch her in any other way?
00:04:11No, the slap was purely a reflex action.
00:04:14And how did she react to this?
00:04:17Well, her reaction was extreme.
00:04:19I was quite taken aback by it.
00:04:20She stood stock still for a moment, her face contorted with rage, and then she spat in my face.
00:04:30Well, I know this is ridiculous, but I was very shocked.
00:04:33It wasn't like a child at all.
00:04:35It was all too powerful, too, too violent.
00:04:37And after she spat in your face?
00:04:41Well, she got up and left the cinema, and I got up to follow her.
00:04:43I was very upset and concerned.
00:04:44It occurred to me this was no ordinary child,
00:04:47but one who was suffering from an unstable psychological state.
00:04:50Your feeling for the child at this point was one of concern?
00:04:53Very much so.
00:04:53I mean, that little face, dreadful little face, like an animal, like a savage.
00:05:00Yes, I was very upset indeed,
00:05:01but I felt that I might have been overharsh with her.
00:05:03That's why I followed her.
00:05:04Did you catch her up?
00:05:06No, well, yes.
00:05:08That is, she came back into the cinema with her mother,
00:05:10who I understand runs the kiosk in the foyer,
00:05:13and then the whole thing became quite chaotic.
00:05:14How do you mean chaotic?
00:05:16Well, the child was making a terrible racket.
00:05:18I was trying to explain to the mother how sorry I was,
00:05:21and she seemed willfully to misunderstand me.
00:05:23I mentioned something about the child's state of mind.
00:05:25She got into a terrible temper and said she would go to see the manager.
00:05:28Did she, in fact, get the manager?
00:05:30Well, I don't know.
00:05:31I mean, the whole thing had got so out of proportion and ridiculous
00:05:33I thought there was no point in me staying here to watch this ridiculous melodrama,
00:05:38so I simply left.
00:05:39Thinking that that would be the end of the episode?
00:05:41Oh, yes, I thought that was that.
00:05:42Of course, I was very unhappy about this,
00:05:43but, yes, I didn't think I'd see either of them again.
00:05:45But you did see the mother again, Mrs. Moresby.
00:05:48Yes, very next day.
00:05:50Early on Sunday morning,
00:05:52there was a ring at my front doorbell,
00:05:54and there she was on the doorstep,
00:05:55and she said,
00:05:57I'm Tracey's mother.
00:05:58I've come about yesterday afternoon.
00:06:01And what happened then?
00:06:02She pushed past me into my house,
00:06:06marched into my drawing room,
00:06:07sat down, very calm, very businesslike,
00:06:10and then I couldn't believe my ears when I heard her say,
00:06:12I've decided not to put the police on to you,
00:06:15but you must make it up to me.
00:06:18After what she thought she was saying,
00:06:19she said,
00:06:19you know very well what I'm saying.
00:06:21You interfered with my daughter yesterday afternoon.
00:06:22I could put you in prison.
00:06:24Well, I was so astounded at this,
00:06:26I said, I think you'd better leave my house,
00:06:27but she wouldn't budge.
00:06:28She just sat there and said,
00:06:29I want a hundred pounds.
00:06:31She said it several times.
00:06:33Well, I was absolutely thunderstruck by this,
00:06:35and then I began to realise
00:06:36that she'd come to my house to blackmail me,
00:06:39and then I got very angry indeed.
00:06:40Now, what did you do?
00:06:41Well, I told her, of course, she knew perfectly.
00:06:42Well, I had no intention of interfering with her daughter.
00:06:44I told her,
00:06:44if she thought she could victimise me,
00:06:46she was very much mistaken.
00:06:47I asked her how she dared say these disgusting lies,
00:06:50and did she realise
00:06:51that she was in my house blackmailing me,
00:06:53and it should be she who was in prison, not me.
00:06:56Now, what was her reaction to this?
00:06:57Well, one of rage, same as in the cinema.
00:07:00I mean, quite hysterical.
00:07:01I mean, she went on and on and on,
00:07:03saying that if I didn't give her the money,
00:07:06she'd have me in prison for life.
00:07:07All sorts of things.
00:07:09I didn't know what to do.
00:07:10I thought, well, I'd better call the police.
00:07:12I went over the phone, and I did.
00:07:13Had you the intention, when you telephoned the police,
00:07:15of charging her with attempted blackmail?
00:07:17No, no, no.
00:07:18I just really wanted her out of the house.
00:07:19But when the police came,
00:07:20you did, in fact, make this formal charge.
00:07:23That was uncanny.
00:07:25Directly the police arrived.
00:07:27She became quite calm.
00:07:29She said she'd come round to my house
00:07:31to find out if what her daughter had told her was the truth.
00:07:34And then she said,
00:07:35I offered her money to keep quiet about it.
00:07:39Well, I was so appalled by this malicious invention
00:07:42that I told the police what, in fact, had happened,
00:07:45and said I wished to charge her there and then.
00:07:47Had you at any point during this interview with Mrs. Moresby
00:07:50offered her money or suggested anything
00:07:52that might be interpreted as an offer of money?
00:07:55Nothing at all.
00:07:57Now, Mr. Hayton, I must ask you
00:07:58if there was anything you said or did
00:08:00to Tracy Moresby in the cinema
00:08:02that could possibly be interpreted
00:08:03as having a sexual intention?
00:08:07Absolutely nothing whatsoever.
00:08:09Has anyone at any time before this Sunday
00:08:10suggested that you had committed a criminal offence?
00:08:14No.
00:08:15Indeed, have you ever before been seen by the police
00:08:17in connection with any criminal matter?
00:08:19No.
00:08:21Thank you, Mr. Hayton.
00:08:22No further questions?
00:08:25Mr. Hayton, you do admit to touching Tracy Moresby on the leg.
00:08:29Is that so?
00:08:30I think I said I slapped her, yes.
00:08:32Where on the leg did you touch her?
00:08:34My lord, I object to my learned friend's use of the word touch.
00:08:37Mr. Hayton has said he slapped the child.
00:08:39He used the word touch as misleading
00:08:41and implies a motive other than anger.
00:08:43Yes, I think that is a fair objection.
00:08:45But quite apart from that, Miss Tate,
00:08:46does it matter what happened in the cinema?
00:08:48We must keep in the forefront of our minds
00:08:51that it is not Mr. Hayton
00:08:53who is on trial here in this court today.
00:08:56But my client is, my lord.
00:08:58And the prosecution have been at great lengths
00:09:00to point out that nothing happened in the cinema that day
00:09:02that could possibly warrant the accusations
00:09:05that Mr. Hayton said my client made against him.
00:09:07In other words, that they were a complete and groundless fantasy.
00:09:11Now, both Mrs. Moresby and her daughter
00:09:13will testify that they were neither fantastic nor groundless
00:09:16and that because they happened,
00:09:18Mr. Hayton freely offered money.
00:09:20Yes, I see.
00:09:22But we must keep well in mind
00:09:24that we shall be asking the jury
00:09:26to reach a verdict on a charge of blackmail
00:09:28and not on one of sexual assault.
00:09:31I'll ask you the question again, Mr. Hayton.
00:09:35Where exactly on the leg did you touch Tracey Moresby?
00:09:38In the region of the knee,
00:09:40the back of the knee or the calf, perhaps.
00:09:42And only with one hand?
00:09:44Well, naturally.
00:09:45How do you take two hands to slap someone?
00:09:47Mr. Hayton, I put it to you
00:09:49that after slapping Tracey Moresby on the leg,
00:09:52you put both hands round her thighs
00:09:54and you touched her private parts.
00:09:55That's just not true. She's lying.
00:09:57Well, we've not yet heard from Tracey,
00:09:58but you have told us that she spat in your face
00:10:01and you said that this was what you considered
00:10:03to be a disproportionate and somewhat shocking response
00:10:06to something as simple as a slap.
00:10:08Now, I agree with you.
00:10:09It was shocking.
00:10:10But it was not you,
00:10:12it was not you who were shocked, Mr. Hayton,
00:10:14but Tracey Moresby,
00:10:16shocked by something far more, far more disturbing
00:10:19than an ordinary slap on the leg,
00:10:21shocked in the way that you suggest
00:10:22enough to respond like a little animal
00:10:25in a terrifying and menacing situation.
00:10:27I just slapped her, as I said.
00:10:29Nothing else.
00:10:31For God's sake,
00:10:32if I had done what you are suggesting,
00:10:34do you think I would admit to slapping her?
00:10:36Why not deny the whole thing,
00:10:39if I was prepared to lie about some of it?
00:10:41Well, you're not here to ask questions, Mr. Hayton,
00:10:43but I'll answer that one.
00:10:45You knew perfectly well
00:10:46that a total denial would be useless.
00:10:49A child had cried out,
00:10:51had burst into tears,
00:10:52there'd been an angry scene.
00:10:53You knew that you would be obliged to admit
00:10:55that something had happened,
00:10:56and naturally enough,
00:10:57it would be better for you
00:10:58if that something were nothing more innocuous
00:11:00than an ordinary slap on the leg.
00:11:02Now, if I may be permitted to ask a question,
00:11:05are you seriously suggesting
00:11:07that Tracey Moresby
00:11:08deliberately provoked you into attacking her?
00:11:11I don't think I did attack her.
00:11:14Now, perhaps you don't,
00:11:15but in fact,
00:11:16that is exactly what you did.
00:11:19Now, you describe this situation
00:11:21as a battle of wills,
00:11:23and yet you remained in your seat,
00:11:25subjecting yourself to this pushing
00:11:27and jostling as you describe it,
00:11:29so you too were enjoying this battle of wills.
00:11:31Far from being an annoying situation,
00:11:34the repeated physical contact
00:11:36was giving you pleasure and excitement,
00:11:39and so you decided to stay where you were,
00:11:41hoping that the opportunity would engage
00:11:43for you not only to be touched by this child,
00:11:46but to touch her yourself,
00:11:47to attack her.
00:11:48I certainly wasn't enjoying
00:11:49any experience of pleasure or excitement.
00:11:51It was just extremely irritating.
00:11:53The slap was merely an impulsive
00:11:55and a very natural reaction
00:11:57to the whole situation.
00:11:58I did it before I knew I'd done it.
00:11:59But if you were finding it all
00:12:01extremely irritating, as you say,
00:12:02then why did you not take
00:12:03the obvious measure of changing your seat?
00:12:05As I have said already,
00:12:07I thought that if I moved,
00:12:09she would follow me,
00:12:10and it seemed to me
00:12:11that the situation would get
00:12:12a great deal more irritating
00:12:14than it was already.
00:12:16Yes.
00:12:18Well.
00:12:23Now, you've said that you had,
00:12:25that you had a part in this film.
00:12:28Yes, that's right.
00:12:29Would you tell us something about it?
00:12:31Well, it's quite a small part.
00:12:33Interesting, just the one scene.
00:12:35And at what point in the film
00:12:36did this scene take place?
00:12:38About 20 minutes to half an hour
00:12:39after the beginning, I should say.
00:12:40I suppose it was virtually impossible
00:12:42for you to watch the scene
00:12:44with all this disturbance.
00:12:45That must have been very frustrating.
00:12:46No, there was no frustration
00:12:47on that score.
00:12:48The real rouse started
00:12:49after halfway through the film.
00:12:51I'd seen my part already.
00:12:52You'd already seen your part.
00:12:55Now, at the beginning of your testimony,
00:12:56you said that you drove up
00:12:58to this particular cinema
00:12:59from Fulchester
00:12:59in order to have a look
00:13:01at your performance.
00:13:01And yet, after having seen
00:13:03your performance,
00:13:05you stayed on
00:13:05in spite of the irritating behaviour
00:13:07of Tracey Moresby
00:13:08and in spite of the fact
00:13:09that it was not a good film.
00:13:10Well, I think I said
00:13:11it might be a boring film
00:13:13for children.
00:13:13No, Mr. Haynton.
00:13:15You said it was quite a bad film,
00:13:17I'm afraid,
00:13:18so I expect they were bored.
00:13:20But it seems that you,
00:13:21Mr. Haynton,
00:13:22were quite prepared
00:13:23to put up not only
00:13:24with a bad film,
00:13:25but with an extremely
00:13:27uncomfortable situation.
00:13:28It would seem, Mr. Haynton,
00:13:29that you were not bored at all.
00:13:31Mr. Haynton,
00:13:48you would agree, then,
00:13:49that Tracey Moresby
00:13:50was in a bad state?
00:13:51I think I said
00:13:52I thought she was
00:13:52an over-excitable little child.
00:13:54And you felt concern for her?
00:13:56That's right.
00:13:57At what point did you cease
00:13:58to feel this concern?
00:13:59Well, I didn't stop
00:14:00feeling concern.
00:14:01It was when the mother
00:14:01went off the handle.
00:14:03When the mother left
00:14:04to get the manager,
00:14:05I thought the whole thing
00:14:05had got out of hand.
00:14:06You didn't consider
00:14:07that if you yourself
00:14:08explained the situation
00:14:09to the manager,
00:14:11a neutral person,
00:14:12that between you,
00:14:13you could have perhaps
00:14:14pacified the mother
00:14:14and calmed down
00:14:15the little girl?
00:14:16Didn't seem likely to me.
00:14:17So, as you say,
00:14:18you simply left?
00:14:19It seemed the best thing to do.
00:14:20Well, not only the best thing,
00:14:22but the only thing.
00:14:23I put it to you
00:14:24that you were already
00:14:25on your way out
00:14:25when Mrs. Moresby
00:14:26came back into the cinema
00:14:27with Tracy.
00:14:28No, I've told you.
00:14:29You had no intention
00:14:30of following the little girl
00:14:31to make amends,
00:14:32so you made your getaway
00:14:33leaving the cinema
00:14:34at a near run.
00:14:35Oh, that's absolutely ridiculous.
00:14:36I did not run out.
00:14:37I said a near run,
00:14:38Mr. Hainte,
00:14:39and obviously a man
00:14:40running from the cinema
00:14:41would be bound
00:14:41to attract attention.
00:14:42I'd hardly describe
00:14:43my departure
00:14:44as a near run.
00:14:45But it was convenient
00:14:46for you to get out fast.
00:14:47Well, I didn't mean
00:14:47that at all.
00:14:49I made a decision.
00:14:51I carried it out
00:14:52in a suitable manner.
00:14:54I see.
00:14:57Well, let's come
00:14:58to the events
00:14:58of the following day,
00:14:59shall we?
00:15:00Now, when you saw
00:15:01Mrs. Moresby standing
00:15:02at your door,
00:15:03you must have wondered
00:15:03how she'd managed
00:15:04to track you down,
00:15:06as it were.
00:15:07It occurred to me
00:15:08she might have traced
00:15:08my dress through my car.
00:15:11Oh, really, Mr. Hainteam?
00:15:12Well, that would have meant
00:15:12that first she discovered
00:15:14you left the cinema,
00:15:15and then she'd have
00:15:16to get outside
00:15:17in order to see you
00:15:18driving off.
00:15:19I left my car
00:15:20near the front of the cinema.
00:15:21It took me a little time
00:15:21to get to it.
00:15:22As you'd left
00:15:23by a side entrance?
00:15:25Yes.
00:15:26So you thought
00:15:27that perhaps she did
00:15:27see you driving off
00:15:28and then, of course,
00:15:29she'd have to go
00:15:29to the police
00:15:30and they'd have to trace
00:15:31the registration number
00:15:32and it was Saturday evening.
00:15:34Well, I suppose so.
00:15:35These are little details.
00:15:36It was just a first notion
00:15:37that crossed my mind.
00:15:38So one of the first notions
00:15:39that crossed your mind
00:15:40on seeing Mrs. Moresby
00:15:41on your doorstep
00:15:42was that the police
00:15:43were involved already.
00:15:45It must have been
00:15:45a considerable relief
00:15:46to you to realise
00:15:47that that was not the case.
00:15:48No, no, no.
00:15:49At any rate,
00:15:50she did find out
00:15:50where you lived
00:15:51and she came to your house
00:15:52and almost immediately
00:15:53after she'd arrived
00:15:54there was this
00:15:55offer of money.
00:15:56Yes.
00:15:57No.
00:15:59No, what?
00:16:00Not offer.
00:16:01Oh, oh, I, um...
00:16:02I beg your pardon.
00:16:03I meant to say
00:16:03a demand for money.
00:16:05Yes.
00:16:05There was a demand.
00:16:07A hundred pounds.
00:16:08I'd like to repeat
00:16:09what I said earlier.
00:16:10I never offered her money.
00:16:12Never.
00:16:12But you did say,
00:16:13did you not,
00:16:13that she was quite calm
00:16:15and businesslike
00:16:16when she first arrived?
00:16:17Yes, yes, yes.
00:16:18Do we have to go
00:16:19over all this again?
00:16:20Yes, it does seem
00:16:21a little bit repetitive,
00:16:22Miss Tate.
00:16:23Can you give us an idea
00:16:25of what you are driving at
00:16:26with these questions?
00:16:27My Lord,
00:16:28I'm simply curious to know
00:16:29why Mr. Haynton
00:16:30resorted to the extreme measure
00:16:31of calling in the police
00:16:32when surely
00:16:33an irrational man
00:16:34would realise
00:16:34that no effort
00:16:35should be spared
00:16:36before taking
00:16:36such drastic action.
00:16:38Now, Mr. Haynton
00:16:38has already explained
00:16:39that he believed
00:16:40that he was being
00:16:41blackmailed by a person
00:16:42who, in his view,
00:16:44was not capable
00:16:44of acting rationally.
00:16:46Are you suggesting
00:16:47that that wasn't
00:16:48sufficient reason
00:16:49for him to call the police?
00:16:51My Lord,
00:16:52my case is
00:16:53that Mr. Haynton
00:16:54left the cinema
00:16:54on the previous afternoon
00:16:56because he specifically
00:16:57did not want
00:16:58any discussion
00:16:59about what happened.
00:17:00Now, here we are
00:17:01with the same situation
00:17:02on the following day.
00:17:04A trivial
00:17:04and embarrassing incident
00:17:05had spiralled
00:17:06into a menacing situation
00:17:08and yet
00:17:08he forewent
00:17:10any effort
00:17:10at discussion,
00:17:11any attempt
00:17:12to bring order
00:17:12to chaos.
00:17:13I couldn't bring
00:17:13any order out of chaos.
00:17:14Everything moved so fast.
00:17:16It was well beyond
00:17:16my control.
00:17:17Not at all,
00:17:18Mr. Haynton.
00:17:18You were in complete control.
00:17:20You telephoned the police.
00:17:21I was driven
00:17:21to that measure.
00:17:22Yes, you were.
00:17:23But not quite
00:17:24in the way
00:17:25that you say.
00:17:27Telephoning the police
00:17:27was a deliberate
00:17:28and calculated tactic
00:17:30on your part.
00:17:31An inescapable tactic,
00:17:32was it not?
00:17:32I don't understand.
00:17:33Oh, I think you do,
00:17:34Mr. Haynton.
00:17:34I think you do.
00:17:36Your back was
00:17:36against the wall.
00:17:38Now, may I be permitted
00:17:39to tell you
00:17:40the dilemma
00:17:41that you were in?
00:17:42Mrs. Moresby
00:17:43turns up at your house
00:17:44to find out for certain
00:17:46what happened
00:17:46on the previous afternoon.
00:17:48Now, as you say,
00:17:50no attempt
00:17:51at discussion
00:17:52was any use
00:17:53because you knew
00:17:54that her accusations
00:17:55were true
00:17:56and so you were afraid.
00:17:58You offered her money
00:17:59to hush up
00:18:00the whole situation
00:18:01but when she refused,
00:18:03you telephoned the police
00:18:04before she could do
00:18:05because you knew
00:18:06that they would be called
00:18:07in any way.
00:18:09Your mind must have moved
00:18:10very quickly,
00:18:11Mr. Haynton.
00:18:12If you called
00:18:13the police
00:18:14and fabricated this tale
00:18:15of attempted blackmail,
00:18:17then you would be
00:18:18the victim.
00:18:19It would be your word
00:18:20against hers.
00:18:22And you gamble
00:18:23that they would believe
00:18:24your word.
00:18:24Now, that is the position.
00:18:25Do you deny it?
00:18:26I can and I do.
00:18:28I deny it absolutely.
00:18:31Just one last question,
00:18:33Mr. Haynton.
00:18:34Are you in the habit
00:18:35of visiting the cinema
00:18:36on Saturday afternoons?
00:18:37I do occasionally
00:18:39go to the cinema
00:18:39on a Saturday afternoon.
00:18:40I'd hardly call it a habit.
00:18:42And always alone?
00:18:44Usually alone.
00:18:45Thank you, Mr. Haynton.
00:18:46No further questions.
00:18:47Mr. Haynton,
00:18:49I should first just like
00:18:51to dispel
00:18:52the rather sinister
00:18:55overtones
00:18:56of my learned friend's
00:18:57last question to you.
00:18:58You were a very ardent
00:19:00cinema goer,
00:19:00are you not?
00:19:01Yes, I see a film
00:19:02two or three times a week.
00:19:04Is it your custom
00:19:05to go by yourself?
00:19:06Yes, I prefer to go
00:19:07to films of my own.
00:19:08Films of my hobby, really.
00:19:10Mr. Haynton,
00:19:11have you ever had occasion
00:19:12to appear in court before?
00:19:14Only once.
00:19:15As a juror, actually.
00:19:17Sir Haynton,
00:19:17the word fear
00:19:18has been used in this court.
00:19:20In the cinema,
00:19:21when Mrs. Moresby
00:19:22came to visit you
00:19:23in your house,
00:19:24did you at any time
00:19:25feel afraid?
00:19:26No, not at all.
00:19:27I had nothing to be afraid of.
00:19:28What was the sequence
00:19:29of emotions that you felt
00:19:31during Mrs. Moresby's
00:19:32visit to you?
00:19:33Well, at first,
00:19:34one of total amazement.
00:19:36And then,
00:19:37of real anger
00:19:38when I realised
00:19:38what she was up to.
00:19:40And then,
00:19:41when I saw her stamping
00:19:42and raging around the room,
00:19:43a feeling of pity.
00:19:45It was very sad.
00:19:47When the police arrived
00:19:48and she became calm
00:19:49and started trotting out
00:19:50her neat little lies,
00:19:52I felt an emotion
00:19:53approaching that
00:19:54of horror.
00:19:56That's why I knew
00:19:56I must make this charge.
00:19:59So, one way or another,
00:20:00the rational man
00:20:01took quite an emotional beating
00:20:03during those two days.
00:20:04And the physical one, too.
00:20:06When I got home
00:20:06on Sunday evening,
00:20:08I was so drained
00:20:09and shaky,
00:20:09I rang my doctor
00:20:11to see if he'd come
00:20:11and see me
00:20:12and he thought
00:20:13the whole situation
00:20:15might have some effect
00:20:16on my heart.
00:20:17You have a heart condition?
00:20:18Well, it's nothing very serious.
00:20:19I get a little touch
00:20:20of angina,
00:20:22troublesmith
00:20:22from time to time.
00:20:24Did your decision
00:20:25to leave the cinema
00:20:26that afternoon
00:20:26have anything to do
00:20:27with a fear
00:20:28of the effect
00:20:29on your heart?
00:20:29No, no, no.
00:20:30I hardly ever think about it.
00:20:31I've never had
00:20:31a severe attack.
00:20:33Just the occasional
00:20:33odd twinge
00:20:34now and again.
00:20:35No, I left the cinema
00:20:36because I thought
00:20:37it was the only thing
00:20:38I could do
00:20:38under the circumstances.
00:20:40Were you at all
00:20:41inhibited by the thought
00:20:42of the possible damage
00:20:43that could be done
00:20:44to your career?
00:20:44No, no, no.
00:20:45Not at all.
00:20:46As I've said,
00:20:47I'm not famous at all.
00:20:49What was your predominant motive
00:20:51in calling the police?
00:20:53Well,
00:20:54I thought this woman
00:20:55was behaving wickedly.
00:20:58I'm a stubborn man
00:20:59and not easily frightened.
00:21:01But supposing I've been
00:21:02someone of a much
00:21:02weaker nature,
00:21:03what if she'd tried
00:21:05to trap someone else
00:21:06and intimidate them?
00:21:10I believe
00:21:11that if I had been weak
00:21:12and had given in
00:21:14and been afraid
00:21:15of how I might look
00:21:16in this situation,
00:21:17the demands for money
00:21:18would have gone on
00:21:19and on and on.
00:21:20And don't forget,
00:21:22she was prepared
00:21:23to involve
00:21:24her own child
00:21:25in this web
00:21:26of conspiracy
00:21:27and deceit.
00:21:30I'm not a
00:21:31revengeful man.
00:21:32I think really
00:21:33perhaps I'm a little
00:21:34puritanical.
00:21:36But I believed
00:21:37what this woman
00:21:38was doing
00:21:38was wicked.
00:21:41In calling the police,
00:21:42did you make
00:21:43what has been called
00:21:43this lightning
00:21:45tactical move
00:21:46in order to appear
00:21:47in a more favourable light?
00:21:48No, no, no.
00:21:50I mean,
00:21:50even if she had
00:21:51telephoned the police
00:21:52and accused me
00:21:52of being a
00:21:53child molester,
00:21:54we'd have had to have
00:21:55the whole story
00:21:55as we've had today.
00:21:56I mean,
00:21:57the position
00:21:58would have been
00:21:58reversed,
00:21:59but I would have
00:22:00had to experience
00:22:01the same things
00:22:03as I had to do today.
00:22:05I don't suppose
00:22:06there would have been
00:22:06any more
00:22:07gruelling
00:22:08or humiliating
00:22:10or fatiguing
00:22:12a day
00:22:13from this one.
00:22:16Thank you,
00:22:17Mr. Hinton.
00:22:17I have no further questions.
00:22:19You may leave
00:22:20the witness box,
00:22:20Mr. Hinton.
00:22:26I must speak
00:22:37to Miss Tate.
00:22:38It's extremely important.
00:22:39I'm sorry, sir.
00:22:40That's impossible.
00:22:41Miss Tate is in the
00:22:42court at the moment.
00:22:42Well, how can I get
00:22:43in touch with her?
00:22:43I must speak to her
00:22:44today.
00:22:45Well, just wait
00:22:46here a moment, sir.
00:22:47I'll go in the court
00:22:48and see if I can find
00:22:48somebody to come
00:22:49and help you.
00:22:56Can I help you, Mr...
00:23:13Bray, John Bray.
00:23:13It's imperative
00:23:14that I speak to Miss Tate.
00:23:15Is this a personal matter,
00:23:16may I ask, sir?
00:23:17Or a professional one?
00:23:18It's about this case.
00:23:20You must tell Miss Tate
00:23:21that I have some information
00:23:22which may be a great deal
00:23:23of use to her.
00:23:24I am willing to appear
00:23:26as a witness in this case.
00:23:27The case of the Queen
00:23:52against Moresby
00:23:53will be resumed tomorrow
00:23:54in the Crown Court.
00:23:57Geoffrey Hinton,
00:24:20a 59-year-old actor,
00:24:22claims that Mrs. Grace Moresby
00:24:24came to his house in
00:24:25Fulchester on April the 8th
00:24:27and accused him
00:24:28of making an indecent assault
00:24:29on her 10-year-old daughter,
00:24:31Tracey,
00:24:31in a small London cinema
00:24:33the previous afternoon.
00:24:35He says she threatened
00:24:36to go to the police
00:24:37unless he gave her
00:24:38a hundred pounds.
00:24:39He entirely repudiated
00:24:41her accusation,
00:24:42saying all he had done
00:24:43was slap Tracey on the leg
00:24:44for being rude and noisy
00:24:46in the cinema.
00:24:47He called the police himself
00:24:49and charged Mrs. Moresby
00:24:50with attempted blackmail.
00:24:52You are Michael Clarence,
00:24:56Lawford Brown, CBE
00:24:57of 3 Emerson Mews,
00:24:59London, South West One.
00:25:00I am.
00:25:00You are a theatrical agent
00:25:02and managing director
00:25:03of the firm Lawford Brown Limited.
00:25:05That's correct.
00:25:06You're also very well known
00:25:07as the founder
00:25:08and originator
00:25:08of the old people's village
00:25:09in Wiltshire,
00:25:10Oak Valley.
00:25:11Well, I doubt very much
00:25:12if I'm well known,
00:25:13but naturally I'm pleased
00:25:14that Oak Valley should be.
00:25:15It was for your work
00:25:16in starting this village
00:25:17that you were awarded
00:25:17the CBE
00:25:18by Her Majesty the Queen
00:25:19two years ago.
00:25:20Yes, I had that honour.
00:25:22How long have you known
00:25:23Geoffrey Haynton?
00:25:25It must be about 35 years.
00:25:27Yes, I first met him in 1938.
00:25:28How did you meet?
00:25:29Well, I'd just started my career
00:25:31as a theatrical agent.
00:25:32I'd come down from Oxford
00:25:33and I was travelling
00:25:34around the country
00:25:34seeing plays
00:25:35and looking for talented actors.
00:25:37Geoffrey was my first discovery.
00:25:39I saw him giving
00:25:39a remarkably good performance
00:25:40as a Juval Island lead
00:25:42in a musical comedy in Wales,
00:25:43a little repertory company.
00:25:45I recognised that he'd be
00:25:46the perfect man for a part
00:25:47in a West End musical
00:25:48that was just about
00:25:49to go into production.
00:25:50I persuaded him
00:25:51to sign up with me
00:25:51as his agent.
00:25:52He did get the part.
00:25:53He came to London
00:25:54and I may say
00:25:55he was a huge success.
00:25:57And you've been
00:25:57his agent ever since?
00:25:58Yes, I have.
00:25:59Can you remember
00:26:00where you were
00:26:01on Sunday
00:26:02the 8th of April
00:26:03of this year?
00:26:03Yes, I went to see
00:26:04some friends in Fulchester
00:26:05and I thought
00:26:06I'd drop in on Geoffrey.
00:26:07Mr Haynton?
00:26:08Yes.
00:26:09Did you visit him?
00:26:10Not exactly.
00:26:11Now, what do you mean?
00:26:12Well, I'd parked the car
00:26:14and I was just coming up
00:26:15to the door
00:26:15when I heard
00:26:15a most dreadful row going on.
00:26:17Well, can you describe
00:26:18what you heard
00:26:18in more detail?
00:26:19Yes, I heard
00:26:20a woman's voice raised.
00:26:21She sounded very angry,
00:26:23almost hysterical.
00:26:24What did you do?
00:26:25Well, I'm afraid
00:26:26I went away.
00:26:27I didn't want
00:26:27to walk into a scene.
00:26:29Were there any police cars
00:26:31outside the house
00:26:32at this time?
00:26:33No, I think it must have been
00:26:34before they called.
00:26:35Were you able to hear
00:26:36anything the woman
00:26:37was saying?
00:26:38Yes, there was one phrase
00:26:39which stuck in my mind
00:26:40that was repeated.
00:26:41The woman was saying,
00:26:42I want a hundred pounds.
00:26:44You heard the woman say,
00:26:45I want a hundred pounds.
00:26:47You're quite sure of that?
00:26:48Quite sure.
00:26:50Thank you, Mr Lawford-Brown.
00:26:52Mr Lawford-Brown,
00:26:53were you visiting
00:26:53Mr Haynton on business?
00:26:55No, I was in the district
00:26:56and I decided to drop in.
00:26:57You were not going in
00:26:58to discuss business?
00:26:59No, that's correct.
00:27:00So that your relationship
00:27:01has not been solely
00:27:02a professional one?
00:27:04Oh, no, indeed.
00:27:04We became friends
00:27:06almost on meeting.
00:27:07We both were early successes
00:27:08in the theatre.
00:27:09I took a very special interest
00:27:11in Geoffrey's career,
00:27:12his stengali, as it were.
00:27:14We saw a great deal
00:27:15of each other.
00:27:15We were tremendous friends.
00:27:17When the war came,
00:27:17we joined up together
00:27:18and strangely enough,
00:27:20we ended up in the same
00:27:20prison camp in Italy.
00:27:22And the friendship
00:27:22continued after the war?
00:27:24Yes, it did.
00:27:24In fact, I was the one
00:27:25who persuaded Geoffrey
00:27:26to stay on in the theatre
00:27:27after the war.
00:27:28He had a slight limp
00:27:29from a war wound
00:27:30and he was worried
00:27:31whether it might affect
00:27:32his chances as an actor.
00:27:33I soon talked about that.
00:27:35You would say, then,
00:27:36that you were one
00:27:37of his closest friends?
00:27:38Yes, I would.
00:27:39I doubt if anyone
00:27:39ever knew him
00:27:40better than I did.
00:27:41You would judge him
00:27:42to be a man of integrity?
00:27:43Oh, great integrity.
00:27:45Probably sounds
00:27:46a little old-fashioned,
00:27:47but I think Geoffrey
00:27:47is a man of honour.
00:27:49Sir Norford Brown,
00:27:49knowing Geoffrey Haynton
00:27:50as you do,
00:27:51can you imagine him
00:27:52inventing a serious charge
00:27:54like blackmail
00:27:55against an innocent person?
00:27:57Not possibly.
00:27:58It's utterly unthinkable.
00:27:59The idea of his victimising
00:28:00an innocent person
00:28:01is quite inconceivable.
00:28:02Has he ever,
00:28:04to your knowledge,
00:28:05indicated that he had
00:28:06any tendencies whatsoever
00:28:08that might have included
00:28:10sexual assaults
00:28:11against a young child?
00:28:12Absolutely not.
00:28:13He's one of the most
00:28:14normal and balanced people
00:28:15I've ever known.
00:28:16Thank you,
00:28:17Mr. Lawford Brown.
00:28:20Mr. Lawford Brown,
00:28:21I think I heard you mention
00:28:23that it was you
00:28:23who persuaded Mr. Haynton
00:28:26not to give up the theatre
00:28:27after the war.
00:28:28Yes, that's true.
00:28:29You said he was worried
00:28:30about his limp
00:28:31impeding his career
00:28:32as an actor.
00:28:32Yes.
00:28:33And he'd seriously considered
00:28:34taking some other form of work.
00:28:36Yes, well, he did talk of it,
00:28:37but as I say,
00:28:37he made more than a successful start
00:28:39in the theatre before the war.
00:28:41He was what in those days
00:28:42was called a matinee idol.
00:28:44In musical comedy?
00:28:45Yes.
00:28:46But I presume that a limp
00:28:47would have, in fact,
00:28:48barred him from musical comedy parts.
00:28:50Well, of course,
00:28:51that's what worried him.
00:28:52But as an agent,
00:28:53I knew that his pre-war reputation
00:28:54would secure him
00:28:55plenty of good offers,
00:28:56and it did.
00:28:56He had several
00:28:58very interesting leads
00:28:58in London
00:28:59immediately after the war.
00:29:00And in the last 15 years or so,
00:29:02his work has been
00:29:02mostly films and television?
00:29:04Yes, he's played
00:29:05many, many parts,
00:29:06very varied.
00:29:08Mr. Norford-Brown,
00:29:09how many clients
00:29:09do you have on your books?
00:29:11I think at the moment
00:29:12I have about 15 clients.
00:29:14That's a very small
00:29:15number of clients
00:29:15for a theatrical manager
00:29:17to represent, isn't it?
00:29:18But then I am instructed
00:29:20that you have a reputation
00:29:21for handling the careers
00:29:22of only a few people,
00:29:24for being rather
00:29:25uniquely exclusive.
00:29:27Yes, it has been
00:29:28my practice for many years
00:29:29to represent a few artists.
00:29:30That way I find
00:29:31I can give them
00:29:31the detailed and personal
00:29:32attention they need.
00:29:34And many of your clients
00:29:35are extremely well-known.
00:29:36That's true, isn't it?
00:29:37Yes, I look after the affairs
00:29:39of several very successful people.
00:29:40Oh, I think you're too modest,
00:29:41Mr. Norford-Brown.
00:29:42I think it's true to say
00:29:43that all your clients
00:29:44are top-line stars
00:29:46with international reputations.
00:29:48With one exception.
00:29:51Geoffrey Haynton.
00:29:53Mr. Norford-Brown,
00:29:54why are you in court today?
00:29:57I should have thought
00:29:58that was obvious.
00:29:59I'm here as a witness.
00:30:00Yes, but what would you say
00:30:01were your motives
00:30:02for appearing as a witness today?
00:30:04I really don't understand
00:30:06what you mean by motives.
00:30:07I must say,
00:30:08neither do I, Miss Dayton.
00:30:10I'll rephrase the question, my lord.
00:30:12Mr. Norford-Brown,
00:30:13what persuaded you
00:30:14to come to court today?
00:30:16Nothing persuaded me.
00:30:17I'm here because I want to be,
00:30:19because I feel I ought to be.
00:30:20I owe it to the cause of justice,
00:30:22if that doesn't sound too pompous.
00:30:24What other possible motives
00:30:25could I have?
00:30:27Guilt, perhaps.
00:30:29What did you say?
00:30:30I said guilt,
00:30:31Mr. Norford-Brown.
00:30:33You agreed to appear
00:30:34as a witness for Geoffrey Haynton
00:30:35out of your strong sense
00:30:36of personal guilt
00:30:37and responsibility towards him.
00:30:39Now that is true, isn't it?
00:30:40I have never heard
00:30:41such ridiculous rubbish in my life.
00:30:43Will I go a little further,
00:30:44Mr. Norford-Brown,
00:30:45and say that you were not qualified
00:30:47to give the evidence you did
00:30:48in answer to his lordship's question.
00:30:51You do not know Geoffrey Haynton well enough.
00:30:54He happens to be one of my closest friends.
00:30:56Was, Mr. Norford-Brown.
00:30:57I don't know if you realise
00:30:58just how many times
00:30:59during your testimony
00:31:00you've used the past tense.
00:31:02We were tremendous friends, you said.
00:31:05I probably knew him better than anyone else.
00:31:09Now, I've no doubt
00:31:10that in the first years of your relationship
00:31:12you were tremendous friends, as you say.
00:31:14But can you tell us now
00:31:16just how many times
00:31:17you've actually seen him
00:31:19in the last 15 years?
00:31:21I haven't the faintest idea
00:31:23many times.
00:31:25He's a frequent visitor to my house.
00:31:27I am instructed that he visits your house
00:31:29exactly once a year
00:31:30in the company of a hundred other people
00:31:33when you give your annual dinner.
00:31:35A very fashionable event
00:31:37that we can all read about in the papers.
00:31:38He's always invited to my party, of course.
00:31:42And is he invited to your house
00:31:44on other occasions?
00:31:45To dinner, perhaps?
00:31:47I don't give dinner parties.
00:31:49I find it more convenient
00:31:50to entertain in restaurants.
00:31:51Well, do you entertain Mr. Haynton
00:31:52in restaurants?
00:31:53Are these the occasions
00:31:54of your frequent meetings?
00:31:56Yes, we've often dined together
00:31:58or lunched.
00:31:58Well, could you give us a rough idea
00:32:00of how many times
00:32:01in the last 15 years?
00:32:02I could not.
00:32:04When was the most recent time?
00:32:06Last week, actually.
00:32:08To discuss this case?
00:32:09Among other things.
00:32:10And before that?
00:32:11What was the time before that
00:32:13that you had lunch
00:32:14or dined with Geoffrey Haynton?
00:32:16I cannot possibly remember.
00:32:19Are you a frequent visitor
00:32:20at his house
00:32:21here in Fulchester?
00:32:22I hadn't seen Geoffrey's new place
00:32:24before that Sunday.
00:32:26Mr. Haynton moved into his new place,
00:32:29as you call it,
00:32:30nine years ago.
00:32:32Madam, you cannot calculate friendship
00:32:34like statistics
00:32:35by the numbers of meetings,
00:32:36especially in old,
00:32:38enduring friendship.
00:32:40I put it to you,
00:32:41Mr. Lawford Brown,
00:32:41that this particular
00:32:42old, enduring friendship
00:32:44waned in direct relationship
00:32:45to the waning of Mr. Haynton's
00:32:47professional career.
00:32:49The several interesting leads
00:32:51that you say he played
00:32:52after the war
00:32:52were in fact three
00:32:53in three plays
00:32:55that failed in the West End.
00:32:56And since then,
00:32:57Geoffrey Haynton
00:32:58has never worked
00:32:58in a London theatre again.
00:33:00All actors have to weather
00:33:02flops in their lives.
00:33:03Geoffrey's made his way
00:33:04in films and television.
00:33:06An actor's career
00:33:07can always change course.
00:33:08And in his case,
00:33:09it was a downward course.
00:33:10The matinee idol
00:33:11of Before the War
00:33:12has now become
00:33:12the bit-part actor of today.
00:33:14I suggest,
00:33:15Mr. Lawford Brown,
00:33:16that you kept him on
00:33:17as a client
00:33:17because you felt
00:33:18sorry for him.
00:33:20My charitable work,
00:33:21madam,
00:33:21does not overlap
00:33:22into my professional life.
00:33:24I run a business.
00:33:25I keep Geoffrey on
00:33:26as a client
00:33:26because he is
00:33:27a valuable actor.
00:33:29He's sold him
00:33:30out of work,
00:33:30I can assure you.
00:33:31But not through
00:33:32your efforts,
00:33:32Mr. Lawford Brown.
00:33:34The detailed
00:33:34and personal attention
00:33:36that you accord
00:33:36upon your star clients
00:33:38is not accorded
00:33:39upon Mr. Geoffrey Haynton.
00:33:40Am I not correct
00:33:41in saying that he
00:33:42is the only one
00:33:43of your artists
00:33:43whose entire engagements,
00:33:46salaries,
00:33:46and all working conditions
00:33:47are handled
00:33:48entirely by your secretary?
00:33:50Geoffrey is aware
00:33:51that my secretary
00:33:52keeps me informed
00:33:53of all the details
00:33:53of his work.
00:33:55Mr. Lawford Brown,
00:33:57were you in the vicinity
00:33:59of Mr. Haynton's house
00:34:01on that Sunday?
00:34:03Of course I was.
00:34:04Because you see,
00:34:06my client did not rage
00:34:08and become hysterical
00:34:10and demand a hundred pounds.
00:34:14Let's just assume
00:34:15that you were outside,
00:34:18but that the voice
00:34:19you heard demanding
00:34:20a hundred pounds
00:34:21was not that of my client,
00:34:22but of Geoffrey Haynton.
00:34:25You have invented
00:34:26this reversal
00:34:27in order to assist
00:34:28the one-time friend
00:34:29you felt you'd let down
00:34:30in the past.
00:34:32I have invented nothing.
00:34:33Thank you,
00:34:34Mr. Lawford Brown.
00:34:34No further questions.
00:34:36Mr. Lawford Brown,
00:34:37when did you first hear
00:34:38about Geoffrey Haynton's
00:34:39involvement in this case?
00:34:41Geoffrey rang me
00:34:41on the evening
00:34:42that the woman
00:34:43came to call.
00:34:44So you were the first person
00:34:45he contacted
00:34:46over this trouble?
00:34:47Yes.
00:34:48Did he confide to you
00:34:49all the details
00:34:49when he spoke to you?
00:34:50Yes, he told me
00:34:51all that happened.
00:34:52His relationship with you
00:34:53was such that he volunteered
00:34:54to you the whole
00:34:55of this unhappy business?
00:34:56Yes, as I said,
00:34:57he was a trusted friend.
00:34:58So it's nonsense
00:34:59that suggests
00:35:00that you are unqualified
00:35:02to say whether or not
00:35:03he is a man of integrity?
00:35:05Absolute nonsense.
00:35:06No one's ever known him better.
00:35:07Thank you,
00:35:08Mr. Lawford Brown.
00:35:08No further questions?
00:35:09Besides,
00:35:10I wouldn't commit perjury
00:35:11for any friend,
00:35:12however old.
00:35:13You may go,
00:35:14Mr. Lawford Brown.
00:35:21That's the case
00:35:22for the prosecution,
00:35:23my lord.
00:35:26My lord,
00:35:27I had naturally
00:35:28intended calling
00:35:28the defendant,
00:35:29Mrs. Grace Moresby,
00:35:30as my first witness.
00:35:32However,
00:35:32since the trial began,
00:35:33a new witness
00:35:34has come forward
00:35:35and I feel that the court
00:35:36should hear his evidence.
00:35:37Who is this witness
00:35:38and what is his
00:35:39connection with the case?
00:35:40His name is
00:35:41John Bray,
00:35:42my lord,
00:35:43and he
00:35:43was a working colleague
00:35:45of Geoffrey Haynton.
00:35:49John Bray,
00:35:50please do the math.
00:35:51You come to it.
00:36:01What is your religion?
00:36:03Church of England.
00:36:04Take the book
00:36:04in your right hand
00:36:05and read aloud
00:36:05the words on the card.
00:36:06I swear by almighty God
00:36:08that the evidence
00:36:08I shall give
00:36:09shall be the truth,
00:36:10the whole truth,
00:36:10and nothing but the truth.
00:36:12You are John Reginald Bray
00:36:13of 16 Sylvan Road,
00:36:15Upper Norwood, London.
00:36:16I am.
00:36:16Mr. Lotterby,
00:36:17I assume that you
00:36:19have no objection
00:36:19to this witness being called.
00:36:21No, my lord,
00:36:21I have no objection.
00:36:22My learned friend
00:36:23has discussed
00:36:23this witness's evidence
00:36:24with me.
00:36:26And you hold
00:36:26the position
00:36:27of Chief Buyer
00:36:28in the Furniture Department
00:36:29in Brewsters of Piccadilly.
00:36:31Yes, I do.
00:36:32Now, you are acquainted
00:36:33with Geoffrey Hinton,
00:36:34are you not?
00:36:35Yes, we worked together
00:36:36before the war in Wales.
00:36:38It was in a small theatre company.
00:36:40I was an actor myself
00:36:41in those days,
00:36:41but I gave it up years ago.
00:36:43I didn't like the life,
00:36:44no real security.
00:36:45Mr. Bray,
00:36:46why did you come down
00:36:47to Fulchester
00:36:47to the trial?
00:36:48I read about it
00:36:49in the papers in London.
00:36:50I was quite shocked, really.
00:36:52I mean,
00:36:52you don't expect people
00:36:53you know
00:36:54to get mixed up
00:36:54in sordid court cases.
00:36:56But, Mr. Bray,
00:36:57what was your reason
00:36:58for coming today?
00:37:00Was it curiosity?
00:37:01Certainly not.
00:37:03I felt I had to come.
00:37:04Well, I told your clerk,
00:37:05you know that.
00:37:06Yes, but the court
00:37:07does not, Mr. Bray.
00:37:09I knew
00:37:10that there was something
00:37:11that must come up
00:37:11in this trial.
00:37:13It happened a long time ago
00:37:14and I was afraid
00:37:15that therefore
00:37:15it might be suppressed.
00:37:17And as I sat
00:37:18in this court yesterday,
00:37:19I realised
00:37:20that that is exactly
00:37:21what was happening.
00:37:22It wasn't going
00:37:23to be mentioned at all.
00:37:24In 1937,
00:37:26Geoffrey Haynton
00:37:27was involved
00:37:27in an incident
00:37:28with a nine-year-old girl.
00:37:30The police were called in.
00:37:46Will you please
00:37:46describe the incident
00:37:48to us, Mr. Bray?
00:37:50We were rehearsing
00:37:51a Christmas production.
00:37:52Half a dozen local children
00:37:53were brought in
00:37:54to play small parts.
00:37:55The child I referred to
00:37:56had a short scene
00:37:57with Geoffrey Wiggett.
00:37:59Did you say
00:37:59Wiggett, Mr. Bray?
00:38:01Geoffrey Wiggett?
00:38:01Yes, that is the name
00:38:02I knew him by
00:38:03in those days.
00:38:04He changed his name
00:38:05when he left Wales
00:38:06and went to London.
00:38:07I see.
00:38:07And how soon
00:38:08after this Christmas production
00:38:09did he go to London?
00:38:10Immediately after it.
00:38:12Please continue.
00:38:13Well, Geoffrey used
00:38:14to rehearse this scene
00:38:15alone with the little girl,
00:38:17just the two of them
00:38:18in the green room together.
00:38:19And one morning,
00:38:20when the rest of us
00:38:21were rehearsing on stage,
00:38:22this child suddenly
00:38:24came bursting out
00:38:25of the green room.
00:38:26She was crying.
00:38:27I went to the green room
00:38:28to find Geoffrey,
00:38:28but he was gone.
00:38:30We didn't see him again
00:38:31till the afternoon
00:38:32when the little girl's mother
00:38:33came to the theatre
00:38:34with a policeman.
00:38:36Geoffrey went with them
00:38:37to the director's office.
00:38:38Was there any kind
00:38:38of charge made?
00:38:39Yes.
00:38:40I was asked,
00:38:41just because I happened
00:38:42to be there,
00:38:42you understand,
00:38:43to go to the director's office
00:38:44as a witness,
00:38:45which I did.
00:38:46And what happened?
00:38:47The girl's mother
00:38:48accused Geoffrey
00:38:49of interfering sexually
00:38:50with the girl.
00:38:51Did he say anything?
00:38:52Yes, he said
00:38:53it was nonsense.
00:38:54She was only upset
00:38:55because he'd slapped her,
00:38:57because she was rude.
00:38:58Now, do you know
00:38:58if there were any
00:38:59subsequent legal proceedings?
00:39:01No, the whole thing
00:39:01was hushed up completely.
00:39:03Of course,
00:39:03there was a lot of
00:39:04unpleasant gossip
00:39:05in the company about it,
00:39:07but I prefer to think
00:39:09there'd just been
00:39:09some sort of
00:39:10misunderstanding.
00:39:12I've no more questions,
00:39:13Mr Gray.
00:39:13Well, Arterby,
00:39:18I take it that you
00:39:19will want to recall
00:39:20Mr Haynton
00:39:21to the witness box.
00:39:22Yes, my lord.
00:39:23Mr Bray,
00:39:23is it not a fact
00:39:24that this policeman
00:39:25who came to the theatre
00:39:27on that dramatic day
00:39:28was the father
00:39:29of the little girl?
00:39:30Well, I didn't know that.
00:39:31I see,
00:39:32but I presume
00:39:33you were aware
00:39:33that this same police officer
00:39:35was a member
00:39:35of the theatre's
00:39:36board of directors?
00:39:37No, I don't think
00:39:38I was aware of that.
00:39:39You don't think
00:39:40you were aware of that,
00:39:41I see.
00:39:41When I say
00:39:42that I didn't know
00:39:43these particular things,
00:39:44it might be more correct
00:39:45to say that I didn't
00:39:45remember them,
00:39:46after all this was
00:39:47over 30 years ago.
00:39:4936 years,
00:39:50to be precise.
00:39:51Yet the story
00:39:52you told us
00:39:53might have happened
00:39:53last week.
00:39:54You related it so vividly.
00:39:56Well, it all came back
00:39:57to me very vividly
00:39:58when I read about this trial.
00:39:59Well, let's say
00:40:00some of it came back
00:40:01to you, Mr Bray.
00:40:02Did it stick in your memory
00:40:03that Mr Haynton's decision
00:40:04to change his name
00:40:05occurred some two months
00:40:06before this incident,
00:40:08as soon as he knew
00:40:08he was to take a leading part
00:40:09in a West End production?
00:40:11I only said
00:40:12that he changed his name
00:40:13before he went to London.
00:40:14Thank you, Mr Bray.
00:40:15I have no further questions.
00:40:17Mr Bray,
00:40:18no doubt you are aware
00:40:19that your appearance
00:40:20here in court
00:40:20could well result
00:40:21in the name of yourself
00:40:22and a Brewster's
00:40:23appearing in the newspapers.
00:40:24Now,
00:40:25do you think
00:40:26your employers
00:40:26will be happy
00:40:27about your involvement
00:40:28with such a case?
00:40:29I mean,
00:40:30are you taking something
00:40:31of a personal
00:40:31and professional risk
00:40:34in giving evidence?
00:40:35Oh, no,
00:40:35I don't think so.
00:40:36I mean,
00:40:36if I should get my name
00:40:37or my picture
00:40:38in the paper,
00:40:40people would only remember
00:40:41that a top-ranking employee
00:40:43of Brewster's
00:40:43spoke up for justice.
00:40:44Well,
00:40:45you may be right.
00:40:46Now,
00:40:47as to the question
00:40:47of a 30-year-old grudge
00:40:49or resentment
00:40:49that you had...
00:40:49I didn't feel any resentment.
00:40:51None whatsoever.
00:40:53I was absolutely delighted
00:40:54for Geoffrey.
00:40:55He was always
00:40:56a first-rate character actor
00:40:58and still is,
00:40:59I believe.
00:41:00I confess,
00:41:01I was just a little doubtful
00:41:03about him being star material
00:41:04and my doubts
00:41:05were proved true.
00:41:06Thank you,
00:41:06Mr Bray.
00:41:07No more questions.
00:41:08Mr Lottabee,
00:41:09I think that Mr Haynton
00:41:11should be recalled now
00:41:12before any further
00:41:13defence witnesses are...
00:41:14Very well, Mollard.
00:41:15You may go.
00:41:17I recall Geoffrey Haynton.
00:41:25You understand,
00:41:26of course,
00:41:27Mr Haynton,
00:41:27that you are still on oath.
00:41:29Oh.
00:41:30Mr Haynton,
00:41:31do you recall
00:41:32the incident
00:41:32that Mr Bray
00:41:33so generously
00:41:34put himself out
00:41:35to come and tell us about?
00:41:36Yes, I do.
00:41:37But frankly,
00:41:37I'd forgotten all about it
00:41:38until he brought it up.
00:41:40Do you remember
00:41:40what actually took place?
00:41:42Oh, it was very simple, really.
00:41:44I was given the wretched job
00:41:45of coaching this child
00:41:47who was totally
00:41:47without talent
00:41:48and, um,
00:41:51she went on and on.
00:41:52I kept complaining.
00:41:53I kept saying to her,
00:41:54you know,
00:41:54you must learn your lines
00:41:55and you must concentrate.
00:41:57Otherwise,
00:41:57I shall get you the sack,
00:41:58which I did that day.
00:42:00Then her parents came up
00:42:01and complained.
00:42:02I'm glad to say
00:42:03the director of production
00:42:04stood by me.
00:42:05Mr Bray has suggested
00:42:06that you had
00:42:07indecently assaulted the child.
00:42:08Is that true?
00:42:09No, no.
00:42:09I don't know where
00:42:10he dreamt that one up from.
00:42:12He, um,
00:42:13Bray was the leading actor
00:42:14of the company
00:42:15just before I joined it.
00:42:17He gave me a very bad time.
00:42:19In truth,
00:42:20I must say,
00:42:21we don't like each other.
00:42:24I see.
00:42:26Thank you, Mr Haynton.
00:42:28No questions, my lord.
00:42:30Well, you may go,
00:42:31Mr Haynton.
00:42:35Miss Tate,
00:42:36your next witness.
00:42:38I call Mrs Grace Mooresby, my lord.
00:42:40What is your religion?
00:42:59Church of England.
00:43:00Take the book in your right hand
00:43:01and read aloud
00:43:02the words on the card.
00:43:05I swear by almighty God
00:43:06that the evidence I shall give
00:43:07shall be the truth,
00:43:08the whole truth,
00:43:08and nothing but the truth.
00:43:11You're Mrs Grace Marjorie Mooresby
00:43:13of Nine Quaker House,
00:43:15Kingsley Road,
00:43:15New Cross, London.
00:43:17Yes.
00:43:17And you're a housewife
00:43:18with part-time employment
00:43:19at the Majestic Cinema.
00:43:22Yes.
00:43:23Now, will you tell us
00:43:24what happened in the cinema
00:43:25on the afternoon
00:43:26of April the 7th last?
00:43:28Now, Mrs Mooresby,
00:43:29you really must try
00:43:31to speak up
00:43:32and answer the questions
00:43:33so that the jury
00:43:34may hear your side
00:43:36of the story.
00:43:37And remember,
00:43:38we are here to help you.
00:43:40Yes, my lord.
00:43:42Now, Mrs Mooresby,
00:43:43just tell us all you know
00:43:44about what happened
00:43:45that afternoon in the cinema.
00:43:48Well,
00:43:49the first thing I knew,
00:43:51my Tracy came running out
00:43:52into the foyer.
00:43:53She was crying
00:43:54and she said
00:43:55a horrible man had hit her.
00:43:57I asked her to show me
00:43:58where he was.
00:44:00So she took me back inside
00:44:01and he was standing
00:44:02in the aisle.
00:44:04She pointed at him
00:44:04and she said,
00:44:05there he is, mum.
00:44:06That's him.
00:44:08And I thought,
00:44:09it can't be.
00:44:11It just can't be.
00:44:13Now, why did you think that,
00:44:14Mrs Mooresby?
00:44:16Well, he's in my scrapbook.
00:44:18I collect pictures and stories
00:44:19about people I like on television.
00:44:21You mean, you recognise Mr Haynton?
00:44:24Oh, yes.
00:44:25But he was in the film, you see.
00:44:27That was what was such a shock,
00:44:29to see him standing there in the aisle
00:44:30when I'd been nipping in
00:44:32to see his bit in the picture
00:44:33every day that week.
00:44:35There was my Tracy,
00:44:37pointing at him,
00:44:39saying that he'd hit her.
00:44:41I just couldn't take it in.
00:44:43Did he admit to having hit Tracy?
00:44:46Well, he said,
00:44:47is this your little girl?
00:44:49Well, she's been behaving very rudely.
00:44:52Then my Tracy started to cry again
00:44:54and then he said,
00:44:57your little girl's not normal.
00:45:00You ought to take better care of her.
00:45:02Now, did this make you angry,
00:45:04as Mr Haynton has said?
00:45:05No.
00:45:06No, not angry.
00:45:08I said, wait, wait.
00:45:09I said, I'll get the manager.
00:45:11You see, I thought if I got him,
00:45:13he could tell him
00:45:13that what he just said about Tracy
00:45:14it wasn't true.
00:45:16But when I came back with Mr Blake,
00:45:18he'd gone.
00:45:20He'd just gone.
00:45:21How much time would have elapsed
00:45:23between you going to get the manager
00:45:24and then you're coming back
00:45:25into the cinema?
00:45:26Oh, not more than two minutes.
00:45:28And did you think it's suspicious
00:45:29that he'd left so quickly?
00:45:31No.
00:45:32No, I was disappointed.
00:45:34I think I was thinking more
00:45:37about his feelings
00:45:38than I was about Tracy's.
00:45:40About how he would be thinking
00:45:42that I was a bad mother.
00:45:44What did Tracy say?
00:45:46Oh, she didn't say anything.
00:45:47I asked her and asked her
00:45:48all the way home.
00:45:49What did you do?
00:45:51Anyway, when I got her home,
00:45:52I sat her down and said
00:45:53she'd got to tell me.
00:45:55And when she told me
00:45:56that she'd spat in his face,
00:45:58well, I've just grabbed her
00:46:00and I said, I'm going to give you
00:46:01a hiding that you remember
00:46:02the rest of your life.
00:46:03And she screamed,
00:46:04don't, Mum, don't.
00:46:05He interfered with me.
00:46:06That's why I did it.
00:46:08She said she stepped on his foot
00:46:09when she was trying
00:46:11to get past him
00:46:12and that he slapped her
00:46:13and that's when she spat at him.
00:46:18Then he took her by the legs
00:46:19and he lifted her clothing
00:46:20and he started to pat her
00:46:23and touch her.
00:46:25And you still thought
00:46:27she was making it all up?
00:46:28You didn't believe her at all?
00:46:30I wasn't even thinking about that.
00:46:32I was far too busy
00:46:34thinking about my own troubles.
00:46:36What troubles, Mrs. Moresby?
00:46:38Tracy's father left us.
00:46:40Did he leave you for someone else?
00:46:43Oh, yes.
00:46:44Just like all the rest, my lord.
00:46:47Always thinking about the one thing.
00:46:50She's scarcely 20 years old.
00:46:52She's not even half his age.
00:46:54Of course, I didn't tell Tracy that.
00:46:57No, I told her
00:46:58that he'd been sent away
00:46:59on a job up north.
00:47:00I mean, I didn't let on, you understand.
00:47:02I pretended so she wouldn't guess.
00:47:05And there he was
00:47:06telling me that I was a bad mother.
00:47:08Who, Mrs. Moresby?
00:47:11Him, I mean.
00:47:13See, I was thinking
00:47:14that if he just stayed and listened
00:47:17I could have told him.
00:47:20I couldn't sleep all night
00:47:21for thinking about it.
00:47:23And in the middle of the night
00:47:24I thought to myself
00:47:26I'll get up
00:47:27and I'll go and see him.
00:47:29Mrs. Moresby
00:47:30do I understand you
00:47:31to be saying
00:47:32that your sole reason
00:47:33for coming all the way here
00:47:34to Fulchester
00:47:35to see Mr. Haynton
00:47:36was to convince him
00:47:38that you were a good mother?
00:47:40Yes.
00:47:41I must say
00:47:42I find that rather hard to believe.
00:47:44Well, you see, my lord
00:47:45it was
00:47:46it was the first time
00:47:48in all these months
00:47:49that I'd let my feelings out.
00:47:52I
00:47:52I'd been bottling them up, I suppose.
00:47:56First my husband
00:47:57then Tracy
00:47:58always laughing
00:48:01not crying
00:48:01I
00:48:02I knew the neighbours were talking.
00:48:05I just thought
00:48:06if I could have told him
00:48:08how hard things had been
00:48:09he would have listened.
00:48:11he would have understood me
00:48:12you see
00:48:13sympathised
00:48:14like he was a vicar
00:48:17or something
00:48:17not the filthy beast
00:48:20he is
00:48:21just like all the rest of them.
00:48:41the case of the Queen
00:48:43against Moresby
00:48:44will be resumed tomorrow
00:48:45in the Crown Court.
00:48:46The trial of Mrs. Grace Moresby
00:49:10enters its final day
00:49:11in the Crown Court.
00:49:12Mrs. Moresby is charged
00:49:13with attempted blackmail.
00:49:15Geoffrey Hainton
00:49:16an actor in his 50s
00:49:17says that Mrs. Moresby
00:49:18came to his house
00:49:19in Fulchester
00:49:20accused him
00:49:21of an indecent sexual attack
00:49:22on her daughter
00:49:23in a cinema
00:49:23the day before
00:49:24and demanded
00:49:25£100 from him.
00:49:27He claims
00:49:27her accusation
00:49:28is a fabrication.
00:49:30He says
00:49:30he only slapped
00:49:31ten-year-old Tracy
00:49:32for being rude and noisy.
00:49:34Mrs. Moresby's counsel
00:49:36has strongly suggested
00:49:37that Hainton's
00:49:38hasty exit
00:49:38from the cinema
00:49:39indicates that there was
00:49:41a sexual assault
00:49:41and that he was trying
00:49:43to avoid the consequences.
00:49:45Now Mrs. Moresby
00:49:46you say the reason
00:49:47you went to visit
00:49:48Mr. Hainton
00:49:49was because you didn't
00:49:50believe Tracy's story
00:49:51of a sexual assault
00:49:52and you wanted a chance
00:49:54to explain to him
00:49:55how difficult life
00:49:57had been for you
00:49:57in the past months.
00:49:58Yes.
00:49:59How did you come
00:50:00to be able to find
00:50:01his house?
00:50:03Well he's in my scrapbook.
00:50:05It's all about him
00:50:06and his garden
00:50:07and his garden
00:50:07so I just took
00:50:08the first train down
00:50:09here Sunday morning
00:50:10I looked him up
00:50:11in the phone book
00:50:11and got a taxi
00:50:12straight to his house.
00:50:14Now Mr. Hainton
00:50:14has said that
00:50:15the first words you said
00:50:16when he saw you
00:50:17on the doorstep
00:50:18were
00:50:18are you Geoffrey Hainton
00:50:20I'm Tracy's mother
00:50:22it's about yesterday afternoon.
00:50:24Yes that's what I said.
00:50:25And he says
00:50:26you then push past him
00:50:27into the house.
00:50:28Well I didn't.
00:50:30I wouldn't.
00:50:32No he just stared
00:50:33at me for a moment
00:50:33but I thought
00:50:34he'd forgotten
00:50:34all about it.
00:50:35Then he took my arm
00:50:36and he said
00:50:37come inside.
00:50:38Now did you say
00:50:39I've decided
00:50:40not to put the police
00:50:42on to you
00:50:42but you've got
00:50:43to make it up to me.
00:50:44No.
00:50:46There was no thoughts
00:50:47of the police
00:50:47in my mind
00:50:48at that time.
00:50:49Anyway I didn't
00:50:50have a chance
00:50:50to say anything
00:50:51because as soon
00:50:52as we got into the hall
00:50:53he said to me
00:50:54I didn't hurt
00:50:55your little girl
00:50:55you know.
00:50:56I didn't harm her.
00:50:58Huh.
00:50:58Fool that I was.
00:51:00I thought he was
00:51:01so kind
00:51:01that he'd been
00:51:02worrying about Tracy.
00:51:03So I plucked up
00:51:05my courage
00:51:05and I looked
00:51:06straight at him
00:51:07and I asked him
00:51:09will you help me?
00:51:13Then the next thing
00:51:14oh well
00:51:16just like that
00:51:17I knew.
00:51:19I knew everything.
00:51:21What was the next thing
00:51:22Mrs Moresby?
00:51:23He looked at me
00:51:24like I was dirt
00:51:25and he said
00:51:26I'll give you
00:51:27a hundred pounds.
00:51:28How much do you want?
00:51:29And what did you do?
00:51:31I didn't know what to do.
00:51:33I mean I just
00:51:33stared at him
00:51:34for a moment
00:51:35and I moved away
00:51:37from him
00:51:37and I found myself
00:51:39somewhere to sit down.
00:51:40What did Mr Haynton do then?
00:51:41Oh he followed me.
00:51:42He followed me.
00:51:43He was talking and talking
00:51:43all the time.
00:51:44I mean I
00:51:45I couldn't hear
00:51:45what he was saying
00:51:46because I was trying
00:51:46to get things sorted out
00:51:47in my own mind
00:51:48but then I
00:51:49I realised
00:51:50that what he was saying
00:51:51was a hundred pounds.
00:51:52Yes that's what he was saying.
00:51:54A hundred pounds.
00:51:54I'll give you a hundred pounds.
00:51:56Now Mr Haynton
00:51:57has said that you
00:51:57became hysterical.
00:51:58Is that true?
00:51:59No.
00:52:01I heard him say that
00:52:02but it's a lie.
00:52:04It wasn't me.
00:52:05It was him.
00:52:07When I said
00:52:08I wouldn't take
00:52:08a thousand pounds
00:52:09if he offered it to me
00:52:10he went off like a rocket.
00:52:12He was like
00:52:12somebody having a fit.
00:52:14He just screamed
00:52:15and screamed at me
00:52:15and he kept pointing
00:52:16his finger at me
00:52:17and saying horrible things
00:52:17about Tracy.
00:52:18I was frightened.
00:52:20I ran to the phone
00:52:21and I said
00:52:21I'm going to phone the police
00:52:22but he took it away from me
00:52:24and he said
00:52:24if anyone is going
00:52:25to phone the police
00:52:25it's going to be me
00:52:26he said
00:52:27and I shall put you
00:52:27in prison
00:52:28and he telephoned them.
00:52:30At no time
00:52:31did you ask
00:52:32Mr Haynton for money?
00:52:34Never.
00:52:34I swear I never did.
00:52:37Now Mrs Moresby
00:52:38I have to ask you
00:52:39a few questions
00:52:40about your financial affairs.
00:52:42I gather that
00:52:43your husband
00:52:44pays yourself
00:52:44and Tracy
00:52:45maintenance.
00:52:47Yes.
00:52:48Yes.
00:52:48Twenty pounds
00:52:49every week.
00:52:50Isn't that
00:52:50a generous amount?
00:52:51It's the wages of sin
00:52:52at the very least
00:52:53he could do.
00:52:55And you're able
00:52:56to rely on it?
00:52:57He pays you regularly?
00:52:58Yes.
00:52:59Yes we have a money order
00:53:00every Friday.
00:53:01And the part-time job
00:53:02at the Majestic Cinema
00:53:03how much do you earn there?
00:53:04Twelve pounds a week.
00:53:05So in fact
00:53:06you have a comfortable
00:53:07weekly income?
00:53:09Yes.
00:53:09We've plenty to live on.
00:53:10And your renters
00:53:11how much?
00:53:11Four pounds.
00:53:13Do you have any
00:53:13higher purchase commitments?
00:53:15No.
00:53:15Only the television.
00:53:16I don't hold
00:53:17with higher purchase.
00:53:18So we can safely say
00:53:19that money is not
00:53:20one of the problems
00:53:20in your life?
00:53:21Like I said
00:53:22Tracy and I
00:53:24have plenty to live on.
00:53:26Thank you Mrs. Moresby.
00:53:27Wait there please.
00:53:30Nobody heard
00:53:31Tracy's story
00:53:32but you
00:53:32Mrs. Moresby.
00:53:34She didn't come out
00:53:34with a word about it
00:53:35in the cinema.
00:53:36Nobody saw it.
00:53:37There are no witnesses
00:53:38to this alleged assault.
00:53:41It wasn't Tracy
00:53:42who invented
00:53:43this molesting story
00:53:44was it?
00:53:45It was you
00:53:45Mrs. Moresby.
00:53:47It would take
00:53:48a very bad mother
00:53:49indeed
00:53:49to care more
00:53:50what a television actor
00:53:51thought of her
00:53:52than of her own
00:53:52her own child's feelings
00:53:54but it would take
00:53:55an even worse mother
00:53:56to involve that child
00:53:57in a conspiracy
00:53:58to make some quick cash
00:53:59which is in fact
00:54:00what you did.
00:54:01No I did not.
00:54:01I did not.
00:54:02Here was an ideal victim
00:54:03someone with money
00:54:04and a reputation
00:54:05to protect.
00:54:06But that's not true.
00:54:07You say that
00:54:08during the hard
00:54:09and lonely months
00:54:10after your husband
00:54:11left you
00:54:11for a younger woman
00:54:12you behaved in the manner
00:54:13of a courageous
00:54:14and very loving mother.
00:54:17Yes I did.
00:54:18Such a woman as that
00:54:19couldn't behave
00:54:20in the manner
00:54:20you were telling
00:54:21the court
00:54:21that you behaved
00:54:22during those two days.
00:54:24I mean you do
00:54:25see the discrepancy.
00:54:26You're twisting everything.
00:54:28I mean I've said
00:54:29time and again
00:54:30that I'm deeply ashamed
00:54:31of the way I treated Tracy.
00:54:33I did say that.
00:54:35It would look very bad
00:54:36for you if you didn't
00:54:36say that Mrs. Moresby
00:54:37but I'm not interested
00:54:38in what you say now
00:54:39about your feelings.
00:54:41I'm interested in your feelings
00:54:42or rather lack
00:54:43of feelings
00:54:43at that time.
00:54:46Mrs. Moresby
00:54:46how many hours a week
00:54:47do you work
00:54:48in the suite kiosk
00:54:49in the cinema?
00:54:50What?
00:54:52Uh
00:54:52well
00:54:54eleven hours.
00:54:55Eleven hours.
00:54:56Twelve pounds.
00:54:58That's very good pay
00:54:59isn't it
00:54:59for attending
00:54:59a suite kiosk
00:55:00over a pound an hour?
00:55:02I do some extra work.
00:55:04What sort of work?
00:55:05I do some cleaning.
00:55:07It's only to oblige.
00:55:08The manager
00:55:09couldn't find anybody else
00:55:10to do it.
00:55:10Yes.
00:55:11Yes you do this cleaning
00:55:12for three hours
00:55:13every morning
00:55:14between nine and twelve
00:55:15and on Saturdays
00:55:16from seven to nine
00:55:17and again from eleven to twelve
00:55:19after the children's picture show
00:55:20and on Sundays again
00:55:22from seven to nine.
00:55:24Have I got that right?
00:55:25Yes.
00:55:26Yes well by my reckoning
00:55:27that uh
00:55:28means that you're working
00:55:29for thirty pence an hour.
00:55:31Not very good pay at all in fact.
00:55:33Well he pays me less
00:55:34for the cleaning.
00:55:35Well he
00:55:36it is only temporary
00:55:37I'm just doing it to oblige.
00:55:39He's always given me
00:55:39eight pounds a week
00:55:41for the kiosk.
00:55:41Eight pounds a week
00:55:42for the kiosk
00:55:43so as you do
00:55:44twenty hours worth
00:55:45cleaning a week
00:55:46that pays you at even less.
00:55:47That's only twenty pence an hour.
00:55:48My lord
00:55:49I feel obliged to ask
00:55:51whether my learned friend's
00:55:52bookkeeping is of any relevance.
00:55:53Yes Miss Date
00:55:54I confess I'm finding
00:55:55these mathematical calculations
00:55:57a little puzzling.
00:55:58What are you intending
00:55:59to suggest
00:56:00by this line of inquiry?
00:56:02My lord
00:56:02my learned friend
00:56:03has tried to establish
00:56:04that Mrs Moresby
00:56:05is not in need of money.
00:56:06I'm trying to establish
00:56:07that she is in fact
00:56:08in great need of money
00:56:09and that she's taken on
00:56:10a highly unsatisfactory
00:56:11extra job
00:56:12in order to get it.
00:56:13A job which must separate her
00:56:15from her daughter
00:56:15for long periods of time.
00:56:17Very well.
00:56:19Now surely Mrs Moresby
00:56:20if you'd wanted to take up
00:56:21a cleaning job
00:56:22in addition to your work
00:56:23at the kiosk
00:56:24you could have found
00:56:24a better paid one than that.
00:56:26The going rate for cleaners
00:56:27I'm reliably informed
00:56:29is more like
00:56:30fifty pence an hour
00:56:30is it not?
00:56:31I've already said
00:56:33that I'm just doing it
00:56:35to oblige.
00:56:36Mrs Moresby
00:56:37the true position
00:56:37is that the manager
00:56:38threatened to dispense
00:56:39with your services
00:56:40altogether
00:56:40if you didn't take
00:56:41this extra job.
00:56:42Now isn't that right?
00:56:43I asked you a question
00:56:47Mrs Moresby
00:56:47I would be grateful
00:56:50if you'd answer it.
00:56:54Well he
00:56:55he just said
00:56:56he may have to find
00:56:57somebody else.
00:56:58My lord
00:56:58I still cannot see
00:56:59where all this is leading
00:57:00these irrelevant
00:57:01and exhaustive questions
00:57:03have proved
00:57:03only one thing
00:57:04that Mrs Moresby
00:57:05has preference
00:57:06about the kind of work
00:57:07she does.
00:57:08Yes Mr Lotterby
00:57:09you said
00:57:10that you intended
00:57:11to establish
00:57:12that Mrs Moresby
00:57:13needed money
00:57:14well so far
00:57:14those intentions
00:57:15have not been realised.
00:57:17I'm coming to that point
00:57:18now my lord.
00:57:20Mrs Moresby
00:57:21how long
00:57:21have you been doing
00:57:22this extra job
00:57:23at the cinema?
00:57:24I can't remember
00:57:25a few weeks
00:57:26about the middle of March
00:57:28I think.
00:57:29From the second week
00:57:30in March I believe.
00:57:31Yes I think that's right.
00:57:32And was it not
00:57:32in the second week
00:57:33of March
00:57:34that the five star boutique
00:57:35was sold
00:57:36to a new management
00:57:37the boutique
00:57:37where your sister
00:57:38used to work.
00:57:39Who's been talking
00:57:40about my sister?
00:57:41Questions in my department
00:57:42Mrs Moresby
00:57:43aren't yours.
00:57:44When did your sister
00:57:45go off to America?
00:57:47February.
00:57:48It's all rather sudden
00:57:48wasn't it?
00:57:49A bit.
00:57:50Things like that
00:57:51do happen you know.
00:57:52She met this American fellow
00:57:54and he was going back there
00:57:55so they got engaged
00:57:56and she went with him.
00:57:57She married him?
00:57:58No I said they were engaged.
00:58:00You didn't say
00:58:00if they were married.
00:58:02Well I don't know
00:58:02I haven't heard for a bit.
00:58:03You're very fond of your sister
00:58:04aren't you?
00:58:05Of course I am.
00:58:06Before she went to America
00:58:07your sister bought herself
00:58:08a trousseau
00:58:09at the five star boutique
00:58:10didn't she?
00:58:11Yes she did
00:58:12but I don't see that's anybody's...
00:58:13Oh to be more accurate
00:58:14she obtained it
00:58:15from the boutique
00:58:16but she didn't pay
00:58:16for a single thing
00:58:17did she Mrs Moresby?
00:58:18She had credit?
00:58:19They gave her credit
00:58:19but she didn't pay did she?
00:58:21and even the little dress
00:58:23for Tracy
00:58:24the coat for you
00:58:25was a goodbye present.
00:58:26None of these things
00:58:26were paid for
00:58:27were they Mrs Moresby?
00:58:29They're right to tell you
00:58:30things like that.
00:58:31It's private
00:58:31and confidential.
00:58:33She left the country
00:58:34owing the five star boutique
00:58:35just under 300 pounds
00:58:37isn't that correct?
00:58:38Yes.
00:58:39She left no forwarding address
00:58:40and you haven't heard
00:58:41from her since
00:58:42is that correct too?
00:58:43Yes.
00:58:44And now
00:58:45you are paying off the debt.
00:58:47She'll pay me back.
00:58:48The former manageress
00:58:50is a friend of yours
00:58:51and you were paying her back
00:58:52at the rate of
00:58:52two pounds a week
00:58:53weren't you?
00:58:54Yes.
00:58:54And when the shop
00:58:54changed hands
00:58:55the new management
00:58:56wanted the debt
00:58:57to be dispatched
00:58:57more promptly
00:58:58they wanted
00:58:58ten pounds a week.
00:59:00And they're getting it?
00:59:00Oh they're getting it
00:59:01from you yes
00:59:02and you didn't want
00:59:02anyone to know
00:59:03about the debt
00:59:04which is why
00:59:04you didn't want
00:59:05to leave your old job
00:59:06give rise to any talk
00:59:07in the neighbourhood
00:59:07any curiosity
00:59:08from Tracy.
00:59:09Mrs Moresby
00:59:10when you came back
00:59:11into the cinema
00:59:12that afternoon
00:59:12and realised
00:59:13that Mr Haynton had left
00:59:14you suddenly saw
00:59:15a quick way
00:59:16of paying that money back.
00:59:18Now that's the truth
00:59:19isn't it?
00:59:32Mrs Moresby
00:59:33one hundred pounds
00:59:34could immediately
00:59:34take off you
00:59:35one third
00:59:36of the pressure
00:59:36of this debt
00:59:37and who knew
00:59:38how much more
00:59:39Geoffrey Haynton
00:59:39would be good for.
00:59:40Blackmailers
00:59:41very seldom stop
00:59:42at one demand
00:59:42do they?
00:59:43I'm not a blackmailer.
00:59:44We can hardly expect you
00:59:45to say that you were
00:59:45Mrs Moresby
00:59:46after all you have
00:59:47pleaded not guilty
00:59:47to the charge
00:59:48and I'm not
00:59:49aren't you Mrs Moresby
00:59:51from what we've heard
00:59:52in this court
00:59:53it's clear that you
00:59:54had the motive
00:59:54the imagination
00:59:56and that you took
00:59:57the opportunity
00:59:58to become exactly that.
01:00:00I have no further questions.
01:00:03Mrs Moresby
01:00:04you have been paying off
01:00:06this debt of your sisters
01:00:07regularly have you?
01:00:09Yes
01:00:09regularly
01:00:10every week.
01:00:11so although it's not
01:00:12an easy thing
01:00:12for you to do
01:00:13you have been doing it.
01:00:15Has it been very hard
01:00:16on you this cleaning job?
01:00:18Well
01:00:18could have been worse.
01:00:19In fact you're surviving it
01:00:21and you're making the payments?
01:00:22Yes.
01:00:23You did need money
01:00:24and you got it
01:00:25by hard work
01:00:26in order to protect
01:00:27your sister's reputation?
01:00:29Yes.
01:00:30And after all the weeks
01:00:31of struggling
01:00:32and trying to keep it
01:00:33a secret
01:00:33you say that
01:00:34you suddenly felt
01:00:36that you'd reached
01:00:37breaking point?
01:00:38first my husband
01:00:40then my sister
01:00:41then my own daughter
01:00:42just seemed like
01:00:44there wasn't anybody
01:00:45to look after me.
01:00:47Now Mrs Moresby
01:00:48you told us that
01:00:49these people in your scrapbook
01:00:50have a very special
01:00:52thing for you.
01:00:54Yes.
01:00:56Well I always thought
01:00:56they must be different
01:00:57not like other people.
01:01:00Ideal in fact.
01:01:02Yes.
01:01:04I was so sure
01:01:05that one of them
01:01:07couldn't have done
01:01:08what Tracy said
01:01:08he did.
01:01:10I couldn't listen to her.
01:01:13I couldn't let it be true.
01:01:15I'll never forgive myself
01:01:17for it.
01:01:18I don't know how
01:01:19my mind could have
01:01:20worked like that
01:01:21but it did.
01:01:22perhaps Mrs Moresby
01:01:28because for once
01:01:30you were not reacting
01:01:31as a wife
01:01:31or a mother
01:01:32or a sister
01:01:33but as a person
01:01:34in your own right.
01:01:38Now just one more question
01:01:39Mrs Moresby
01:01:40does Tracy know
01:01:42why you're in court today?
01:01:43No.
01:01:46No.
01:01:47No I just told her
01:01:48the man had to
01:01:49come in front of the judge
01:01:51and that
01:01:51we would have to answer
01:01:53some questions in court.
01:01:55Thank you Mrs Moresby
01:01:56I won't have to ask you
01:01:57anything else.
01:01:58You may leave
01:01:59the witness box
01:01:59Mrs Moresby
01:02:00I call Tracy Moresby
01:02:05my lord.
01:02:06Excuse me
01:02:07your honour
01:02:07could I ask you
01:02:09a favour?
01:02:10What is that
01:02:11Mrs Moresby?
01:02:12Well
01:02:13when Tracy
01:02:14comes into court
01:02:15could I sit
01:02:16somewhere else please?
01:02:18Not in the dock.
01:02:19Yes I think
01:02:20that will be alright.
01:02:21You'd better sit over there
01:02:22next to your solicitor.
01:02:25Thank you honour.
01:02:30Now members of the jury
01:02:33before Miss Moresby
01:02:35comes into court
01:02:35I have to tell you
01:02:36that I have to decide
01:02:38whether or not
01:02:39a child or a young person
01:02:41should take the oath.
01:02:43Now I will ask
01:02:44Miss Moresby
01:02:44one or two questions
01:02:46and then I will decide.
01:02:48If I decide
01:02:49that she can be sworn in
01:02:50then of course
01:02:51she will give her
01:02:52evidence on oath.
01:02:53If I decide
01:02:54that she cannot
01:02:55be sworn in
01:02:56because I don't think
01:02:57she understands
01:02:57the meaning of the word
01:02:59oath
01:02:59then of course
01:03:00she will give her
01:03:01evidence anyway.
01:03:03Now
01:03:03what weight
01:03:04you attach
01:03:05to her evidence
01:03:06whether given
01:03:06on oath
01:03:07or not
01:03:08is of course
01:03:09a matter for you.
01:03:12You'll have
01:03:12Miss Moresby
01:03:12brought in please.
01:03:15Tracy Moresby
01:03:16please.
01:03:29Miss Moresby
01:03:31do you understand
01:03:33what is meant
01:03:34by being sworn in
01:03:35in a court of law?
01:03:37Yes sir.
01:03:38When you say
01:03:38I promise to tell
01:03:39the truth
01:03:40the whole truth
01:03:40and nothing but the truth
01:03:41so help me God.
01:03:43And you realise
01:03:44that it is considered
01:03:45a crime
01:03:45when a person
01:03:46takes the oath
01:03:47and then does not
01:03:48tell the truth?
01:03:49Yes sir.
01:03:50My mum says
01:03:51you can go to prison
01:03:52for telling lies
01:03:53to judges.
01:03:53So that if you swear
01:03:55on the Bible
01:03:55to speak the truth
01:03:57you must be very careful
01:03:58that every word
01:03:59you say in this court
01:04:01is absolutely true.
01:04:03You must keep
01:04:04nothing back
01:04:04but answer truthfully
01:04:06all the questions
01:04:07that are put to you.
01:04:09Yes sir.
01:04:10Very well.
01:04:12Have Miss Moresby
01:04:12sworn in please.
01:04:18Hold the Bible
01:04:19in your right hand
01:04:20and read aloud
01:04:21the words on this card.
01:04:22I promise before
01:04:23Almighty God
01:04:24that the evidence
01:04:25I shall give
01:04:26shall be the truth
01:04:27the whole truth
01:04:28and nothing but the truth.
01:04:30You are Tracy
01:04:31Frances Moresby
01:04:33of Nine Quaker House
01:04:34Kingsley Road
01:04:35New Cross London.
01:04:36Yes.
01:04:37And you're ten years old.
01:04:38Ten and a half.
01:04:41Now Tracy
01:04:42I want to ask you
01:04:43just a few questions
01:04:44about something
01:04:45that happened
01:04:45in the Majestic Cinema
01:04:46on Saturday afternoon
01:04:48April the 7th.
01:04:49Can you remember
01:04:50what happened?
01:04:51Yes.
01:04:51A man interfered with me.
01:04:53Can you see that man
01:04:54in court today?
01:04:55He's there.
01:04:56That's him.
01:04:57Now will you tell us
01:04:58in your own words
01:04:59exactly what happened
01:05:01from the beginning?
01:05:02Well
01:05:02when I stepped on his foot
01:05:04No Tracy
01:05:04from when
01:05:05you first saw him
01:05:07is what I meant
01:05:08tell us all that took place
01:05:09between you
01:05:10in the cinema.
01:05:11Well
01:05:12he got mad with me
01:05:13when I tried to get out
01:05:14past him.
01:05:15He was sitting
01:05:16on the end of my row
01:05:17I was in the middle
01:05:18I just wanted to get out.
01:05:20Now did you get past him
01:05:21more than once?
01:05:22Yes.
01:05:23Can you remember
01:05:24how many times?
01:05:25Four times
01:05:25or maybe five
01:05:27I'm not sure.
01:05:27At any rate
01:05:28it was several times.
01:05:30Now did he speak
01:05:31to you about it?
01:05:32Not until the last time
01:05:34before that
01:05:34he was just sort of
01:05:35making like I wasn't there.
01:05:36How do you mean?
01:05:37Well he wouldn't move
01:05:38his legs for me
01:05:39to get past.
01:05:40And you're absolutely sure
01:05:41that he only spoke
01:05:42to you once?
01:05:43Yes.
01:05:43And when he did speak
01:05:45to you
01:05:45what did he say?
01:05:46He said
01:05:47sit down and shut up.
01:05:49What did you say?
01:05:50I was rude to him.
01:05:52How?
01:05:53I said
01:05:53shut up
01:05:54you dumb old freak.
01:05:56Did you say it
01:05:56very loudly?
01:05:58Well
01:05:58yes
01:05:59I thought to make
01:05:59the other kids laugh.
01:06:01And then what happened?
01:06:02He slapped me
01:06:03right on the leg.
01:06:04And what did you do?
01:06:05I spat in his face.
01:06:08And what did he do
01:06:09then Tracy?
01:06:10He pulled me up
01:06:11against him
01:06:12grabbed me by my legs here
01:06:13and he put his hands
01:06:15up under my skirt
01:06:16and he patted them
01:06:17all over my bottom.
01:06:18And what did you do?
01:06:19I cried
01:06:20then he let me go.
01:06:22And when I got up
01:06:23to run for my mum
01:06:24when he got up
01:06:25I thought he was
01:06:26coming after me.
01:06:27Where was your mother?
01:06:28She sells sweets
01:06:29in the kiosk.
01:06:30Now what did you say
01:06:31to her?
01:06:32I said
01:06:32a horrid old man
01:06:33hit me.
01:06:34You didn't tell her
01:06:35what else he'd done?
01:06:36No.
01:06:37Why not Tracy?
01:06:39Well I knew
01:06:39she'd go mad
01:06:40if I did.
01:06:41Besides I didn't
01:06:42want her to talk
01:06:43about that.
01:06:44Not in front of everybody.
01:06:46And so your mother
01:06:47came back with you
01:06:48into the cinema?
01:06:49Yes and he was there
01:06:50walking right up the middle.
01:06:51And I pointed to him
01:06:52and I told her
01:06:53that was him.
01:06:54What did your mother do?
01:06:56She just stopped.
01:06:57I kept saying
01:06:58that's him.
01:06:59And I was sort of
01:07:00pushing her towards him
01:07:01but she wouldn't move.
01:07:03Now did the man
01:07:04speak to your mother?
01:07:05Yes.
01:07:06He said
01:07:06your little girl's
01:07:07been very rude to me
01:07:08and I started crying again.
01:07:10It wasn't fair.
01:07:11I was rude I know
01:07:12but not like he was.
01:07:14But then he said
01:07:14to my mum
01:07:15that I wasn't normal
01:07:16and that she should
01:07:17take care of me better.
01:07:19And then my mum said
01:07:20I'll fetch the manager.
01:07:21Now is that
01:07:22how she said it?
01:07:23What do you mean?
01:07:24Well I mean
01:07:25did she sound angry?
01:07:27Well sometimes
01:07:28you can't tell
01:07:29whether my mum's angry
01:07:30or if she's just upset.
01:07:32She gets sort of
01:07:33puffy in her voice
01:07:34and that's how
01:07:35it was then.
01:07:36And you went with her
01:07:37to fetch the manager?
01:07:38Yes but when we all
01:07:39came back
01:07:39he was gone
01:07:40and then me
01:07:41and my mum
01:07:41went home.
01:07:42Now when you were
01:07:44alone with your mother
01:07:45did you tell her
01:07:46what had happened then?
01:07:48No.
01:07:49Why not?
01:07:50Well I was going to
01:07:51but as soon as we
01:07:51get outside
01:07:52she starts going on
01:07:54at me like
01:07:54everything's my fault.
01:07:56She kept asking me
01:07:57what I did.
01:07:58Well I was mad
01:07:59with her then
01:08:00so I wouldn't
01:08:00talk to her.
01:08:01But when you got home
01:08:02did you tell her?
01:08:03I wasn't going to
01:08:05but she got that cross
01:08:07and she said
01:08:07I had to tell her.
01:08:09So I said
01:08:10I spat in his face
01:08:11and she went wild
01:08:12and went for me
01:08:12and then I started
01:08:14crying again
01:08:15and I did tell her.
01:08:16What did she say?
01:08:18She said I was
01:08:19making it up.
01:08:20She kept saying
01:08:20it wasn't true.
01:08:21She just wouldn't
01:08:22believe me.
01:08:23Then she sent me to bed.
01:08:24But it was alright
01:08:25the next day
01:08:26before I even got up
01:08:27she went off to his house
01:08:28to tell him off
01:08:29and get him put in prison.
01:08:31Now Tracy
01:08:31she didn't tell you
01:08:33before she went
01:08:34what she was going to do
01:08:35did she?
01:08:35No.
01:08:36But when she got back
01:08:37she said she was
01:08:38ever so sorry
01:08:38she didn't believe me
01:08:39at first.
01:08:41Thank you Tracy.
01:08:42I have no more questions.
01:08:44Tracy
01:08:44could you tell me again
01:08:46what the man did
01:08:47to you
01:08:48after you spat in his face?
01:08:49He grabbed me
01:08:50by both of my legs here
01:08:51and he pulled me up
01:08:52against him.
01:08:53He put his hands up
01:08:54under my skirt
01:08:55and he patted them
01:08:56all over my bottom.
01:08:58Now Tracy
01:08:58I wrote down
01:08:59what you said
01:09:00when my friend
01:09:00asked you that same question.
01:09:02You used the very same words.
01:09:04She asked me
01:09:05the same question.
01:09:06And did you talk
01:09:07about what you would say
01:09:08when you were asked
01:09:08what the man had done?
01:09:10No.
01:09:10She just said
01:09:11I should be very careful
01:09:12to tell the truth
01:09:13so I practiced saying it
01:09:14and I learnt it
01:09:15off by heart.
01:09:16Why did you do that?
01:09:18Was it really
01:09:18your own idea?
01:09:19Yes.
01:09:21She didn't believe it
01:09:22first off
01:09:22see
01:09:23because he's
01:09:23on the telly.
01:09:24That was the trouble.
01:09:25She kept getting
01:09:26mixed up
01:09:27thinking a famous person
01:09:28wouldn't do
01:09:28like what he'd done
01:09:29to me.
01:09:30Lots of people
01:09:31won't believe
01:09:31what children say
01:09:32so I thought
01:09:33I'd better be sure
01:09:34I said it right.
01:09:35So you learned it
01:09:36by heart
01:09:36and practiced it
01:09:38on your own?
01:09:39You're quite sure
01:09:39of that?
01:09:40Yes.
01:09:41Besides
01:09:42if you have to say
01:09:42something that's
01:09:43embarrassing
01:09:44it's easier
01:09:45if you just say it
01:09:46over and over again
01:09:47until you get used to it
01:09:48and that way
01:09:49you don't mind
01:09:49so much.
01:09:51Tracy
01:09:51when you spat
01:09:52in that man's face
01:09:53wasn't he just
01:09:54trying to push you away?
01:09:56No!
01:09:57He's telling a lie
01:09:58I knew he'd say that
01:09:59he pulled me up
01:10:00against him
01:10:00he pulled me up
01:10:01against him
01:10:02Thank you Tracy
01:10:05no further questions?
01:10:07Tracy
01:10:07on the day
01:10:09that you were
01:10:09trying to tell
01:10:10your mother
01:10:10about what the man
01:10:11had done
01:10:12did she have out
01:10:13this scrapbook
01:10:14of hers?
01:10:15Oh yes
01:10:16she showed me
01:10:17his picture
01:10:17she went on
01:10:18and on about him
01:10:19she thought
01:10:20he pushed me
01:10:21away like that
01:10:21too
01:10:22with his arm
01:10:22Now why do you
01:10:23say with his arm?
01:10:25Because that's
01:10:26what she thought
01:10:26he must have done
01:10:27but it's a lie
01:10:28him saying that
01:10:29and she knew
01:10:30it was next day
01:10:31when she got home
01:10:32or else she wouldn't
01:10:32have asked me
01:10:33all those questions
01:10:34where his hands
01:10:35wasn't
01:10:36like what he'd
01:10:37done to me
01:10:37and all that
01:10:38But the day before
01:10:39she wouldn't
01:10:40listen to you
01:10:40she just wouldn't
01:10:41believe you at all?
01:10:42No
01:10:43she kept shutting me up
01:10:44but when she knew
01:10:45it wasn't me lying
01:10:46but him
01:10:46she didn't shut me
01:10:48up then
01:10:48Thank you Tracy
01:10:50that's all
01:10:50Now this has not
01:11:05been an easy case
01:11:07for a jury
01:11:08to hear
01:11:09and assess
01:11:10Now the first thing
01:11:11I want to say to you
01:11:12is this
01:11:12that no matter
01:11:13whatever your
01:11:14opinions may be
01:11:15about a sexual
01:11:16assault
01:11:17on Tracy Moresby
01:11:18that is not
01:11:19what we are
01:11:20met here today
01:11:21to examine
01:11:21Now your
01:11:23clear task
01:11:24is to determine
01:11:25whether Geoffrey
01:11:26Haynton was
01:11:27threatened by a
01:11:28scheming woman
01:11:28or whether this
01:11:30woman genuinely
01:11:31turned to him
01:11:32for reassurance
01:11:33and support
01:11:34and was faced
01:11:35with an offer
01:11:36of money
01:11:36either
01:11:38as she has
01:11:39maintained
01:11:40she was in
01:11:40a kind of
01:11:41obsessive need
01:11:43for this reassurance
01:11:44brought on
01:11:44by the strains
01:11:45of the previous week
01:11:46or
01:11:46as Mr Haynton
01:11:48has told us
01:11:49she was prepared
01:11:50to victimise him
01:11:51for her own end
01:11:53Now the relevance
01:11:55of what actually
01:11:56happened in the cinema
01:11:57is this
01:11:57If a man
01:11:58had actually
01:11:59committed
01:12:00an indecent
01:12:01assault
01:12:01he might be
01:12:03more likely
01:12:04to volunteer
01:12:05payment for
01:12:06immunity
01:12:06against prosecution
01:12:07than if he
01:12:09had done
01:12:09nothing wrong
01:12:10But
01:12:13the vital
01:12:13question is this
01:12:14Did the accused
01:12:16demand
01:12:17and threaten
01:12:18a prosecution
01:12:19if she did
01:12:20not get
01:12:21money
01:12:21Now members
01:12:23of the jury
01:12:23before you
01:12:24can convict
01:12:25Mrs Moresby
01:12:25you must be
01:12:26absolutely certain
01:12:27that the prosecution
01:12:28has proved
01:12:29beyond all
01:12:30reasonable doubt
01:12:31that that
01:12:32is what she
01:12:33did
01:12:34Now
01:12:35would you
01:12:36kindly retire
01:12:37and consider
01:12:38your verdict
01:12:39All stand
01:12:41Members of the jury
01:12:48will your foreman
01:12:49please stand
01:12:50Answer this
01:12:51question
01:12:52yes or no
01:12:52Have you
01:12:53reached the
01:12:53verdict on
01:12:54which you're
01:12:54all agreed
01:12:55Yes
01:12:55Do you find
01:12:56the prisoner
01:12:57Mrs Grace
01:12:57Moresby
01:12:58guilty or
01:12:59not guilty
01:12:59of attempted
01:13:00blackmail
01:13:00Not guilty
01:13:02Following the
01:13:11acquittal of
01:13:12Mrs Moresby
01:13:12the police
01:13:13reopened
01:13:14their investigations
01:13:15and charged
01:13:16Mr Haynton
01:13:16within decent
01:13:17assault
01:13:17Next week
01:13:23our cameras
01:13:24return
01:13:24to join
01:13:25another jury
01:13:26in the
01:13:26Crown Court
01:13:27next week
01:13:36to join
01:13:38another jury
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