Crown Court - A View to Matrimony (1973) - video Dailymotion

Jezza

Crown Court: the gripping courtroom drama from the 1970s and 1980s.  Archie McNeil is a bigamist. He married three women under Islamic Law in Somalia, where he has business interests, and a further three women in the U.K. Is he just a hopeless romantic? Or did he, as the prosecution claims, marry his wives for financial gain? Russell Hunter, best known as Lonely in "Callan", stars as the defendant. The wonderful Pat Heywood (who appears as Defence Counsel in "Still Waters") also stars.

Transcript

00:00:00Today in Fulchester Crown Court, Archibald Dunbar McNeill is charged with bigamy, attempting to obtain money by deception,

00:00:27and knowingly making a false declaration for the purpose of obtaining a marriage licence.

00:00:46Your name is Anne Bolton?

00:00:48No, Anne McNeill.

00:00:50Your maiden name is Bolton?

00:00:51Yes.

00:00:52And your address is 173 Eastern Avenue, Bristol?

00:00:55Yes.

00:00:55On December 28th last, you went through a marriage ceremony at Fulchester Registry Office to the accused Archibald Dunbar McNeill.

00:01:03I did.

00:01:04At the time of this marriage, did you believe that Archibald McNeill was free to marry you?

00:01:08He told me he was a widower.

00:01:10And after the marriage, did you go on your honeymoon and did something happen?

00:01:14Oh, yes. January the 6th. It was a Saturday. I shall never forget it as long as I live.

00:01:20Archie and I were on our honeymoon in Scarborough.

00:01:22In a hotel?

00:01:23Yes, the Bronte Arms. We'd just retired to bed.

00:01:27What time was that?

00:01:29About half past eight.

00:01:30Please continue.

00:01:31Well, suddenly there was a terrific banging at the door and Archie got up to open it and two people, well, just barged in.

00:01:38Did they give any reason for their intrusion?

00:01:41The lady said she was Mrs Susan McNeill, Archie's wife.

00:01:44The man, Mr Defoe, a private inquiry agent.

00:01:48And this was the first time you'd heard that your husband was already married?

00:01:51Well, Lord, I resent my lady friend's assumption of omniscience.

00:01:54Surely it is for the jury to decide whether my client was or was not married to Mrs Susan McNeill at that time.

00:02:00I agree, Mr Latterby.

00:02:01Perhaps I could rephrase the question, my Lord.

00:02:04Perhaps you could, Mr Logan.

00:02:06Miss Bolton, until Mrs McNeill entered your room, had you any suspicion that Mr McNeill was other than a widower?

00:02:12No, none.

00:02:13Did the accused seem surprised when Mr McNeill and Mr Defoe entered the room?

00:02:16Oh, yes, of course, we both worked.

00:02:18It was the last thing we were expecting.

00:02:20Oh, quite.

00:02:21How did Mr McNeill react?

00:02:23Well, he was shattered.

00:02:24He just said, good God, Susan, and sat on the bed.

00:02:27He looked awful.

00:02:28As well he might.

00:02:30Mr McNeill apparently recognised the lady.

00:02:32Oh, yes, after the first shock.

00:02:33He talked to her, quite friendly.

00:02:35Indeed?

00:02:36He asked her how her feet were.

00:02:38Oh.

00:02:39The situation was explained to you, was it not, by the inquiry agent?

00:02:42Oh, yes, Mr Defoe.

00:02:43No, he told me that Archie was already married and I was a biggamous wife.

00:02:48How did you first meet Mr McNeill?

00:02:50Through an agency.

00:02:51A matrimonial agency?

00:02:53Yes, Your Lord.

00:02:54And was Mr McNeill a client also of this agency?

00:02:57Yes.

00:02:58Why did you choose Mr McNeill?

00:03:00Well, he looked nice.

00:03:02In the photographs they showed me, and when we met I realised I loved him.

00:03:07Were you employed before you met the accused?

00:03:10No, you see, I was left some property by my father, some flats.

00:03:14I lived on the rents.

00:03:16And did you and the accused ever have any conversation about financial matters?

00:03:20Yes.

00:03:20Archie asked me to sign the flats over into his name.

00:03:23Did you agree at first?

00:03:25No, well, I said, why bother?

00:03:26But, you see, Archie had become a Somali citizen some years before,

00:03:30and in a Muslim African country a man is supposed to control all his wife's wealth.

00:03:34Is that what he told you?

00:03:35Yes.

00:03:37Well, I said, well, what if something happened to him?

00:03:41And what did he reply?

00:03:42He said, don't worry, darling, we'll always be together from now on.

00:03:47So what did you do about the flats?

00:03:49Well, I instructed my solicitor to have the flats conveyed in Archie's name.

00:03:54And were they conveyed into the accused's name?

00:03:56No.

00:03:57Before it could be done, I heard...

00:03:58Yes, don't tell me what you heard, but did you talk to the accused about something that you'd heard?

00:04:02Well, I told him that I'd heard that he was trying to sell the flats,

00:04:06that my solicitor had found out he was trying to sell the flats to a property company in Leeds.

00:04:11Did he deny it?

00:04:12No, he just said, don't get excited.

00:04:15Did Mr McNeil at any time discuss religion with you?

00:04:18No.

00:04:19You didn't know, then, that he has professed to be a Muslim?

00:04:22No.

00:04:23Or, moreover, that he has three wives in Mogadishu,

00:04:26all of whom he married under Muslim law?

00:04:29Three?

00:04:30Three, Miss Bolton.

00:04:33Good heavens.

00:04:34You had no idea of it?

00:04:35No.

00:04:36No, I had no idea.

00:04:38Are there any children?

00:04:39Six, I think.

00:04:41Seven.

00:04:42Oh.

00:04:44Mr Logan, now that we've settled Mr McNeil's contribution to the population explosion,

00:04:49may we now continue?

00:04:51And you will kindly not give any more evidence yourself.

00:04:55As your Lordship pleases.

00:04:56Miss Bolton, what religion did your husband say he was?

00:05:00Agnostic.

00:05:01That is not a religion, Miss Bolton.

00:05:04It is an excuse.

00:05:05Well, he put down atheist on the marriage license.

00:05:09From what your husband told you, did you believe that he was free to marry you,

00:05:11and that it was his intention to do so, and to live with you for the rest of your life?

00:05:14Yes.

00:05:16If you had not believed those things, could you have instructed your solicitor to convey the

00:05:20flats into the accused's name?

00:05:21No.

00:05:22And if you had thought him to be a Muslim, would you have married him?

00:05:26I don't know.

00:05:27Oh, I suppose so.

00:05:29After all, he is white.

00:05:31Personally, I've never attached much importance to religion.

00:05:33Ah, but you do to marriage.

00:05:35Oh, yes.

00:05:36Yes, indeed.

00:05:37What Mr McNeil did, I...

00:05:39I was very upset, very upset.

00:05:42I thought he loved me.

00:05:44He's never even been in touch with me since that awful night.

00:05:47My lord.

00:05:47Yes, Mr McNeil?

00:05:49Might I be permitted to explain to my wife, Miss Bolton?

00:05:53No, Mr McNeil, you may not, at least not now.

00:05:57Your opportunity will come later.

00:05:58I understand, my lord, and I do apologise to you for the interruption.

00:06:02Miss Bolton, during the ten days that you believed yourself to be the sole wife of Mr McNeil,

00:06:07did he at any time discuss with you the possibility of selling your flats?

00:06:11No.

00:06:12Thank you, Mrs McNeil.

00:06:14When the marriage bureau informed you about Mr McNeil,

00:06:18was the photograph the only thing about him which attracted you?

00:06:21Well, I'm not a fool.

00:06:23I mean, when you go to a marriage agency, you take a certain risk.

00:06:26I mean, people are not always exactly what they seem.

00:06:29Indeed not.

00:06:30Well, I wanted to marry someone with a good business behind him,

00:06:34someone I could be sure of.

00:06:35Very sensible, Miss Bolton.

00:06:36Well, Mr McNeil seemed perfect.

00:06:38He had this import-export business in Mogadishu,

00:06:41and he was a partner in a small shipping line.

00:06:44You checked up on him?

00:06:45Yes.

00:06:46Well, yes, I rang the Somali embassy and spoke to the commercial attaché.

00:06:51And he confirmed Mr McNeil's background?

00:06:53Oh, yes.

00:06:54It seemed as if all my dreams had come true.

00:06:55We were going to live in Africa,

00:06:57and Mr McNeil's such a nice man.

00:07:01Miss Bolton, you told my lonely friend

00:07:02that you and Mr McNeil discussed the money side of your marriage.

00:07:06Yes.

00:07:06Oh, very sensible.

00:07:07If more married couples did this, there would be fewer divorce cases.

00:07:10Now, which of you instigated the discussion?

00:07:13Um, I don't know.

00:07:14Was it Mr McNeil?

00:07:16I can't remember.

00:07:17Was it you?

00:07:17Yes, yes, I think it was.

00:07:21How did Mr McNeil react when you raised the money question?

00:07:24Well, he said something like,

00:07:26well, what an unromantic thing to talk about on a honeymoon,

00:07:29or something like that.

00:07:30Did the question of your property prey on your mind?

00:07:32Did it worry you?

00:07:33No.

00:07:34Yet you spoke to your husband about it.

00:07:36Yes.

00:07:37So it must have been on your mind, wasn't it?

00:07:39Well, it wasn't that exactly.

00:07:41You see, I just didn't want to have any secrets from each other.

00:07:44Besides, I was worried about what was going to happen to my property

00:07:47when we were in Somalia.

00:07:49So it would be true to say, would it not,

00:07:50that the possibility of selling them had crossed your mind?

00:07:54Well, uh...

00:07:54Oh, please, Aunt Z, yes or no, Miss Bolton.

00:07:56Well, yes, I suppose it must have.

00:07:59Would you describe yourself as an experienced businesswoman?

00:08:03No, definitely not.

00:08:04Did you seek to give Mr McNeil the impression that you were?

00:08:07No, no, of course not.

00:08:09So is it not possible that in starting negotiations to dispose of these flats of yours,

00:08:13Mr McNeil was merely trying to lift part of the business burden onto his own shoulders?

00:08:17My lord, Mr Lotterby, the witness cannot possibly answer that question.

00:08:21With respect, my lord, my client is charged with attempting to obtain property by deception

00:08:25as well as bigamy.

00:08:27I'm merely trying to ascertain from this witness

00:08:29whether, in her view, there is any validity to that charge.

00:08:32Mr Lotterby, I'm fully aware of what you are trying to do,

00:08:35but it is for the jury to decide on the validity of the charge, not the witness.

00:08:41As your lordship pleases.

00:08:43Miss Bolton, when did you and Mr McNeil first meet?

00:08:46November.

00:08:46What date in November?

00:08:47Third.

00:08:48So your courtship lasted nearly two months?

00:08:50Yes, that's right.

00:08:51Did you see much of each other?

00:08:52Saw each other nearly every day.

00:08:54You must have got to know each other pretty well during that time.

00:08:57I thought we did.

00:08:58Intimately?

00:08:58Well, I don't know quite what you mean by that.

00:09:02Did you become lovers?

00:09:05Well, I...

00:09:05Miss Bolton, the court does not wish to pry.

00:09:08It is merely trying to establish how well you knew each other prior to this marriage.

00:09:15Well, um, yes, we did become lovers.

00:09:19Two days after we met, actually, on a Thursday at Clearbury Mortimer.

00:09:23Mr McNeil's a very affectionate man.

00:09:25Was this affection mutual?

00:09:27Yes.

00:09:27And it would be surprising in the middle of all this mutual affection if you found time

00:09:31to discuss business.

00:09:32Oh, we didn't discuss business.

00:09:34Or religion?

00:09:34No.

00:09:35What sort of things did you discuss?

00:09:36Well, personal things, mostly, you know.

00:09:38I asked him about Somalia, what our life would be like in Mogadishu.

00:09:42You see, Miss Bolton, what I'm trying to get at is how the question of your flats arose.

00:09:45Now, I find it hard to conceive that Mr McNeil, in the midst of making love, would suddenly

00:09:49start asking you what property you own.

00:09:51Well, it didn't happen like that.

00:09:52You see, he told me that he was a Somali citizen.

00:09:55And I wondered whether I'd have to become one too.

00:09:58And if so, what would happen to my flats in this country?

00:10:01You were naturally concerned.

00:10:03Yes.

00:10:03Your concern would have been obvious to Mr McNeil.

00:10:06Yes, but I didn't tell him to go and sell them.

00:10:09No, but he didn't, Miss Bolton.

00:10:11You yourself said he was merely negotiating with a property company in Leeds.

00:10:15Yes, well, I hadn't thought of it like that.

00:10:18Well, did Mr McNeil at any time give you the impression that he was hard up, that he was

00:10:21in need of money?

00:10:22No, no, no.

00:10:24Archie was very generous with money.

00:10:25I like that.

00:10:27Miss Bolton, I want you to think very carefully.

00:10:30Would you be prepared to take Mr McNeil back after the trial?

00:10:33Well, if he's married to Mrs Susan McNeil, and if he's got all those wives in Mogadishu,

00:10:42how could I?

00:10:43That's not really an answer, Miss Bolton, is it?

00:10:46Well, yes, I'd take him back.

00:10:50Why?

00:10:52Well, he's a very nice man.

00:10:54I'm very fond of him.

00:10:56My lord, can I ask a witness a question?

00:10:59No, Mr McNeil, you may not.

00:11:01It is not permitted in an English court of law.

00:11:04Any questions must be put through your counsel.

00:11:07I see, my lord.

00:11:08In that case, could I ask my counsel if he would ask a witness if she would be willing

00:11:12to change her religion to that of Islam and marry me again under Muslim law?

00:11:15My lord, I must protest of the accused's blatant attempt to influence the witness and

00:11:19win sympathy with the jury.

00:11:21Mr Logan, whether a proposal of marriage under Muslim law could be regarded as an attempt

00:11:26to win sympathy is, I suspect, open to question.

00:11:30However, Mr McNeil, you were expressly directed to address your questions through counsel.

00:11:37Well, that's what I was trying to do, my lord.

00:11:38It did not appear so to me, Mr McNeil.

00:11:40I'm very sorry, my lord.

00:11:43Miss Bolton.

00:11:45Yes, my lord?

00:11:46Are you fully recovered?

00:11:48I don't know.

00:11:50This was the last thing I was expecting.

00:11:52I don't know.

00:11:56Not a bit.

00:12:15Have you finished your cross-examination?

00:12:17No, my lord.

00:12:18Mr Logan, will you wish to re-examine?

00:12:20Yes, my lord, I will.

00:12:21Well, then, gentlemen, under the circumstances, I think I shall allow Miss Bolton to stand

00:12:26down for a moment to give her time to regain her composure.

00:12:29Meanwhile, Mr Logan, would it incommode you to continue with your other witnesses?

00:12:33Not at all, my lord.

00:12:34I have no objection.

00:12:35Mr Lottweil?

00:12:36As your lordship pleases.

00:12:37Very well, Miss Bolton.

00:12:38You may stand down for a moment.

00:12:40Yes, please.

00:12:41You'll be taken to a room where you will be, and you must remain alone.

00:12:45Remember, you're still under oath, so you must not discuss your evidence with anybody,

00:12:49not even the usher.

00:12:50Yes, I understand.

00:12:54I call Mr Stanley Defoe.

00:12:57Yes, and while we're waiting for the witness, Mr Lottweil, this might be an appropriate time

00:13:00to have a word with your client.

00:13:02I'd be obliged if you would impress upon him that the court's patience is not limitless.

00:13:08One proposal of marriage per trial will suffice.

00:13:11As your lordship directs.

00:13:12You are Stanley Defoe of the Defoe and Defoe Inquiry Agency of Fulchester, and you live

00:13:26at Sugden Cottage, Sugden Road, Fulchester?

00:13:28That is correct.

00:13:29And you're a private inquiry agent?

00:13:30Correct, sir.

00:13:31You were employed by Mrs Susan McNeil to trace the whereabouts of her husband?

00:13:34Correct, sir.

00:13:35Now, would you look at the photograph, Exhibit 1, Mr Defoe?

00:13:38It is an agreed document, my lord.

00:13:40Have you seen that photograph before?

00:13:46Oh, yes, sir.

00:13:47Mrs Susan McNeil gave it to me and asked me to trace the man in it.

00:13:50As you can see, it was taken outside the Fulchester Registry Office.

00:13:53I recognised the door.

00:13:54And what course of action did you then take, Mr Defoe?

00:13:57I procured a copy of the marriage certificate from Fulchester Registry Office.

00:14:00Exhibit 2, my lord.

00:14:02A certified copy.

00:14:03What were Mrs McNeil's instructions to you, Mr Defoe?

00:14:06Well, Mrs McNeil asked me to trace the whereabouts of Archibald McNeil.

00:14:10Did you succeed in this?

00:14:11Yes, I traced him and a lady with whom he'd undergone a form of marriage to a hotel in

00:14:15Scarborough.

00:14:16When was this?

00:14:17On the 5th of January.

00:14:18I then phoned Mrs McNeil for further instructions.

00:14:21She came to Scarborough the following day, identified the man as Archibald McNeil and asked me to

00:14:26accompany her to his room that evening.

00:14:28And what happened there?

00:14:28I knocked on the bedroom door.

00:14:31Mr McNeil opened it in his dressing gown and I thought he was going to faint when he saw

00:14:36my client.

00:14:37I mean, he turned a very strange colour.

00:14:39Did he say anything?

00:14:40Yes, sir.

00:14:41He said something like, good God, Susan.

00:14:44And went and sat down on the bed.

00:14:46A woman later identified as Miss Bolton or McNeil was in the bed, apparently naked.

00:14:50And would you say that Mr McNeil seemed surprised to see your client?

00:14:55Well, not surprised, sir.

00:14:56More like aghast.

00:14:58And did your client speak to him?

00:15:00Yes, sir.

00:15:00She said, hello, Archie.

00:15:02How's the back?

00:15:04How's the back?

00:15:06Yes, my lord.

00:15:07I didn't understand the reference either.

00:15:09I see.

00:15:10Was there any other conversation, Mr DeFoe?

00:15:12Yes, sir.

00:15:13In the presence of the accused, I informed the lady in bed that the accused was already

00:15:17married to my client, Mrs Susan McNeil, and he did not deny it.

00:15:21And was anything else, sir?

00:15:22Not in my presence, sir.

00:15:23My client asked me to wait downstairs for her, which I did.

00:15:26And she remained upstairs for 50 minutes.

00:15:28Thank you, Mr DeFoe.

00:15:30Mr DeFoe, can you tell me how it was you came to be instructed by Mrs Susan McNeil?

00:15:34Well, she came to our office, that is, my father's and mine, in Forchester on the

00:15:382nd of January.

00:15:39She brought with her the photograph.

00:15:41It was a wedding photograph she'd seen in the window of a local photographer.

00:15:45And she pointed out to us the man in this photograph, the bridegroom, and said that

00:15:48he was her husband, Archibald McNeil, who had deserted her six years earlier.

00:15:52So, Mrs Susan McNeil came to your office on January the 2nd with this wedding photograph.

00:15:57Yes, sir.

00:15:57And by the 5th of January, you had traced Mr McNeil to Scarborough.

00:16:01That's correct, sir.

00:16:02My father being indisposed, I was entrusted with this investigation.

00:16:06When did you start looking for Mr McNeil?

00:16:08On the 3rd, sir.

00:16:09So it took you two days to locate Mr McNeil?

00:16:12One day, sir.

00:16:13I had located him on the 4th.

00:16:15That was quick work, wasn't it?

00:16:17Well, that's very kind of you to say that, sir.

00:16:19Well, tell me, how did you manage it?

00:16:20Well, I inquired amongst the local taxi drivers who operate a service from the registry office

00:16:26and found one who had taken Mr and Mrs McNeil to the station.

00:16:29I then found that, apart from local trains, only two mainline expressors passed through the station.

00:16:36One to Manchester, the other Scarborough.

00:16:38And you assumed that no one would honeymoon in Manchester, but they might in Scarborough?

00:16:42Correct, sir.

00:16:42I then phoned round the Scarborough hotels and on my second phone call located Mr and Mrs McNeil at the Bronte Arms.

00:16:49So it would appear that Mr McNeil made no attempt to cover his track.

00:16:53Oh, none, sir.

00:16:54No.

00:16:54Thank you, Mr Defoe.

00:16:55That is all, Mr Defoe, thank you.

00:16:59My next witness is Mrs Susan McNeil.

00:17:03Very well, Mr Defoe.

00:17:04Thank you, Lord.

00:17:05Susan McNeil, please.

00:17:25You are Mrs Susan McNeil of Shangri-La, The Grove, Northampton?

00:17:48Yes.

00:17:49You were married on the 12th of July 1967 at Northampton Registry Office?

00:17:53Yes.

00:17:54To whom were you married?

00:17:54To Archie.

00:17:55You mean to the accused?

00:17:57Yes.

00:17:58Now, my lord, I have here a certified copy of this marriage certificate, exhibit number three.

00:18:03As you will see, my lord, and members of the jury, Mr McNeil describes himself in the certificate as a widower.

00:18:11He's occupation, a company director.

00:18:14Mrs McNeil, what did Mr McNeil tell you about himself as to his occupation and station?

00:18:20He said that his wife had died and that he was a director of an import-export company,

00:18:25in Mogadishu in Somalia.

00:18:27And what did he describe his religion as?

00:18:29Agnostic.

00:18:30When did you first meet Mr McNeil?

00:18:32In June 1967, early June.

00:18:35And how did you meet?

00:18:36Quite by accident.

00:18:38Because of the mistake of a ticket agency, we found that we both held the same ticket for a play at the Globe Theatre in London.

00:18:47What was your first impression of Mr McNeil?

00:18:49Oh, he was very charming.

00:18:51A bit of a rough diamond, perhaps, but none the worse for that.

00:18:55And just over a month later, you were married?

00:18:57Yes.

00:18:58Rather a whirlwind romance.

00:18:59Well, Mr McNeil is a very attractive man.

00:19:04And you married at Northampton Registry, of course.

00:19:07Yes.

00:19:07Did the question of your husband's nationality arise?

00:19:09Oh, he told me that he'd had to take Somali citizenship for business reasons.

00:19:15They got their independence in 1960, you know.

00:19:18Oh, I see.

00:19:19At the time of your marriage, Mrs McNeil, did you have private means?

00:19:23Oh, yes.

00:19:24You see, my father and my uncle had both died recently.

00:19:28And they'd left me well provided for.

00:19:30And Mr McNeil knew about this?

00:19:32Oh, yes.

00:19:32I told him.

00:19:33When did Mr McNeil return to Somalia?

00:19:35In September.

00:19:37And were you to accompany him?

00:19:38Well, not immediately.

00:19:39There were certain financial matters to be cleared up.

00:19:43Oh, financial matters?

00:19:44Yes.

00:19:45You see, Archie was very worried about my money.

00:19:49He said that as we should be, well, not be returning to this country for some years,

00:19:54it would be better if my money were put either into a bank in Mogadishu

00:19:59or a bank in the Lebanon.

00:20:01And did you do this?

00:20:03Well, no.

00:20:03I left quite a lot of my money in this country.

00:20:08It was a blessing I did, too.

00:20:09Why?

00:20:10Well, he did me out of it.

00:20:12My Lord.

00:20:12Yes, Mr Latterby.

00:20:14Mrs McNeil, what do you mean by that?

00:20:17Well, I never got any of it back.

00:20:18Do you mean that your husband deliberately refused to return that money to you?

00:20:22Well, he didn't refuse exactly.

00:20:25He just didn't return it to me.

00:20:27What were the circumstances?

00:20:28Well, I transferred about 8,000 pounds into Archie's bank at Mogadishu and the rest of it.

00:20:39Then in October...

00:20:41October 67?

00:20:41Yes, that's right.

00:20:42In October.

00:20:43I flew out to join him there and the rest of my money was held up in this country.

00:20:48Well, Archie met me at the airport and he took me straight to a place about 200 miles up the coast called Hargeisa.

00:20:56He said he was transferring a lot of his business to Hargeisa and that there was no point in staying in the capital any longer.

00:21:04Well, Hargeisa is a pretty ghastly place.

00:21:08There's a large cattle market there and docks and we're not very much else.

00:21:15It's frightfully hot and the flies are awful.

00:21:19Well, everything was fine for a while except that I didn't see very much of Archie.

00:21:24He was always in the capital.

00:21:25Well, I heard that my mother was ill so I flew back to England for a little while.

00:21:32Your husband didn't return with you?

00:21:33Oh, no.

00:21:34You see, he was involved in a shipping business which transferred Muslim pilgrims to Jeddah.

00:21:41That is the port of Mecca.

00:21:43And he said that he couldn't get away.

00:21:46Well, I was in England for about four months and...

00:21:50Well, I got fed up and just flew back to Mogadishu.

00:21:57An Italian I met at the airport offered to drive me out to Archie's place at Mogadishu.

00:22:03Well, I'd never seen it, so I went.

00:22:06And what did you find?

00:22:08Well, it was a lovely house.

00:22:11Much nicer than my bungalow at Hargeisa.

00:22:14I was surprised.

00:22:15Well, I went in and there was a woman, several women there.

00:22:24They were all black.

00:22:26Was your husband there?

00:22:28Oh, yes.

00:22:28Did you ask who the women were?

00:22:30No, one of them said...

00:22:32Yes, was your husband present when this was said?

00:22:34Yes.

00:22:34She said that she was his wife, that they were all his wives, and who was I?

00:22:42Did he say anything?

00:22:43Deny it?

00:22:44He said he wanted to explain.

00:22:46Did he?

00:22:47Well, I just flew straight home.

00:22:52Did you see Mr McNeil again?

00:22:53No.

00:22:54Did you attempt to communicate with him?

00:22:55Oh, yes, yes.

00:22:56I telephoned, I wrote letters, I said I was getting a divorce.

00:23:01Did you?

00:23:02No.

00:23:03But I did start an action to try to get my money back.

00:23:06Did you succeed?

00:23:06Well, no, the courts are very slow over there, and my solicitors advised me to drop the case.

00:23:14And presumably matters rested there, until you saw Mr McNeil's wedding photograph in a window of a photographic shop in Fulchester.

00:23:21Yes, yes.

00:23:22I mean, I was absolutely amazed.

00:23:24I had no idea that he'd come back to this country.

00:23:27I didn't think he'd dare to.

00:23:29Did you ever attempt any form of reconciliation?

00:23:33Yes, I wrote several letters to him in Mogadishu, suggesting that we should meet somewhere, anywhere, to discuss our marriage.

00:23:42And what was your husband's reaction?

00:23:44Well, there wasn't one.

00:23:45He never even replied.

00:23:48To the best of your knowledge, Mrs McNeil, does your husband still hold £8,000 of yours?

00:23:53Yes, he does.

00:23:55And I want it back.

00:23:57Thank you, Mrs McNeil.

00:23:59Mrs McNeil, you have said, have you not, that you threatened your husband with divorce?

00:24:03Yes.

00:24:04You consulted a solicitor.

00:24:05Yes.

00:24:06Did he consider that you had grounds for a divorce action?

00:24:08Oh, yes, he said that if I could get evidence, I should have no trouble at all in getting a divorce.

00:24:14Yet you didn't obtain the evidence.

00:24:15No.

00:24:16Why not?

00:24:16Well, I always hope...

00:24:19I don't know.

00:24:21Did you attempt to obtain evidence?

00:24:23No.

00:24:24I put it to you, Mrs McNeil, that you didn't really want to obtain this evidence.

00:24:27I certainly did.

00:24:29I've been telling the truth.

00:24:31Well, let us hope you are prepared to answer my next question equally truthfully.

00:24:35Of course.

00:24:37After the trial, would you be prepared to take your husband back?

00:24:41Well, I...

00:24:43Yes.

00:24:44After all, he is still my husband.

00:24:47Oh, excuse me, Your Honour, I beg your pardon.

00:24:49Madam, you must not interrupt this trial, Huffer.

00:24:52Oh, you don't understand, Your Honour.

00:24:54The standing the court ought to know...

00:24:55Madam, if you continue in this manner, you will be guilty of contempt of court.

00:24:59Well, that woman said she's married to Archie.

00:25:02She's not.

00:25:02She can't be.

00:25:03And why not?

00:25:04Because I'm married to Archie.

00:25:10The case of the Queen against McNeil will be resumed tomorrow in the Crown Court.

00:25:28These are the three African wives of Archiebald McNeil.

00:25:42He married them in Somalia under Muslim law.

00:25:45This is Archiebald McNeil.

00:25:47The national press have already christened him the Bluebeard of Scotland.

00:25:50He's on trial today in Fullchester Crown Court on a charge of bigamy, attempting to obtain money by deception and knowingly making a false declaration for the purpose of obtaining a marriage licence.

00:26:02The prosecution alleges that he also married Susan McNeil under British law and then went through a marriage ceremony with Anne Bolton.

00:26:10Yesterday, yet a third woman, claiming to be his wife, interrupted the court proceedings.

00:26:14Mr. Logan, Mr. Lotterby, I must confess I am in danger of losing my grasp on the evidence.

00:26:21Just help me, will you?

00:26:23As I understand it, the prosecution evidence so far tends to establish that the accused had or has three Muslim wives in Somalia,

00:26:32that he went through English ceremonies with Mrs. Susan McNeil on the 12th of July 1967,

00:26:38and with Miss Anne Bolton on the 28th of December 1972.

00:26:42We've also heard that Miss Anne Bolton, in the belief that she was to marry the accused and, as it were, live happily ever after,

00:26:50instructed her solicitor to convey a block of flats to the accused,

00:26:53but this was prevented by the appearance of Mrs. Susan McNeil.

00:26:58Then yesterday, another lady announced that she was married to the accused.

00:27:03Now, is that correct so far?

00:27:05Yes, my lord, that is correct.

00:27:07So we may hear evidence from yet another Mrs. McNeil.

00:27:10We may, my lord.

00:27:12Yes, well, Mrs. Susan McNeil was being cross-examined.

00:27:16She may return to the box.

00:27:17Mrs. Susan McNeil, please.

00:27:29Mrs. McNeil, I must remind you that you are still on oath.

00:27:33I understand, your lordship.

00:27:34Mrs. McNeil, you said yesterday in this court that you would be prepared to take Archibald McNeil back after the trial.

00:27:41Yes.

00:27:42Do you still feel the same way?

00:27:44Yes.

00:27:45In spite of what that woman said yesterday, he is still my husband.

00:27:49Yet according to your evidence, your husband, and I quote you,

00:27:53did you out of 8,000 pounds.

00:27:55Well, I don't know if he's done me out of it exactly, but he still has 8,000 pounds of mine.

00:28:02That's not the way you put it yesterday.

00:28:04No.

00:28:04You've changed your mind.

00:28:06Well, I just don't know what to think.

00:28:09You transferred the money to his account in Mogadishu?

00:28:12Yes, but it was only a temporary arrangement.

00:28:15Was it, Mrs. McNeil, that the 8,000 pounds represented an outright gift to your husband?

00:28:19No, no, I told you, I didn't give him the money.

00:28:21I must warn you that we shall hear evidence to the contrary.

00:28:25Well, I don't care what anybody says.

00:28:27I did not give him that money.

00:28:30Mrs. McNeil, I find your actions of January the 5th and 6th,

00:28:33as described by yourself in Mr. Defoe, is rather curious.

00:28:36You saw the photograph of Mr. McNeil and his new wife,

00:28:39and you promptly employed a local private detective to trace your husband.

00:28:42Yes.

00:28:43Well, why didn't you go straight to the police?

00:28:44On the face of it, the wedding photograph represented prima facie evidence of bigamy, did it not?

00:28:49Well, I wasn't sure.

00:28:50You mean you weren't sure that such a marriage was bigamous?

00:28:53No.

00:28:54I mean, I had to be sure before I committed myself to anything.

00:28:59I wanted to see my husband.

00:29:01And this you succeeded in doing on the 6th of January.

00:29:05Yes.

00:29:05Yet when you came face to face with Mr. McNeil in Scarborough,

00:29:08you immediately sent Mr. Defoe out of the room.

00:29:10Yes, I wanted privacy.

00:29:13To do what?

00:29:15I don't understand you.

00:29:17What did you talk about?

00:29:18Well, the situation, of course, this bigamous marriage.

00:29:22Can you be a bit more specific?

00:29:24Well, I pointed out to Miss Bolton that she wasn't in fact married to Archie at all,

00:29:30that I was his wife.

00:29:32What was her reaction?

00:29:33Well, first she burst into tears and then she became abusive.

00:29:37In 50 minutes, she must have done a lot of crying.

00:29:40Well, she didn't cry all the time, of course.

00:29:41And presumably she wasn't abusive for, what, three quarters of an hour?

00:29:44No.

00:29:44What did Mr. McNeil have to say?

00:29:47He asked me how my feet were.

00:29:50Your feet?

00:29:51Yes.

00:29:52Anything else?

00:29:53Not very much.

00:29:54There must have been rather a silent 50 minutes, apart from Miss Bolton weeping.

00:29:58Well, we discussed what we were going to do, how we should cope with the situation.

00:30:04Did you suggest to Mr. McNeil that he should return to you?

00:30:06Yes.

00:30:07What was his reaction?

00:30:08He said, how could he?

00:30:10He had only just married Miss Bolton.

00:30:12Did you threaten him?

00:30:13Threaten him?

00:30:14Did you say that you had not yet gone to the police, but that you would if he remained with Miss Bolton?

00:30:18No, no, it was Miss Bolton who threatened to go to the police.

00:30:22If Mr. McNeil returned to you?

00:30:24Yes.

00:30:24So between tears and abuse, Miss Bolton did find time to contribute to the discussion.

00:30:29Yes.

00:30:30What did she propose?

00:30:31That I divorced Archie.

00:30:33And you refused?

00:30:34Yes.

00:30:35Why?

00:30:37Well, he's still my husband.

00:30:39Did you ask Miss Bolton for an annulment?

00:30:42No.

00:30:42Had Miss Bolton agreed to such an annulment, would this case ever have got to court?

00:30:46My lord, I submit that my learned friend's question is hypothetical and irrelevant.

00:30:50I agree, Mr. Logan.

00:30:53As your lordship pleases.

00:30:54Now, Mrs. McNeil, when did you go to the police?

00:30:57Immediately after the meeting in the Bronte Arms?

00:30:59Not immediately.

00:31:00But you did go that same evening?

00:31:01Yes.

00:31:02I'd like to turn to your marriage with Mr. McNeil.

00:31:05How long did you live with him as his wife?

00:31:08Counting the time in this country, 13 months and 12 days.

00:31:12You're very precise.

00:31:13I've never had any other marriage.

00:31:15Then how was that marriage?

00:31:17How was Mr. McNeil as a husband?

00:31:20I don't know quite how to answer that.

00:31:23Well, was Mr. McNeil an affectionate husband?

00:31:25Oh, yes, very.

00:31:27I have no complaints at all about Mr. McNeil as a husband when he was there.

00:31:34So you not unnaturally felt very bitter when you discovered that Mr. McNeil was already married under Muslim law.

00:31:39Yes.

00:31:40Yet you didn't seek a divorce.

00:31:42Was that because you hoped he would return to you?

00:31:44Well, I...

00:31:45Answer yes or no, please.

00:31:47Yes.

00:31:49Yet, er, you knew he had other wives.

00:31:52I thought he might leave them.

00:31:54Is there a mosque in Hargeiza?

00:31:56Hargeiza.

00:31:57There are several.

00:31:59Did your husband ever visit them?

00:32:01Frequently, I believe.

00:32:02A lot of business is done in mosques.

00:32:04Yet in order to do business with other Muslims in the mosques, surely you must have known he would have to be a Muslim himself.

00:32:09I don't know anything about Muslim law.

00:32:11That's not the question I asked, Mrs. McNeil.

00:32:14I didn't know my husband.

00:32:16Archie was a Muslim.

00:32:17I find that hard to believe, Mrs. McNeil.

00:32:20I put it to you that in 1967 you knowingly entered into a polygamous marriage.

00:32:24No.

00:32:24When being one of four wives lost its appeal to you, you returned to this country, hoping your husband would follow.

00:32:30No, it wasn't like that.

00:32:31And when he failed to do so, you became bitter and angry, but you still wanted to get him back.

00:32:35And so when you discovered in January of this year that he was entering into yet another polygamous marriage,

00:32:39you saw an opportunity of winning him back by simple blackmail.

00:32:43No.

00:32:43How else would you describe your meeting with Mr. McNeil and Miss Bolton in their bedroom at the Bronte Arms Scarborough?

00:32:50You've got it all wrong.

00:32:51My lord, I will be brief.

00:32:57My learned friend has succeeded in confusing the issue with his usual skill.

00:33:03Mrs. McNeil, did your husband tell you he was a Muslim when you married?

00:33:07No.

00:33:08Did you make a gift of £8,000 to him?

00:33:10No.

00:33:12In Scarborough, did you attempt to blackmail him into returning to you?

00:33:15No.

00:33:16And in employing a private detective to trace your husband, what was your motive?

00:33:20I didn't want to cause trouble.

00:33:23You see, all I had to go on was that photograph.

00:33:27I mean, I had to be sure before I went to the police.

00:33:31Thank you, Mrs. McNeil.

00:33:33My lord, perhaps now would be a convenient time for Miss Bolton to complete her evidence.

00:33:37Yes.

00:33:37Very well.

00:33:40Thank you, Mrs. McNeil.

00:33:41And Bolton, please.

00:33:42Miss Bolton, I must remind you that you are still on oath.

00:33:55Yes, my lord, I understand.

00:33:57Mr. Lotterby was cross-examining you yesterday.

00:34:00He will continue.

00:34:01And Mr. Logan may wish to re-examine you.

00:34:04I understand.

00:34:06Miss Bolton, you said yesterday that you would be prepared to stand by, Mr. McNeil, no matter what happened.

00:34:12Yes.

00:34:13It may be, Miss Bolton, that the jury will decide that your present marriage to Mr. McNeil is bigamous.

00:34:18Well, I don't care.

00:34:19I'll stay with Archie if he wants me.

00:34:21You love Mr. McNeil?

00:34:22Yes, I married him.

00:34:25He's still my husband.

00:34:27You said yesterday, did you not, that on January the 6th,

00:34:29you and Mr. McNeil were in your bedroom in the Bronte Arms

00:34:32when Mrs. Susan McNeil and Mr. Defoe barged in, I think was the phrase you used.

00:34:37Yes, we were together, yes.

00:34:39Mrs. McNeil dismissed Mr. Defoe.

00:34:42Yes, she said,

00:34:42I don't need you anymore.

00:34:44You can wait for me in the bar.

00:34:46What happened when Mr. Defoe had left the room?

00:34:48Mrs. McNeil explained that she was already married to Archie

00:34:51and he was in such a state, I knew it must be true.

00:34:54Poor Archie.

00:34:55You felt sorry for him?

00:34:56Oh, yes.

00:34:57She was going on at him like a fishwife.

00:34:59She's a dreadful woman.

00:35:00Miss Bolton, you must not abuse another witness.

00:35:03Well, I was only trying to tell the truth, my lord.

00:35:05No, Miss Bolton, there is a difference between truth and opinion.

00:35:08You were giving us your opinion of Mrs. McNeil.

00:35:12Oh, I'm sorry, my lord.

00:35:14My lord?

00:35:15Yes?

00:35:17Everybody keeps calling me Miss Bolton.

00:35:19Well, Archie and I were married at Fullchester Registry Office.

00:35:23Now, surely until the court decides whether that marriage was either bigamous or not,

00:35:28I'm entitled to be called Mrs. McNeil.

00:35:30Yes, indeed, Mrs. McNeil.

00:35:34My apologies.

00:35:36Mrs. McNeil, did you weep during this discussion

00:35:40between yourself, Mr. McNeil, and the other Mrs. McNeil?

00:35:44Weep?

00:35:45Weep.

00:35:45No.

00:35:46Did you become abusive?

00:35:48Well, towards the end, I think I might have been.

00:35:52Why?

00:35:53Well, Mrs. McNeil wanted Archie to leave me and go off with her.

00:35:57She said this?

00:35:58Yes, several times, mostly at the top of her voice.

00:36:01Did she threaten you?

00:36:02Well, not me personally, but she threatened Archie.

00:36:04In what way?

00:36:05Well, she said she was going to go to the police if he didn't leave me and go with him.

00:36:09She'd go to the police?

00:36:10Yes.

00:36:10And tell them that he was a bigamist.

00:36:13Well, what were you supposed to do?

00:36:14Well, that was it.

00:36:14I was supposed to just go off and get a quiet divorce somewhere and say no more about it.

00:36:18Mrs. Bolton, or rather Mrs. McNeil, I must warn you that that is a very serious allegation

00:36:25to make against Mrs. McNeil.

00:36:28I know, my lord, but it's the truth.

00:36:31It's not opinion.

00:36:33You rejected Mrs. McNeil's ultimatum.

00:36:36I did indeed.

00:36:37Thank you, Mrs. McNeil.

00:36:42Mrs. McNeil, you've changed your attitude since you gave your evidence yesterday, haven't you?

00:36:47Yes, I have.

00:36:49Why?

00:36:50Well, because I have had time to think.

00:36:52Now, I am the last person that Archie married.

00:36:55Now, he chose me as his latest wife.

00:36:58Now, yesterday in the court, he renewed that choice.

00:37:01He asked...

00:37:03Well, you know.

00:37:03Mr. McNeil would seem to possess an uncanny ability to excite loyalty in women.

00:37:09Some men can, Mr. Loken, and some men can't.

00:37:12Just because I'm loyal doesn't mean to say I'm lying.

00:37:15Let us see, Mrs. McNeil.

00:37:17You told us that Mr. McNeil, unknown to you, was attempting to sell your property without your permission.

00:37:23He was merely opening negotiations.

00:37:26With a view to selling?

00:37:28Yes.

00:37:28And you don't deny, do you, that he was already married to Mrs. Susan McNeil

00:37:32when he went through a ceremony of marriage with you?

00:37:35Isn't that for the court to decide?

00:37:37It is indeed, Mrs. McNeil.

00:37:39But your husband described himself to you as a widower at the time you were married.

00:37:44Did he not?

00:37:45Yes.

00:37:47Which was untrue.

00:37:50You told us also, didn't you, that he omitted to mention to you

00:37:52that he already had three Muslim wives and six children in Mogadishu.

00:37:56Well, I'm sure Archie can explain.

00:38:00Oh, I'm sure he can, Mrs. McNeil.

00:38:01Well, I'm sure any man with Mr. McNeil's evident power over women

00:38:05will have a most ingenious explanation.

00:38:08Have you been married before?

00:38:11No.

00:38:12Engaged?

00:38:13Well, 12 years ago.

00:38:14Why was the engagement broken off?

00:38:16My father became an invalid.

00:38:17I had to look after him.

00:38:19Would you describe yourself as a woman with great experience of the world?

00:38:24Well, I don't know how to answer that.

00:38:26But I'm not a fool, if that's what you mean.

00:38:29Yes.

00:38:32You may go now.

00:38:35My next witness, my lord, is Mrs. Agnes McNeil.

00:38:41Agnes McNeil, please.

00:38:43Yes.

00:38:43Thank you, Mrs. Agnes McNeil.

00:38:46Thank you, Mrs. Agnes McNeil.

00:38:47Thank you, Mrs. Agnes McNeil.

00:38:48Thank you, Mrs. Agnes McNeil.

00:38:49Thank you, Mrs. Agnes McNeil.

00:38:50Thank you, Mrs. Agnes McNeil.

00:38:51Thank you, Mrs. Agnes McNeil.

00:38:52Thank you, Mrs. Agnes McNeil.

00:38:53Thank you, Mrs. Agnes McNeil.

00:38:54Thank you, Mrs. Agnes McNeil.

00:38:55Thank you, Mrs. Agnes McNeil.

00:38:56Thank you, Mrs. Agnes McNeil.

00:38:57Thank you, Mrs. Agnes McNeil.

00:38:58Thank you, Mrs. Agnes McNeil.

00:38:59you were married to Archibald Dunbar-McNeil

00:39:18at Carlisle Registry Office

00:39:19on the 5th of February 1956

00:39:21I was

00:39:22do you recognise the accused?

00:39:24yes, that is my husband

00:39:25my lord, I produce a certified copy

00:39:27of Mrs McNeil's marriage certificate

00:39:29as exhibit number 4

00:39:31on it, as you will see, Mr McNeil is described

00:39:33as a bachelor and his occupation

00:39:35company director

00:39:37Mrs McNeil, the announcement

00:39:39of your presence here in court yesterday

00:39:41came as something of a surprise for everyone

00:39:43oh yes, I'm sorry, I really don't know what

00:39:45came over me, I'm not usually the sort of

00:39:47person who gets up at meetings and things

00:39:49you live in Scotland

00:39:51how come you came to be in court in Fulchester

00:39:53well, a friend of mine saw

00:39:55a newspaper piece about the trial

00:39:57and she phoned me and she said she was sure

00:39:59it was my Archie

00:40:00so I came down yesterday

00:40:01and it was Archie

00:40:03you seem pleased to see him

00:40:06well, I've always been pleased to see Archie

00:40:08he's a nice man

00:40:09and a very good husband he was too

00:40:12a good husband?

00:40:13yes, that's the way I remember him

00:40:15very considerate and very affectionate

00:40:17when did you last see your husband?

00:40:20about 1958

00:40:21no, 1959

00:40:23that's 14 years ago

00:40:25yes

00:40:26will I be able to see Archie after the trial?

00:40:29well, that rather depends upon the jury

00:40:31but I'm sure something could be arranged

00:40:34we have a lot to talk about

00:40:35well, you must have after 14 years

00:40:38Mrs McNeil, would you tell the court how you first met your husband?

00:40:41well, we met on a train

00:40:43from Berwick to Newcastle

00:40:44it was rather romantic really

00:40:46we shared a compartment

00:40:48when was this?

00:40:49about Christmas 1955

00:40:50he was home and leave from Somalia

00:40:53he looked so brown, I'll never forget

00:40:55it wasn't a long courtship then?

00:40:57no, we were married in the February

00:40:58he quite swept me off my feet

00:41:00we went to London for our honeymoon

00:41:02did you go out to Somalia?

00:41:04yes, we went out together there in the April

00:41:06oh, what dreadful country it was

00:41:08you didn't like it?

00:41:09oh no, it was so hot

00:41:11and all those flies

00:41:12I've never liked the heat, you know

00:41:14where did you live in Somalia?

00:41:15at first in Mogadishu

00:41:17but I couldn't stand the climate

00:41:19so Archie found me a bungalow up in the hills

00:41:21but that was no good either

00:41:23particularly when I became pregnant

00:41:24oh, when was that?

00:41:26towards the end of 1957

00:41:28Ian was born in February 1958

00:41:30almost exactly two years after we'd married

00:41:33did you have the child out there?

00:41:34no, I came back to Scotland in the October

00:41:37I had Ian in an ussing home in Berwick

00:41:39oh, he was such a beautiful baby

00:41:41Mr. Lotterby, am I to understand

00:41:43that this latest addition to Mr. McNeil's family

00:41:45brings the total to eight?

00:41:48no, my lord, I was including that one

00:41:50I was asking your counsel

00:41:52that is correct, my lord

00:41:53seven

00:41:53thank you

00:41:54Mrs. McNeil, did you return to Somalia immediately?

00:41:58no, I went back there about September

00:42:01in 1958?

00:42:02yes, but it was no good

00:42:04why not?

00:42:05well, because of the climate

00:42:07poor little Ian suffered agonies with prickly heat

00:42:10so Archie and I had a talk

00:42:11and we decided I'd go back home

00:42:13until things were better

00:42:14he couldn't leave, of course

00:42:15because of his business

00:42:17you say until things were better?

00:42:18what things, Mrs. McNeil?

00:42:20I mean, surely the climate wasn't going to improve?

00:42:22no, of course not

00:42:23it was Archie's business

00:42:24it was going through a bad patch

00:42:26that was why he couldn't come home with me

00:42:28and that was in 1959?

00:42:30yes

00:42:30did you see your husband again?

00:42:32no, not until yesterday

00:42:34didn't he write to you?

00:42:35oh yes, he did for a bit

00:42:37but the trouble is

00:42:38with neither of his very good correspondents

00:42:40how did you live?

00:42:42didn't he send you any money?

00:42:43yes, he did for a bit

00:42:45but money wasn't really a problem

00:42:47you see, mother had several gift shops

00:42:49so I just ran one of them for her

00:42:51the one in Jedburgh

00:42:52when you married, Mr. McNeil

00:42:54did you have any money of your own?

00:42:56yes

00:42:56it wasn't much

00:42:58but father had left me a few shares

00:43:00and did you ever lend or give your husband any money?

00:43:03yes

00:43:03how much?

00:43:06your lordship, do I have to answer that question?

00:43:09is there any reason why you should not?

00:43:10well, it's no one's business but mine, my lord

00:43:12I'm not accusing anyone

00:43:14certainly not Archie of robbing me

00:43:16I lent him money to help him with his business

00:43:18oh, well, I had to

00:43:20but that's between Archie and me

00:43:22my lord, Mr. McNeil is charged not only with bigamy

00:43:25but also with attempting to obtain money

00:43:27by deception

00:43:28now, the purpose of my question

00:43:30was simply to establish

00:43:31whether the same pattern of marriage and money

00:43:33was repeated in the case of this witness too

00:43:35well, Mr. Logan

00:43:36I think in this instance

00:43:37we may respect Mrs. McNeil's privacy

00:43:39as your lordship pleases

00:43:41Mrs. McNeil

00:43:42you said that you haven't seen the accused

00:43:44for 14 years

00:43:45that's right

00:43:46why didn't you seek a divorce then?

00:43:49well, I didn't want to hurt his feelings

00:43:51you didn't want to hurt his feelings?

00:43:53Archie's very sensitive

00:43:55I'm afraid I don't understand, Mrs. McNeil

00:43:57well, it wasn't his fault the marriage didn't work

00:44:00I just couldn't stand a hot climate

00:44:02but he was a good husband

00:44:03I mean, we never had a cross word

00:44:05and there's not many marriages you can say that of

00:44:08suppose he had asked you for a divorce

00:44:10would you have asked him to return your money?

00:44:12the money that you lent him?

00:44:14possibly

00:44:14I don't know

00:44:15you don't know?

00:44:17well, I mean, it would have depended upon the circumstances

00:44:19what circumstances?

00:44:20I don't know

00:44:21they never arose

00:44:22well, you're either a saint, Mrs. McNeil

00:44:25or you must

00:44:26I mean, don't you ever resent

00:44:29your husband's treatment of your child?

00:44:31his son

00:44:32oh, yes, I know

00:44:34but, you see, Ian was only a baby

00:44:36when Archie saw him

00:44:37and squalling his head off with prickly heat

00:44:39I don't think men like babies, do you?

00:44:42anyway, it would have been different

00:44:44if Ian had been older

00:44:45but he can always see him now if he wants to

00:44:47and if he doesn't

00:44:49well, Ian's managed to be without a father for this long

00:44:52what religion was your husband when you married him?

00:44:56oh, I don't know

00:44:57I don't think we ever discussed it

00:44:59agnostic?

00:45:00if that means he didn't have one, yes

00:45:02and what about when you went out to Africa?

00:45:03he never went to church at all there

00:45:05one last question, Mrs. McNeil

00:45:07it will save my learned friend from asking it

00:45:09I suppose you would take Mr. McNeil back

00:45:12if the opportunity arose?

00:45:14oh, no

00:45:15definitely no

00:45:16well, I'm relieved to find that Mr. McNeil's

00:45:18extraordinary powers over his wives

00:45:20appears to have some limitations

00:45:22well, what I mean is

00:45:24I don't see the point of taking him back

00:45:26and starting again

00:45:27he's a Somalian citizen

00:45:29his business is out there

00:45:30but I still couldn't live in a hot climate

00:45:33so what's the point?

00:45:34thank you

00:45:35on the other hand

00:45:36if he came back to live in this country

00:45:39Mrs. McNeil

00:45:43you have said your husband had no religion

00:45:45that's right

00:45:47but while you were in Somalia

00:45:48did he visit many mosques?

00:45:49oh yes

00:45:50but then he had to

00:45:52quite a lot of business is done in the mosques

00:45:54yes, but in order to get into a mosque

00:45:55he must have been a Muslim, mustn't he?

00:45:58oh, I'd never thought of it like that

00:46:00it's funny Archie didn't tell me

00:46:02my lord, I've been in mosques on several occasions myself

00:46:04and I don't subscribe to Mohammedanism

00:46:06your point is taken, Mr. Logan

00:46:08Mrs. McNeil, you agree then

00:46:10it is possible that unknown to you

00:46:12your husband was a Muslim?

00:46:14yes, I suppose so

00:46:15if Archie's a Muslim

00:46:18does that make Ian one too?

00:46:20I don't know, Mrs. McNeil

00:46:21maybe I should have him circumcised

00:46:23Mrs. McNeil, you have been apart from your husband

00:46:27for 14 years

00:46:28how have you described your status

00:46:30since you returned to this country?

00:46:32I beg your pardon?

00:46:33married? divorced? widowed? single?

00:46:35well, I'd hardly call myself single

00:46:37when I've got a 15 year old son

00:46:38which leaves us with three alternatives

00:46:40which did you choose?

00:46:43well, you must have had to choose one of them

00:46:45to fill in a census form, for example

00:46:47what have you told your son?

00:46:50your honour, do I have to answer that question?

00:46:52yes, Mrs. McNeil, you do

00:46:54well, if you must know

00:46:56I vary

00:46:57vary?

00:46:59yes, well, it depends who asks me

00:47:01I mean, I've told Ian I'm divorced

00:47:02but I think his father's dead

00:47:04what do you tell your friends?

00:47:05they think I'm a widow

00:47:06well, some people don't like divorcees, you know

00:47:09how do you describe yourself on official forms?

00:47:12well, I say I'm divorced

00:47:13except on the census form

00:47:15you have to tell the truth on that

00:47:16but they do say it's confidential

00:47:18you told his lordship

00:47:19that you describe yourself to friends

00:47:21as a widow

00:47:22yes

00:47:23you mean friends of both sexes?

00:47:25yes

00:47:25so you haven't been bereft of male attention

00:47:27during your widowhood

00:47:29your lordship, this is really very embarrassing

00:47:31particularly with my husband in court

00:47:33quite, Mrs. McNeil

00:47:34you don't have to answer that question

00:47:36it is irrelevant

00:47:37like a good many of Mr. Latterby's questions

00:47:39thank you, my lord

00:47:40perhaps I could rephrase, your lordship

00:47:43in, er...

00:47:46Mrs. McNeil, you have had

00:47:47have you not

00:47:48friends of the opposite sex

00:47:50during your husband's 14-year absence?

00:47:52yes

00:47:58thank you, Mrs. McNeil

00:48:00Mrs. McNeil, can you remember

00:48:03the last occasion on which you heard

00:48:05from your husband?

00:48:06oh, I don't know

00:48:07you said, did you not

00:48:08that you wrote to each other

00:48:09but the correspondence lapsed?

00:48:10yes

00:48:11well, when did you receive

00:48:12your last letter from your husband?

00:48:14oh, it must have been

00:48:16about 12 years ago

00:48:17I suppose

00:48:17maybe it was 11

00:48:19but did he never remember

00:48:20your son's birthday?

00:48:21oh, yes

00:48:22Ian got presents and cards

00:48:24until quite a few years ago

00:48:25how many years?

00:48:27oh, I'm not sure

00:48:28I seem to remember

00:48:29Ian getting a card

00:48:30or something

00:48:31seven or eight years ago

00:48:32which was it?

00:48:33seven or eight?

00:48:35Mrs. McNeil

00:48:35it may be most important

00:48:36for legal reasons

00:48:37that you try to remember

00:48:39or maybe it was nine

00:48:41or was it less?

00:48:44no, I'm sorry

00:48:45I don't remember

00:48:46oh, thank you, Mrs. McNeil

00:48:47that completes the evidence

00:48:49for the prosecution, my lord

00:48:49you may go now

00:48:51Mrs. McNeil

00:48:52I would like to have a word

00:48:54with Archie

00:48:55if that's possible

00:48:55your lordship

00:48:56later, perhaps

00:48:58Mrs. McNeil

00:48:59sole witness

00:49:02for the defence, my lord

00:49:03is the defendant

00:49:04Archibald Dunbar McNeil

00:49:06Mr. McNeil

00:49:19sorry, my lord

00:49:25you will be taking

00:49:26the Muslim oath?

00:49:28yes, my lord

00:49:28I take this oath

00:49:36in the Quran

00:49:37believing in the Quran

00:49:37as God's truth

00:49:38and believing in the Quran

00:49:40the case of the Queen

00:49:55against McNeil

00:49:56will be resumed tomorrow

00:49:57in the Crown Court

00:49:58this is the last day

00:50:10of the trial

00:50:11of Archibald McNeil

00:50:12the Scottish bluebeard

00:50:14as the newspapers

00:50:14have christened him

00:50:15he takes his place

00:50:16in the witness box

00:50:17under the eyes

00:50:18of the three women

00:50:19he married

00:50:19and who've given

00:50:20evidence against him

00:50:21McNeil is charged

00:50:23with bigamy

00:50:24attempting to obtain

00:50:25money by deception

00:50:26and making a false

00:50:27declaration for the

00:50:28purpose of obtaining

00:50:29a marriage licence

00:50:30he's given his religion

00:50:31as Muslim

00:50:32you are Archibald

00:50:34Dunbar McNeil

00:50:35I am

00:50:35you are a citizen

00:50:36of the Somali

00:50:37Democratic Republic

00:50:38yes, I am

00:50:38and you live at

00:50:39Edinburgh

00:50:40Bantu Road

00:50:41Mogadishu

00:50:42Somalia

00:50:43I do

00:50:43where you are a

00:50:44director of an

00:50:45import-export agency

00:50:46and partner in a

00:50:47shipping business

00:50:48that's right, sir

00:50:48Mr. McNeil

00:50:49you took the oath

00:50:50as a Muslim

00:50:51yes, sir

00:50:52how long have you

00:50:52lived as a follower

00:50:54of Islam

00:50:55for 25 years, sir

00:50:56it's a trifle unusual

00:50:58for an Englishman

00:50:58or a Scotsman

00:50:59to become a Mohammedan

00:51:00would you explain

00:51:01to the court

00:51:01the circumstances

00:51:02in which you

00:51:03change your religion

00:51:03presumably you were

00:51:05brought up

00:51:05in the Church of Scotland

00:51:06oh yes, of course

00:51:07well, that actually

00:51:08goes back to the war

00:51:09during that time

00:51:10I was stationed in

00:51:10Egypt in the Sudan

00:51:11I was demobbed

00:51:12in 46 in Khartoum

00:51:14I had the offer

00:51:15of a job

00:51:15at a British company

00:51:16but I didn't like

00:51:17the job very much

00:51:17and I heard

00:51:18there were a lot

00:51:18of openings

00:51:19in Djibouti

00:51:19and Somalia

00:51:20so I just went there

00:51:21how did you become

00:51:22a Muslim?

00:51:23ah, well

00:51:23you see

00:51:24I discovered

00:51:24there were a lot

00:51:25of African pilgrims

00:51:26who wanted to go

00:51:27to Mecca

00:51:28they hadn't been able

00:51:28to go during the war

00:51:29you see

00:51:30and now you could say

00:51:31the pilgrim trade

00:51:32was really booming

00:51:33I wanted to get in on it

00:51:34but I found it

00:51:35very difficult

00:51:35as a Christian

00:51:36because the rest of them

00:51:37were all Mohammedans

00:51:38so I joined them

00:51:40I became a follower

00:51:41of the Prophet

00:51:42at the age of 23

00:51:44and you've lived

00:51:44as a Muslim ever since?

00:51:45oh yes

00:51:46and a pretty strict Muslim too

00:51:47I mean

00:51:48I've got to be

00:51:49when I'm involved

00:51:50in the pilgrim trade

00:51:51quite

00:51:51now as a Muslim

00:51:52you are permitted

00:51:53four wives

00:51:54I believe

00:51:55yes

00:51:55you're permitted

00:51:56more if you want

00:51:57if you can afford them

00:51:58that is

00:51:58it's basically

00:51:59really a matter

00:52:00of economics

00:52:00when did you take

00:52:01Somalia nationality?

00:52:03in 1960

00:52:04the year after independence

00:52:05and you retained

00:52:06your Somalia nationality

00:52:07when the army

00:52:08took over in 1969

00:52:09I believe

00:52:1021st October 1969

00:52:11although no problems

00:52:12about that

00:52:13several of my friends

00:52:14were very senior

00:52:15army officers

00:52:16what country

00:52:17do you regard

00:52:17as your home?

00:52:18Somalia my lord

00:52:19when did you come

00:52:20to think of it

00:52:21as your home?

00:52:22I would say

00:52:22from about 1960 my lord

00:52:24by that time

00:52:25I decided

00:52:25I was going to stay there

00:52:26for the rest of my life

00:52:27until I died

00:52:28when did you first

00:52:29marry Mr McNeil?

00:52:311950

00:52:31she was a Somali

00:52:33a Muslim of course

00:52:34she died in 1952

00:52:37so you were then

00:52:38a widower?

00:52:39yes I was

00:52:40did you marry again?

00:52:41yes

00:52:41the following year

00:52:42she was another Somali

00:52:44a wife

00:52:45I beg your pardon

00:52:46a sister

00:52:47of my business partner

00:52:48she's still alive?

00:52:50er

00:52:51yes

00:52:52you have children?

00:52:54er

00:52:54no

00:52:54unfortunately

00:52:55that wife was

00:52:57unable to have children

00:52:58that was why

00:52:59I had to get married again

00:53:00when was that?

00:53:01oh

00:53:011955

00:53:03I married her

00:53:05half sister

00:53:05the half sister

00:53:06of your partner?

00:53:07yes sir

00:53:08how many children

00:53:09do you have

00:53:09by your second wife?

00:53:10four

00:53:11all boys

00:53:11and your second wife

00:53:14she's also Muslim?

00:53:15oh yes

00:53:15and she also lives

00:53:16with you in Mogadishu?

00:53:17oh yes

00:53:18you married the half sister

00:53:20of your first Somali wife

00:53:21in 1955

00:53:22yet two years later

00:53:24you married Agnes Aitchison

00:53:25in a Carnile registry office

00:53:27Mrs Agnes McNeil

00:53:28yes

00:53:29yes

00:53:30I came home

00:53:31at the back end of 56

00:53:33I hadn't been home

00:53:34for ten years

00:53:35you see

00:53:35I met Agnes

00:53:36and then

00:53:37oh about February

00:53:3857

00:53:39she suggested

00:53:40that we should get married

00:53:41so we did

00:53:42you didn't tell her

00:53:43you were already married

00:53:44no

00:53:45but then I didn't marry her

00:53:46in the Christian church

00:53:47did you tell her

00:53:48you were a Muslim?

00:53:50no

00:53:50why not?

00:53:52well

00:53:52I don't know what I mean

00:53:54I wanted to

00:53:55but I

00:53:55I just

00:53:56couldn't do it

00:53:57I was just afraid

00:53:59that she might not understand it

00:54:00I hoped

00:54:01that she would guess

00:54:02guess?

00:54:03well you see

00:54:03I kept up very strict

00:54:05Muslim observances

00:54:06at home

00:54:06didn't smoke

00:54:07or drink

00:54:07or eat pig

00:54:08but she just thought

00:54:10I had dysentery

00:54:11what about your Muslim wives?

00:54:14oh well

00:54:14I stayed

00:54:15part of the time

00:54:16with them

00:54:16I mean

00:54:17I had

00:54:18two homes

00:54:19I really did

00:54:21mean to

00:54:22tell Agnes

00:54:23but then

00:54:23she got rather ill

00:54:24with the climate

00:54:25and then she got pregnant

00:54:26well how could I tell her then?

00:54:28when Agnes

00:54:29your first wife

00:54:29returned to this country

00:54:30what did you do?

00:54:32well

00:54:32after a bit

00:54:33I took another Muslim wife

00:54:34a Somali?

00:54:35oh no no no

00:54:36she's from Jidda

00:54:37the daughter of an agent there

00:54:39that we do business with

00:54:40any children?

00:54:41two

00:54:41boys

00:54:42and later you returned

00:54:43to this country

00:54:44and married

00:54:45Susan Watt

00:54:46yes

00:54:47look

00:54:48I know

00:54:49it must

00:54:49it must really sound

00:54:50a bit stupid

00:54:51the truth

00:54:53the truth is

00:54:53I was just lonely

00:54:55lonely

00:54:56Mr McNeil

00:54:57with three wives

00:54:59yes my lord

00:55:00my wives are nice women

00:55:02they're very attractive

00:55:03lovely people

00:55:04but you see

00:55:05see my lord

00:55:06all I ever hear at home

00:55:07is Somali

00:55:07my brother-in-law

00:55:08speaks Somali

00:55:09my wives all speak Somali

00:55:10none of them's ever been

00:55:11any further than Cairo

00:55:12I was really lonely

00:55:13and then I met Susan

00:55:16oh

00:55:18this is wonderful

00:55:18now here is somebody

00:55:19I can really talk to

00:55:20talk to in English

00:55:22I mean

00:55:23somebody I can have a joke with

00:55:24and

00:55:25we fell in love

00:55:26now why did you marry her?

00:55:28well

00:55:29she wanted to

00:55:29she asked me

00:55:31it did seem the right thing to do

00:55:33did you have any thought

00:55:34that you might be

00:55:34breaking the law?

00:55:35oh no

00:55:36no sir

00:55:36not at all

00:55:37and then Susan

00:55:38found out about

00:55:39the Muslim wives

00:55:40yes

00:55:40she came to

00:55:42my home

00:55:42in Mogadishu

00:55:43and well

00:55:44there was a bit of a row

00:55:45and she just

00:55:46walked out

00:55:47and went back to England

00:55:47well I mean

00:55:48she's told you

00:55:48the rest herself

00:55:49what happened

00:55:50when you returned home

00:55:51at the end of last year?

00:55:53well

00:55:53I decided to try again

00:55:55to have an English wife

00:55:57I went to

00:55:58a matrimonial agency

00:55:59they put me in touch

00:56:01with Anne

00:56:01it was wonderful

00:56:03it was marvellous

00:56:04until Susan

00:56:06turned up with that detective

00:56:07and what happened?

00:56:10oh

00:56:10well I mean

00:56:11it was old

00:56:12dreadful

00:56:13they squabbled over me

00:56:14I felt like I was

00:56:16a bone between

00:56:17two dogs

00:56:18it was all so pointless

00:56:19why?

00:56:20well I mean

00:56:20Susan seemed to think

00:56:21I was still married to her

00:56:22but surely you were

00:56:24no

00:56:25I was divorced

00:56:26divorced?

00:56:27when were you divorced

00:56:28Mr McNeil?

00:56:29from Susan my lord

00:56:30oh 69 I think

00:56:31well why didn't you

00:56:32say so before?

00:56:33have you the papers?

00:56:34no my lord

00:56:34I don't need papers

00:56:35I stood up in my

00:56:36central mosque at Mogadishu

00:56:37and I repudiated Susan

00:56:39for a Muslim

00:56:40at this divorce

00:56:40yes well what about

00:56:41your first wife

00:56:42your first English wife

00:56:44I mean

00:56:44you mean Agnes

00:56:45I divorced her

00:56:46the same way too

00:56:46I see

00:56:48Muslim divorces

00:56:49are now recognised

00:56:50I believe

00:56:51in this country

00:56:52Mr Lottabere

00:56:53yes indeed my lord

00:56:54and my client

00:56:54is a Muslim

00:56:55my lord

00:56:55I submit

00:56:56that Mr McNeil's

00:56:58the sincerity

00:56:58of Mr McNeil's

00:57:00conversion to Islam

00:57:01has yet to be established

00:57:02Mr McNeil's

00:57:03religious sincerity

00:57:04is not in question

00:57:05and with respect

00:57:06I submit that

00:57:07this court

00:57:08is not competent

00:57:08to judge

00:57:09on matters of religion

00:57:10I shall bear

00:57:11your remarks in mind

00:57:12Mr Lottabere

00:57:13meanwhile let us

00:57:14proceed with the case

00:57:15I would like to

00:57:16complete this witness's

00:57:17evidence

00:57:17and your final speeches

00:57:19today

00:57:19if that is possible

00:57:21certainly my lord

00:57:22Mr McNeil

00:57:23let us now turn

00:57:24to the question

00:57:24of money

00:57:25now did you

00:57:26borrow money

00:57:27from your first

00:57:27two British wives

00:57:28borrow

00:57:29no

00:57:30well I mean

00:57:30we didn't sign

00:57:32any papers

00:57:32but

00:57:33yes

00:57:34I mean

00:57:35they put

00:57:35money into

00:57:37my business

00:57:37but they both

00:57:38lived on proceeds

00:57:39from my business

00:57:40have you returned

00:57:41any of the money

00:57:42no

00:57:43well I mean

00:57:44Agnes didn't ask

00:57:45for it

00:57:46and if Susan

00:57:47is desperate

00:57:47I can write her

00:57:48a cheque now

00:57:49but I honestly

00:57:49thought it was a gift

00:57:50now what about

00:57:51your latest wife

00:57:52Anne

00:57:53now she says

00:57:54you were already

00:57:54negotiating to sell

00:57:55flats she owned

00:57:56is that true

00:57:57no I went to see

00:57:58some agents about them

00:57:59that's true

00:58:00I just wanted to

00:58:02find out

00:58:03what they were

00:58:04really worth

00:58:05would you have

00:58:06sold them

00:58:06they were not

00:58:08mine to sell

00:58:09if Anne however

00:58:12stays with me

00:58:14and the price

00:58:15offered for the flats

00:58:16is good enough

00:58:16I would

00:58:17perhaps advise her

00:58:19to sell them

00:58:19but I mean

00:58:20what Anne does

00:58:21is up to her

00:58:22did you manage

00:58:23to find out

00:58:23a price for her

00:58:24property

00:58:24no I never got

00:58:25any further

00:58:26with the negotiations

00:58:27and just a couple

00:58:28of agents told me

00:58:28they would probably

00:58:29have no difficulty

00:58:30at all disposing

00:58:31of the flats

00:58:32when did you

00:58:32approach these

00:58:33estate agents

00:58:34I phoned them

00:58:35both on the

00:58:36third

00:58:36yes that's right

00:58:37it was about

00:58:38yes exactly

00:58:39three days

00:58:39before Susan

00:58:40did her

00:58:41Sarah Bernhardt

00:58:42at Scarborough

00:58:43it was a difficult

00:58:44scene was it

00:58:44when your wife

00:58:46Susan appeared

00:58:46at the Bronte Arms

00:58:47difficult

00:58:48it was impossible

00:58:49I mean they both

00:58:50wanted me

00:58:51and whichever one

00:58:51didn't get me

00:58:52was going to go

00:58:52straight to the police

00:58:53I couldn't win

00:58:54it didn't matter

00:58:54what I did

00:58:55thank you Mr McNeil

00:58:57Mr McNeil

00:59:00you claim you've

00:59:01been a Muslim

00:59:01for 25 years

00:59:03I have been

00:59:04would you describe

00:59:05yourself as a good

00:59:06Muslim

00:59:06ah

00:59:07good is a matter

00:59:09of opinion

00:59:09I am a fairly

00:59:10strict Muslim

00:59:11if that's what you

00:59:12mean

00:59:12you said you don't

00:59:13drink or smoke

00:59:14or eat pig flesh

00:59:15quite correct sir

00:59:15which sect do you

00:59:16belong to

00:59:17what sect

00:59:18yes which sect of

00:59:18Islam do you belong

00:59:19to I understand

00:59:20there are several

00:59:21Islamic sects

00:59:22which one do you

00:59:23belong to

00:59:23well I mean

00:59:25I'm a Somali Muslim

00:59:26most Somalis

00:59:26belong to the same

00:59:27sect

00:59:28which one is it

00:59:29well I mean

00:59:29I'm no theologian

00:59:30well are you a

00:59:32er

00:59:32Shiite

00:59:34or Ismaili

00:59:37Sunni

00:59:38Sunni

00:59:38you're a Sunni

00:59:39Muslim are you

00:59:40Mr McNeil

00:59:40what is Sunni

00:59:42Mohammedanism

00:59:43well

00:59:44I mean

00:59:45what is it

00:59:47and what was it

00:59:47founded

00:59:48well it's obvious

00:59:49isn't it

00:59:50on the Sunni

00:59:50the path of the

00:59:52Quran

00:59:52very good Mr McNeil

00:59:54can you tell me

00:59:55the name of the

00:59:56prophet's son

00:59:57yes

00:59:58Mohammed

00:59:59your prophet

00:59:59what is the name

01:00:00of his son

01:00:01you look at my

01:00:03client's knowledge

01:00:03of Muslim theology

01:00:04is not in question

01:00:05nonetheless

01:00:06Mr Lotterby

01:00:07your client is

01:00:07claiming privileges

01:00:08as a Muslim

01:00:09I do not see

01:00:10that Mr Logan

01:00:11is being unreasonable

01:00:12in seeking to

01:00:13establish the

01:00:14veracity of Mr

01:00:16McNeil's alleged

01:00:17religious conversion

01:00:18thank you my lord

01:00:19what is the name

01:00:20of the prophet's

01:00:21son Mr McNeil

01:00:22well name any

01:00:23of his sons

01:00:24his wives

01:00:25his mother

01:00:26Khadija

01:00:27Khadija is the name

01:00:29of the prophet's

01:00:30mother

01:00:30yeah

01:00:31no

01:00:32oh

01:00:32with respect my lord

01:00:34I submit that

01:00:34a knowledge or lack

01:00:35of knowledge of the

01:00:36prophet's relatives

01:00:37is a test of memory

01:00:39rather than of sincerity

01:00:40my lord every Christian

01:00:41knows the name of

01:00:42Christ's mother

01:00:42surely most Muslims

01:00:43particularly most

01:00:45converts would know

01:00:46the name of the

01:00:46prophet's progeny

01:00:47I would ask my

01:00:48learned friend

01:00:49a regular churchgoer

01:00:50if he can name

01:00:51the brother of Christ

01:00:52I'm not in the

01:00:52witness box

01:00:53his wife

01:00:54his wife

01:00:55yes my lord

01:00:56Khadija was

01:00:57Khadija was the

01:00:58prophet's wife

01:00:59no wait

01:01:00maybe it was

01:01:02his sister

01:01:03Khadija

01:01:06was the prophet's

01:01:08wife

01:01:09so much

01:01:11so much for

01:01:11your knowledge

01:01:11of Islam

01:01:12Mr McNeil

01:01:12it would be

01:01:12true to say

01:01:13would it not

01:01:13that throughout

01:01:14your life

01:01:14your religious

01:01:15beliefs have been

01:01:15dictated by

01:01:16other considerations

01:01:17I don't know

01:01:18what you mean sir

01:01:18well you yourself

01:01:19said that you

01:01:20became a Muslim

01:01:20to enable you

01:01:21to deal more

01:01:21successfully with

01:01:22Muslim businessmen

01:01:23in a Muslim

01:01:23country

01:01:24yes

01:01:25a case of

01:01:26if you can't

01:01:26beat them

01:01:26join them

01:01:27I personally

01:01:29would not have

01:01:29phrased it like that

01:01:30myself

01:01:30I don't care what

01:01:32you say

01:01:32I am a strict

01:01:33Muslim

01:01:34because you're

01:01:35involved in the

01:01:35pilgrim trade

01:01:36partly

01:01:37and partly

01:01:38because I

01:01:39believe in

01:01:40Islam

01:01:40I put it to

01:01:41you that all

01:01:42you believe in

01:01:42Mr McNeil is

01:01:43your own

01:01:43financial advantage

01:01:44no sir

01:01:46you're wrong

01:01:47no that's true

01:01:48is it not

01:01:49you have three

01:01:50Muslim wives

01:01:51yes

01:01:52two of whom

01:01:53are related to

01:01:54your Somali

01:01:54business partner

01:01:55yes

01:01:55the third

01:01:56being the

01:01:56daughter of

01:01:57a gentleman

01:01:57in Jeddah

01:01:57with whom

01:01:58your company

01:01:58does business

01:01:59yes I know

01:02:00but you see

01:02:00Muslim life

01:02:02is like

01:02:02that

01:02:02if you had

01:02:03to do business

01:02:03with a cannibal

01:02:04tribe Mr McNeil

01:02:05would you develop

01:02:05a taste for

01:02:06human flesh

01:02:07of course not

01:02:08aren't you prepared

01:02:09like the vicar

01:02:10of Bray

01:02:10to turn your coat

01:02:11to whatever

01:02:12will bring you

01:02:12profit

01:02:13even to the

01:02:14prophet himself

01:02:15look I

01:02:16love

01:02:17my wives

01:02:18and my children

01:02:19you might not

01:02:22believe it Mr Logan

01:02:23you might not

01:02:23believe it but I

01:02:24am truly considered

01:02:25to be a good

01:02:26husband

01:02:26oh I believe it

01:02:27Mr McNeil

01:02:27after all you're

01:02:28here on trial

01:02:29today because

01:02:29you've been a good

01:02:30husband rather

01:02:30more times than

01:02:31English law

01:02:32permits

01:02:32now will you

01:02:34look at this

01:02:34document

01:02:35that is

01:02:44the notice

01:02:45of marriage

01:02:45completed by

01:02:46you in your

01:02:46handwriting so

01:02:47that you could

01:02:48obtain a marriage

01:02:48license isn't it

01:02:49yes yes

01:02:50and in it you

01:02:50declare that to

01:02:51the best of your

01:02:51belief there was

01:02:52no impediment

01:02:53to the marriage

01:02:54yes

01:02:54see that

01:02:54yes yes

01:02:55and that

01:02:55declaration was

01:02:56false wasn't it

01:02:57because even if

01:02:59we accept your

01:02:59story about the

01:03:00divorces

01:03:00you were still

01:03:02married to three

01:03:03Muslim wives

01:03:04when you applied

01:03:05for the license

01:03:05to marry Anne

01:03:06Bolton

01:03:06but I mean I

01:03:07took legal advice

01:03:08you took legal

01:03:09advice from whom

01:03:10a lawyer in

01:03:11Mogadishu

01:03:11well about what

01:03:12whether in English

01:03:12law your Muslim

01:03:13wives were an

01:03:14impediment to an

01:03:15English marriage

01:03:15yes exactly

01:03:16and what did he

01:03:17tell you

01:03:17he said it was

01:03:18all right

01:03:18will that lawyer

01:03:20be giving evidence

01:03:21well no I mean

01:03:22he's still in

01:03:23Mogadishu

01:03:24well have you a

01:03:24copy of his

01:03:25advice

01:03:25no copy

01:03:27he didn't write

01:03:27it there

01:03:28he just told me

01:03:28well didn't you

01:03:29think of consulting

01:03:29an English lawyer

01:03:30no I did not

01:03:33come now

01:03:34Mr McNeil

01:03:35this is a story

01:03:36you've dreamt up

01:03:37to try and get

01:03:37yourself out of

01:03:38the difficulty

01:03:38of having falsely

01:03:39declared that there

01:03:39was no impediment

01:03:40to your marriage

01:03:41with Anne Bolton

01:03:41no no honestly

01:03:42that's true

01:03:43hmm

01:03:44now let's look at

01:03:46your first trip

01:03:46back to this

01:03:47country

01:03:471956 wasn't it

01:03:49yes

01:03:50shortly after Suey's

01:03:51in fact

01:03:51yes

01:03:52yes that must have

01:03:53interfered a bit

01:03:53with the pilgrim trade

01:03:54yes it had an effect

01:03:56such an effect

01:03:57on your business

01:03:57that you came

01:03:58that you had to

01:03:59come back to this

01:04:00country and find

01:04:00yourself a wife

01:04:01with money to

01:04:02inject into your

01:04:03company

01:04:03no sir that was

01:04:04not the reason

01:04:05I fell in love

01:04:07with Agnes

01:04:08as you fell in

01:04:09love with Susan

01:04:09what 11 years

01:04:11later

01:04:11I fell in love

01:04:13with Susan

01:04:13she had money

01:04:14too didn't she

01:04:15yes

01:04:15and you married

01:04:17in that year

01:04:17the same year

01:04:18as the six day

01:04:19war did you not

01:04:20yes but I don't

01:04:22quite see what

01:04:22that has to do

01:04:23with my marrying

01:04:24Susan

01:04:24well this court

01:04:25doesn't have the

01:04:25accounts of your

01:04:26company in Somalia

01:04:27Mr McNeil

01:04:27but if it did

01:04:28would those

01:04:28accounts not reveal

01:04:29that 1967 was a

01:04:30bad year for your

01:04:31import export business

01:04:32or what you call

01:04:33your pilgrim trade

01:04:34no

01:04:35and what about

01:04:36your most recent

01:04:37marriage was 1972

01:04:38another bad year

01:04:39for your business

01:04:39interests

01:04:40no

01:04:40what were your

01:04:41profits for 1972

01:04:42I mean I don't

01:04:44know offhand

01:04:45and why within a few

01:04:46days of your last

01:04:47wedding were you

01:04:48attempting to price

01:04:49the value of your

01:04:49latest wife's property

01:04:50because

01:04:53well honestly

01:04:56because Anne

01:04:57is a bit simple

01:04:59when it comes to

01:05:00business

01:05:00I believed

01:05:01that possibly

01:05:02the property

01:05:03was worth a very

01:05:04great deal more

01:05:05than she imagined

01:05:06then why not

01:05:06discuss the matter

01:05:07with her

01:05:07I just thought

01:05:09it would come

01:05:09as a nice surprise

01:05:10a surprise

01:05:12and why didn't

01:05:13you explain to

01:05:14Agnes and to

01:05:14Susan that you

01:05:15were a Muslim

01:05:15and already had

01:05:16three wives

01:05:17was that another

01:05:18surprise

01:05:18no I've told you

01:05:20already

01:05:20I've said already

01:05:21haven't I

01:05:22I didn't think

01:05:23they would understand

01:05:24I don't suppose

01:05:25they would

01:05:25and how is it

01:05:27that you conveniently

01:05:27divorced each one

01:05:28when it became

01:05:29obvious that you

01:05:30could squeeze

01:05:30no more money

01:05:31out of them

01:05:32I did not

01:05:32squeeze money

01:05:34out of anybody

01:05:35they put money

01:05:35into my business

01:05:36yes but

01:05:36perfectly voluntarily

01:05:37no Mr McNeil

01:05:39it's just too much

01:05:39of a coincidence

01:05:40if you'd really

01:05:40cared about these

01:05:41women you would

01:05:42have informed them

01:05:42when you allegedly

01:05:43repudiated them

01:05:44in the mosque

01:05:44of Mogadishu

01:05:45wouldn't you

01:05:45but you didn't

01:05:48how many women

01:05:49have you married

01:05:49in all

01:05:50including your

01:05:50Muslim wives

01:05:51seven

01:05:52yes it says

01:05:54in the Quran

01:05:56in Surah

01:05:58chapter 4

01:05:59verse 3

01:06:00marry as pleases you

01:06:02two three

01:06:04or four women

01:06:05and if ye fear

01:06:06ye cannot be

01:06:07equitable

01:06:07then only one

01:06:10you've rather

01:06:11exceeded your quota

01:06:12haven't you Mr McNeil

01:06:13no sir

01:06:15there is no quota

01:06:16in the Quran

01:06:18and it also says

01:06:19in Surah

01:06:20the same chapter

01:06:21I think

01:06:22men are the

01:06:23protectors

01:06:24and the maintainers

01:06:25of women

01:06:25for God has given

01:06:27the one

01:06:27more strength

01:06:29than the other

01:06:29yes Mr Logan

01:06:30just you ask

01:06:31any of my wives

01:06:32if I have been

01:06:33a good husband

01:06:33yes indeed

01:06:34Mr McNeil

01:06:35seven times

01:06:36in fact

01:06:36your consideration

01:06:38exceeds your credibility

01:06:39I put it to you

01:06:40that you married

01:06:41these three women

01:06:41for money

01:06:42not for love

01:06:43and that you have

01:06:44never had any

01:06:45intention at all

01:06:46of living with them

01:06:46till death

01:06:47did you part

01:06:48now Mr Logan

01:06:49that's not true

01:06:49and it's not a nice

01:06:50thing to say

01:06:51to clarify a few points

01:07:15my lord

01:07:16Mr McNeil

01:07:17you have been a follower

01:07:18of the Mohammedism

01:07:21for 25 years

01:07:23yes sir

01:07:24correct

01:07:24virtually all your adult life

01:07:26yes sir

01:07:27it could be said

01:07:28that you think

01:07:28like a Muslim

01:07:29yes

01:07:30I suppose so

01:07:32you don't think

01:07:32like a normal member

01:07:33of the Church of Scotland

01:07:34no sir

01:07:35why did you marry

01:07:36your three British wives

01:07:37in registry offices

01:07:39well I couldn't marry

01:07:40them in the church

01:07:41sir

01:07:41I'm not Christian

01:07:42did you divorce

01:07:43Agnes and Susan

01:07:44according to

01:07:44Islamic tradition

01:07:46yes sir

01:07:47I did

01:07:47thank you Mr McNeil

01:07:49I think this is

01:07:50an appropriate time

01:07:51to adjourn

01:07:52I will hear final

01:07:53speeches for the

01:07:54prosecution

01:07:54and the defence

01:07:55after lunch

01:07:57all stand

01:07:58now

01:08:06so far as the

01:08:07first charge

01:08:08of bigamy

01:08:08is concerned

01:08:09members of the jury

01:08:10it is right

01:08:11that I should tell you

01:08:11at once

01:08:12that the prosecution

01:08:13are not proceeding

01:08:14with it

01:08:14for the reason

01:08:15that it is clear

01:08:16that when the accused

01:08:17married Susan McNeil

01:08:18and for that matter

01:08:19Agnes McNeil

01:08:20he was already married

01:08:21to a number

01:08:22of Muslim wives

01:08:23which means

01:08:24in English law

01:08:25that both these marriages

01:08:26were void

01:08:27well I'm glad

01:08:27you've raised that point

01:08:28Mr Logan

01:08:29it's been worrying me

01:08:30but I've looked it up

01:08:31and I think you're right

01:08:32Bain Dale

01:08:33against Bain Dale

01:08:34decides

01:08:35that where a man

01:08:35who has already

01:08:36entered a potentially

01:08:37polygamous marriage

01:08:38marries again

01:08:40in England

01:08:40the English marriage

01:08:42is void

01:08:43so that neither

01:08:44Mrs Agnes McNeil

01:08:46nor Mrs Susan McNeil

01:08:47were ever married

01:08:48to Mr McNeil

01:08:49and it would appear

01:08:50that these ladies

01:08:51as it were

01:08:52were living in sin

01:08:53with him

01:08:54it would appear so

01:08:55my lord

01:08:56now let us get on

01:08:57however

01:08:58members of the jury

01:08:59the other two charges

01:09:00stand

01:09:00there can be no doubt

01:09:02that the accused

01:09:02did make false

01:09:03representations to

01:09:04Miss Bolton

01:09:05both expressly

01:09:06and by implication

01:09:07he proposed marriage

01:09:09thus by implication

01:09:10representing

01:09:11he was free

01:09:12to enter into

01:09:13a valid

01:09:13monogamous marriage

01:09:14now that was

01:09:15untrue

01:09:16he told her

01:09:18that he was a widower

01:09:19that was untrue

01:09:21he told her

01:09:22they would always

01:09:23be together

01:09:24after the marriage

01:09:25now I suggest

01:09:26to you

01:09:26that was untrue

01:09:28and that he never

01:09:29had any such

01:09:29intentions

01:09:30I submit

01:09:32that the pattern

01:09:32of his marriages

01:09:33suggests that he

01:09:34entered into them

01:09:34for money

01:09:35prepared to discard

01:09:37his wives

01:09:37at his convenience

01:09:38after he'd got

01:09:39the money he wanted

01:09:40now members of the

01:09:42jury that is enough

01:09:43in my submission

01:09:44it is clear

01:09:44that the accused

01:09:45is guilty of the

01:09:46offence of attempting

01:09:47to obtain money

01:09:48by deception

01:09:49the third charge

01:09:51still stands

01:09:52his marriages

01:09:54to the Muslim ladies

01:09:55were and are

01:09:56an impediment

01:09:57to a valid marriage

01:09:58in England

01:09:59as you have heard

01:10:00the accused

01:10:01in order to get

01:10:02a marriage license

01:10:03made a written

01:10:04declaration

01:10:05that in his belief

01:10:06there was no

01:10:06impediment to that

01:10:07marriage

01:10:08that declaration

01:10:09was false

01:10:10and if he knew

01:10:11it as I suggest

01:10:12he clearly did

01:10:13then he is

01:10:14plainly guilty

01:10:15my lady friend

01:10:22has suggested

01:10:23that the pattern

01:10:24of his marriages

01:10:25demonstrates that

01:10:26Mr McNeil

01:10:26was only interested

01:10:28in money

01:10:28but if that was so

01:10:30why is it that

01:10:31all his wives

01:10:31found him so affectionate

01:10:32were so contented

01:10:34with him as a husband

01:10:35so much so indeed

01:10:36that all three

01:10:37are prepared

01:10:38to take him back

01:10:38well I submit

01:10:40ladies and gentlemen

01:10:41that the only verdict

01:10:42on this charge

01:10:43can be one

01:10:43of not guilty

01:10:44as to the one

01:10:46remaining charge

01:10:47it's true

01:10:48that Mr McNeil

01:10:48falsely declared

01:10:49that there was

01:10:50no impediment

01:10:51to the proposed

01:10:51marriage to Miss Bolton

01:10:52but that is only

01:10:54an offence

01:10:55if he knew

01:10:56his Muslim marriages

01:10:57were such an impediment

01:10:58and he says

01:10:59that he didn't

01:11:00that he had been

01:11:01advised by a lawyer

01:11:02that he could

01:11:03legally enter

01:11:04into such a marriage

01:11:05well do you think

01:11:06he was lying about this

01:11:07did he appear to you

01:11:08like a liar

01:11:09when he was giving evidence

01:11:10no members of the jury

01:11:11you have no alternative

01:11:13but to acquit him

01:11:14on this charge also

01:11:15now members of the jury

01:11:19as you have heard

01:11:20the charge of bigamy

01:11:21has been dropped

01:11:22and I accordingly

01:11:23direct you

01:11:24to bring in a verdict

01:11:25of not guilty

01:11:26on that charge

01:11:27as to the other

01:11:29two charges

01:11:30it is for you

01:11:31to decide

01:11:31whether they have

01:11:32been made out

01:11:33I am merely here

01:11:34to assist you

01:11:35with the law

01:11:36now the vital issue

01:11:38on the first charge

01:11:39is whether Mr MacNeill

01:11:41was acting dishonestly

01:11:43when it was arranged

01:11:44that Miss Bolton

01:11:45should convey

01:11:46her flats to him

01:11:47does the fact

01:11:49that he was negotiating

01:11:50a price for them

01:11:51which she had not

01:11:52authorised

01:11:53suggest that he was

01:11:54intending to deprive her

01:11:56of that property

01:11:56or of the proceeds

01:11:58from the sale

01:11:59of that property

01:12:00or was he

01:12:01as he says

01:12:02merely establishing

01:12:03their value

01:12:04as a natural part

01:12:05of his management

01:12:06of them

01:12:07now those questions

01:12:08are for you

01:12:10to decide

01:12:11as to the second charge

01:12:13the vital question

01:12:14is whether he believed

01:12:15as he claims

01:12:16that his Muslim marriages

01:12:18were not an impediment

01:12:19to the marriage

01:12:20with Miss Bolton

01:12:21he says

01:12:23he was so advised

01:12:24there is no corroboration

01:12:26of this

01:12:27and you may think

01:12:28that it would have

01:12:28helped you

01:12:29if Mr MacNeil

01:12:31had called the lawyer

01:12:32who advised him

01:12:33to give evidence

01:12:34but he did not do so

01:12:36but there we are

01:12:38you must decide

01:12:40whether you believe

01:12:42Mr MacNeil

01:12:43now you must remember

01:12:44that the prosecution

01:12:45has to prove its case

01:12:46beyond all reasonable doubt

01:12:48so if there is

01:12:49a reasonable doubt

01:12:50in your mind

01:12:52as to whether

01:12:52Mr MacNeil

01:12:53is guilty

01:12:54or not guilty

01:12:55then you must return

01:12:57your verdict accordingly

01:12:58now members of the jury

01:13:00will you kindly retire

01:13:01to consider your verdict

01:13:03all stand

01:13:05members of the jury

01:13:12will your foreman

01:13:13please stand

01:13:14answer this question

01:13:15yes or no

01:13:16have you reached verdicts

01:13:18on which you're all agreed

01:13:19we have

01:13:19do you find the prisoner

01:13:21at the bar

01:13:21Archibald Dunbar MacNeil

01:13:23guilty or not guilty

01:13:24of the charge of bigamy

01:13:25not guilty

01:13:26do you find Archibald Dunbar MacNeil

01:13:28guilty or not guilty

01:13:29of the charge of attempting

01:13:30to obtain money by deception

01:13:32not guilty

01:13:33do you find Archibald Dunbar MacNeil

01:13:36guilty or not guilty

01:13:37of knowingly making

01:13:38a false declaration

01:13:39for the purposes

01:13:40of obtaining a marriage licence

01:13:41not guilty

01:13:42thank you

01:13:43all stand

01:13:45another

01:13:47un

01:14:02Next week, a chance to join another jury in assessing the facts

01:14:23when our cameras return to watch a leading case in the Crown Court.

Crown Court - A View to Matrimony (1973)

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