Crown Court - An Englishman's Home (1080p) (Complete) - video Dailymotion

Forgotten British TV

Squatters from the university occupied what they thought was an empty holiday home and changed the locks to prevent the owner's re-entry. It was in fact the permanent home of Edward Lumsden, an elderly man. When he returned home to find himself locked-out he called his daughter Vera Chadwick who came to the house to resolve the matter. IMDB Starring Alan Rowe, Thorley Walters, Ronald Hines, Ann Mitchell, Michael Lees, Jonathan Coy, Mervyn Johns, Elizabeth Cassidy, Fred Feast.  Episodes aired Nov 12-14, 1975

Transcript

00:00:20Vera Chadwick, a farmer's wife and mother of three children, stands accused of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily

00:00:26harm.

00:00:27It is alleged that in August this year, in the kitchen of her father's cottage, she shot and seriously injured

00:00:33John Worsley.

00:00:34Mrs Chadwick pleads not guilty.

00:00:36All stand.

00:00:39Mr Chadwick.

00:00:48Inspector Thompson, on the morning of August the 14th, were you the senior officer on duty at the divisional police

00:00:55station in North Fulbright?

00:00:58I was, sir.

00:00:59And were you alerted to an incident at the property known as Church Cottage off Plantation Lane near the village

00:01:06of Stubcroft?

00:01:07I was, sir.

00:01:09And would you please tell us what you found there?

00:01:11May I refer to my notes, Your Honor?

00:01:13When did you make them?

00:01:14About one hour after the events themselves, Your Honor.

00:01:16Yes, very well, Mr.

00:01:17Thank you, Your Honor.

00:01:18In company with Sergeant Wilson, I reached Church Cottage at 10.52 a.m.

00:01:23The house stands by itself at the end of a narrow lane.

00:01:26Blocking this lane near the house was a saloon car.

00:01:29I had to move this vehicle before the police car could reach the house.

00:01:33So, in fact, you were the first person on the scene?

00:01:35Yes, sir.

00:01:37And on reaching Church Cottage, Inspector, what did you find?

00:01:40Considerable confusion, sir.

00:01:42The first person I saw was an elderly man, whom I later learned to be Mr. Edward Lumsden, the tenant

00:01:47of the property.

00:01:48He was sitting on the ground with his back to the wall of the house, apparently in a state of

00:01:52shock.

00:01:52I said to him, what's the trouble here?

00:01:55And he replied?

00:01:57No, sir.

00:01:57He seemed unable to speak.

00:01:58He just shook his head.

00:02:00I then saw a young woman, whom I now know to be Miss Margaret Stone.

00:02:03She came round the corner of the house carrying a double-barrel shotgun.

00:02:06She handed me the shotgun and said, you had better take charge of this.

00:02:10It has done enough damage.

00:02:12Yes.

00:02:12Well, may he be shown Exhibit 1, please?

00:02:23Do you recognise it, Inspector?

00:02:24Yes, sir.

00:02:25That is the shotgun Miss Stone handed to me.

00:02:28Would you continue with your account, please?

00:02:30Having made sure the gun was safe, I handed it to my companion, Sergeant Wilson,

00:02:33and proceeded round the back of the cottage to the back door.

00:02:36This door was hanging inward, sir, as if forced in, with the hinges broken.

00:02:42Inside the kitchen, lying on the floor, was an injured man.

00:02:44And this was Mr John Worsley?

00:02:46Yes, sir.

00:02:47So I subsequently ascertained.

00:02:49He had evidently been shot and was bleeding from the head, shoulder and left arm.

00:02:53He was just conscious, sir, and evidently in considerable pain.

00:02:57Was he alone in the kitchen?

00:02:58No, sir.

00:02:59The accuser's with him, Vera Chadwick.

00:03:01She was kneeling on the floor, holding the injured man by the head and wiping his face.

00:03:05She was crying, sir.

00:03:07I said to her, what has happened here?

00:03:10She replied, I have killed him.

00:03:12Oh, God, I have killed him.

00:03:14I have killed him.

00:03:16I see.

00:03:18What happened then?

00:03:19The ambulance then arrived, sir.

00:03:20Mr Worsley was taken to Fulchester General Hospital to be treated for his injuries.

00:03:23At this point, I cautioned the accused, and she replied, he should not have been here.

00:03:29He tried to steal my dad's house.

00:03:31He tried to steal my dad's house?

00:03:33Yes, sir.

00:03:35I then showed her the shotgun and asked if it was her property.

00:03:38She replied, no, it is Frank's.

00:03:41Who is Frank?

00:03:42Frank Chadwick is the accused husband, Your Honor.

00:03:45The shotgun is licensed in his name.

00:03:47I then said, did you shoot him?

00:03:49Meaning, the young man, Your Honor.

00:03:51And she replied, yes, it was me.

00:03:53He should not have been here.

00:03:55So, you asked the accused if she shot Mr Worsley, and she replied, yes, it was me.

00:04:05Yes, sir.

00:04:06Right.

00:04:07The accused was then taken to Fulchester Police Station, where she was later charged.

00:04:11Thank you, Inspector.

00:04:14Now, Inspector, you told us that you were on duty at the North Fulbright Station on the

00:04:19morning of August the 14th, when you were alerted to an incident at Church Cottage.

00:04:25Were you surprised?

00:04:27Surprised, sir?

00:04:28I don't think I understand that question, sir.

00:04:30We get a good many incidents referred to us every day.

00:04:33Well, let me put the question another way.

00:04:36When you received word of an incident at Church Cottage, were you expecting it?

00:04:40Your Honor, I fail to see the relevance of the inspector's anticipations.

00:04:46Well, Mr Ferguson?

00:04:47Your Honor, the emotional atmosphere in which the shooting occurred is crucial in this case,

00:04:50and I hope the answer to my question will shed light on the atmosphere which prevailed.

00:04:55Very well, Mr Ferguson.

00:04:56You may put the question.

00:04:57Thank you, Your Honor.

00:04:58Now, Inspector, were you expecting trouble at Church Cottage?

00:05:02No, sir, I wasn't.

00:05:03Not serious trouble.

00:05:04If I had been expecting trouble, sir, I would have taken steps to prevent it.

00:05:09Nevertheless, on August the 13th, the day before Mr Worsley's shooting,

00:05:13you received a telephone call regarding Church Cottage, did you not?

00:05:17Yes, sir, from Mr Edward Lumsden, the tenant of Church Cottage.

00:05:20Yes, and Mr Lumsden is the accused's father.

00:05:24Yes, sir.

00:05:24He telephoned the North Fulchester station, was eventually put through to me.

00:05:28He said somebody had stolen his house.

00:05:30I asked him what he meant by this, and it turned out there were squatters in it.

00:05:33He'd been away from home for a couple of weeks, sir, just got back.

00:05:36He seemed to want the police to go up to the cottage and arrest the squatters.

00:05:40I had to explain to him we couldn't do this.

00:05:43But this was a cry for help.

00:05:45He wanted help, sir, yes.

00:05:48I told him the best thing he could do was to see a solicitor right away.

00:05:52Well, in other words, you wouldn't help him.

00:05:54No, sir, I did help as best I could, by suggesting he obtained legal advice.

00:06:00You see, sir, in the previous few days, there'd been four other cottages in the area occupied by squatters.

00:06:05All members of this action homeless campaign from the university, sir.

00:06:11These people know just what they're doing.

00:06:13They use the law to their own advantage.

00:06:15We have to be very careful how we proceed.

00:06:17Am I right in thinking, Inspector, that the Fulchester force received a rap over the knuckles last year

00:06:22for somewhat precipitous action in a case involving squatters who were forcibly ejected?

00:06:27Uh, yes, Your Honor.

00:06:29Would it be true to say that the police force is reluctant to become involved in squatting cases without obvious

00:06:35criminal offence?

00:06:36Oh, yes. Yes, Your Honor.

00:06:39Proceed.

00:06:39Thank you, Your Honor.

00:06:40So, when Mr. Lamsden told you that the squatters had taken over his home, you told him that the police

00:06:46would take no action?

00:06:47Not exactly, sir.

00:06:49I told him we'd make inquiries.

00:06:51But from what he'd told me, that's about all we could do, sir.

00:06:54I see.

00:06:55And on the following day, the day of Mr. Worsley's shooting, how far had you got with these inquiries?

00:07:00Well, we haven't, sir.

00:07:01You see, in the four other cases referred to us, all squatters made by the same group,

00:07:06we'd found no criminal offence by the squatters.

00:07:09In each case, we advise the owner of the property to seek legal action through the courts, just as I

00:07:15advised Mr. Lamsden.

00:07:16Yes, but these four other cases of squatting involved holiday cottages, did they not?

00:07:20Yes, sir.

00:07:21Whereas, church cottage, far from being anyone's holiday retreat, is Mr. Lamsden's one and only home.

00:07:27Yes, indeed, sir. So I understood.

00:07:30And if Mr. Lamsden had been the owner of the property, not just the tenant, well, we might have risked

00:07:35action, sir.

00:07:36But it's a very tricky area of the law, sirs. Perhaps you may be aware.

00:07:41Thank you, Inspector. Yes, yes, I am aware of the law.

00:07:45And so the day following Mr. Lamsden's appeal to you, and your no doubt regretful refusal to interfere,

00:07:51you were called to an incident at church cottage.

00:07:54So, you were not surprised.

00:07:57Really, Your Honour, the witness has already been asked this question, and answered it fully.

00:08:03Yes, sir, Mr. Lamsden.

00:08:04We're in no doubt as to your views on this matter, Mr. Ferguson, and we really must get on.

00:08:10Now, Inspector, you've told us that the shotgun, the property of the defendant's husband, was handed to you as soon

00:08:17as you arrived at church cottage.

00:08:18Yes, sir, by Miss Margaret Stone.

00:08:20Ah, yes, yes, by Miss Stone.

00:08:23Yes, we shall be hearing a great deal about that lady in due course.

00:08:27Now, Inspector, did you examine the gun?

00:08:30Well, I checked the gun to see if either barrel was loaded, sir. It wasn't.

00:08:34But, of course, a more thorough examination was made later at the police station.

00:08:38What did that examination show?

00:08:40One barrel had been fired recently, sir, the other barrel not for some considerable time, a matter of weeks.

00:08:46So, on August the 14th, only one of the two barrels had been fired.

00:08:49I mean, you've told us that the gun was empty when it was handed to you,

00:08:53so unless someone else unloaded the second barrel after Mr. Worsley's shooting,

00:08:58only one of the barrels had, in fact, been loaded.

00:09:01Yes, sir.

00:09:02Now, did you ask Miss Stone if she had unloaded the second barrel?

00:09:06Yes, sir, she said she hadn't.

00:09:07She'd merely taken possession of the gun after Mr. Worsley's shooting.

00:09:11Yes.

00:09:12Now, after Miss Stone had handed you the shotgun

00:09:14and you went into the kitchen where you found the injured man and the defendant,

00:09:17what was the defendant wearing?

00:09:20Well, a dress of some sort, sir.

00:09:23No, no, not a dress exactly.

00:09:25One of those things that women wear in the kitchen, sir.

00:09:28A penny?

00:09:29Yes, a pinafore.

00:09:30Oh, yes.

00:09:31So Mrs. Chadwick drove the 30 miles from her own home to her father's cottage wearing a pinafore.

00:09:37Apparently so, sir.

00:09:40And when you entered the kitchen where the injured man was lying,

00:09:43Mrs. Chadwick was attending to the injured man, cradling his head?

00:09:47Yes, sir.

00:09:48In crying, you said?

00:09:49Yes, sir.

00:09:50Now, when the ambulance arrived, Inspector, and Mr. Worsley was put into it to be taken

00:09:54to the hospital, what did the defendant do?

00:09:57She tried to get into the ambulance with him, sir.

00:10:01What was that?

00:10:01She said she wanted to go to the hospital with him to look after him on the way.

00:10:05I had to restrain her, sir.

00:10:07Oh, why?

00:10:07Was she hysterical?

00:10:08No, sir.

00:10:10Agitated and upset?

00:10:11Yes, sir.

00:10:12Yes.

00:10:13Now, you've described the defendant as attending to the injured man, crying, you said, evidently

00:10:18upset, wanting to go into the ambulance with him to accompany him to the hospital.

00:10:22Now, is that the behaviour of a woman who'd set out coldly and determinately to inflict

00:10:28grievous damage on a fellow creature?

00:10:30Oh, really?

00:10:31Your Honour.

00:10:32Crying.

00:10:33You know perfectly well, Mr. Ferguson, that this question you attempted to put to the witness

00:10:37is the very question which the jury will have to decide.

00:10:50You are John Andrew Worsley of Flat 5, 23 Burgundy Street, Fulchester?

00:10:57Yes.

00:10:58And you're a second-year student at Fulchester University?

00:11:02Yes.

00:11:03And on August the 14th at Church Cottage, did you suffer shotgun wounds?

00:11:07Yes, I did.

00:11:09Now, Mr. Worsley, the court has heard details of your injuries and treatment from Dr. Ramsden.

00:11:15But would you tell us what the long-term effects of your injuries have been?

00:11:20I've lost the sight of one eye.

00:11:22I must ask you to speak louder, Mr. Worsley.

00:11:24I can scarcely hear you.

00:11:25I'm sure the jury can't.

00:11:27Will you please answer that question again?

00:11:29I'm blind in my left eye.

00:11:31And that is a permanent condition?

00:11:33Obviously, yes.

00:11:35Now, Mr. Worsley, will you explain what you were doing at Church Cottage in the first place?

00:11:40Well, I was squatting.

00:11:42It was part of a campaign to take over empty houses and move homeless families into them.

00:11:46I see.

00:11:47And were you alone?

00:11:48No, Margaret was there too.

00:11:50Margaret Stone.

00:11:51Just one other person.

00:11:54Now, when did you enter Church Cottage?

00:11:56It was August the 12th, two days before I got shot.

00:12:01I see.

00:12:02Now, Mr. Worsley, I'm going to ask you about the events of that day, August the 14th.

00:12:07Will you tell us what happened on that morning?

00:12:12Well, we saw the old man was outside again.

00:12:14Yes, you're referring, of course, to Mr. Lumsden, the tenant of the cottage.

00:12:18Yeah, Mr. Lumsden.

00:12:19We saw him outside when we first looked out of the window that morning.

00:12:24And then, a bit later on, a car came up and pulled up at the end of the lane that

00:12:29leads to the house.

00:12:30At first, we thought it was a friend of ours because we were expecting him to come from Fulchester with

00:12:34a family that had nowhere to live.

00:12:36And then we saw it wasn't a friend.

00:12:39It was a woman carrying a gun.

00:12:41Can you see that woman now?

00:12:44Yes, that's her.

00:12:46Yes, yes, the accused, Vera Shadwick.

00:12:50And, um, what did she do?

00:12:53Well, she talked to the old man, Mr. Lumsden, for a while.

00:12:57And then she came up to the front door and hammered on it.

00:12:59With a gun?

00:13:00No, no, with her hand.

00:13:02She banged on the door and she shouted at us to come out.

00:13:05We were upstairs, looking down from the front bedroom window.

00:13:09And did you come out?

00:13:10No.

00:13:11Margaret said to her she was wasting her time banging and shouting like that.

00:13:15She told her we weren't coming out and we weren't going to hand the house over.

00:13:18Just a moment.

00:13:19I'm rather puzzled.

00:13:20You say that your motive for squatting in this cottage was to provide accommodation for homeless people.

00:13:25Yeah.

00:13:26Yet by occupying this house you were making the tenant, Mr. Lumsden, homeless.

00:13:30Well, yes, but we didn't know that.

00:13:32We thought the house was Mr. Lumsden's holiday cottage, his second home.

00:13:36Well, it was a mistake.

00:13:38Yes, it was indeed.

00:13:40Carry on, Mr. Unwin.

00:13:41Right.

00:13:42And what did the accused do then?

00:13:45Well, she tried pushing at the door a bit.

00:13:48She couldn't get in.

00:13:49It was a big heavy door and it was bolted.

00:13:52And then she started swearing at us.

00:13:55And then she went a little way away with Mr. Lumsden, behind the car into some trees so we couldn't

00:13:59see them.

00:14:00It was like that for about 20 minutes.

00:14:03Then I saw the old man, Mr. Lumsden.

00:14:06He came up to the front door and he had a big heavy stick and he started hammering on it.

00:14:11I knew he couldn't get in, but anyway.

00:14:14We went downstairs and we got hold of a chest of drawers from the front room

00:14:18and we dragged it into the passage behind the front door.

00:14:22And then, all of a sudden, we heard a crash from the back of the house.

00:14:26See, what sort of a crash?

00:14:28Well, like somebody breaking wood.

00:14:30And Margaret said to me, stay here, guard the front door.

00:14:34And she ran to the kitchen where the back door is.

00:14:37And you stayed at the front door?

00:14:39Yeah.

00:14:40I see.

00:14:41Well, what happened after your companion left to run to the kitchen?

00:14:45Well, the old man was still banging on the front door and shouting.

00:14:50And then I heard another crash from the back of the house.

00:14:52Well, a similar crash to the first one.

00:14:54Yeah.

00:14:55And then I heard Margaret shouting.

00:14:57I see.

00:14:58And what did she shout?

00:15:00Well, I don't remember exactly.

00:15:02Everything happened so fast and there was all the banging at the front door.

00:15:06It was just something like, get out, get out.

00:15:09I see.

00:15:10So what did you do?

00:15:11Well, I ran through the house to the kitchen.

00:15:14I ran through the front room.

00:15:17And I flung open the kitchen door.

00:15:19And what did you see in the kitchen?

00:15:21Well, she was in.

00:15:23Mrs. Chadwick.

00:15:25The back door was open.

00:15:26We'd bolted it, but she'd busted in somehow.

00:15:28It was hanging all wrong.

00:15:30Well, when I opened the door from the front room, I stopped because of the gun.

00:15:35And she turned towards me.

00:15:38And I saw the gun come up.

00:15:40You say the accused turned towards you?

00:15:43Uh, yes.

00:15:44And raised the gun?

00:15:45Yes.

00:15:47How far away was the accused?

00:15:50The length of the kitchen, about 15 feet, I suppose, perhaps a bit more.

00:15:54Rather closer than I am to you now?

00:15:56Yes.

00:15:56I see.

00:15:57So the accused turned towards you and raised the gun.

00:16:01And then what happened?

00:16:03Well, I'm not...

00:16:05I'm not very clear about it.

00:16:07But, um, I put my arm up in front of my face to try and protect myself.

00:16:12I sort of got my shoulder up.

00:16:14And then...

00:16:16Then I felt as if I'd been slammed on the head.

00:16:19And there was a tremendous noise.

00:16:23And, um, I'm afraid I don't really remember much else.

00:16:25Not till after.

00:16:26Not till I was in the hospital.

00:16:28Thank you, Mr. Worsley.

00:16:29Will you wait there, please?

00:16:33Now, Mr. Worsley.

00:16:35You've told us that you occupied Church Cottage.

00:16:39On August the 12th.

00:16:41Hmm?

00:16:42Did you break in?

00:16:43No, definitely not.

00:16:45There was a window left open, and I got in through that.

00:16:48I see.

00:16:49Thereby avoiding prosecution under the statute of forcible entry in the Criminal Damage Act.

00:16:54Yes.

00:16:54Obviously, your action group knows its way around the law.

00:16:58Hmm?

00:16:59Who's your legal expert?

00:17:00You?

00:17:00No, Margaret is.

00:17:02Well, I mean, we all know quite a bit about squatting in the law.

00:17:06Yes, you mentioned Margaret.

00:17:07That would be your companion.

00:17:08At Mr. Lumsden's cottage.

00:17:10Margaret Stone.

00:17:11Yes.

00:17:13Did you know that Mr. Lumsden lived in the cottage?

00:17:16Well, no, we didn't.

00:17:18I see.

00:17:19You just liked the look of it, did you?

00:17:21And picked it at random.

00:17:22No, of course not.

00:17:23It wasn't like that.

00:17:24We thought the house was Mr. Lumsden's holiday cottage.

00:17:27Oh, I see.

00:17:28You thought.

00:17:28You didn't care enough to establish the facts.

00:17:31It wasn't at all like that.

00:17:33We thought we did know the facts.

00:17:35Some of us feel strongly enough about homeless families

00:17:37to want to do something about it.

00:17:39And when you see holiday cottages standing empty most of the year

00:17:41while other people have nowhere to live,

00:17:43well, we got Mr. Lumsden's house mixed up with another one.

00:17:47His house is called Church Cottage.

00:17:49There's another one called Church House about two miles away.

00:17:52That is a holiday cottage.

00:17:53Well, we got the two confused.

00:17:56Yes.

00:17:57Yes, it sounds as though you and your friends are rather confused people.

00:18:01It's the only mistake we've made.

00:18:03Oh, was it, Mr. Worsley?

00:18:04Yes, well, we'll see.

00:18:06Now, this plan to occupy other people's holiday homes.

00:18:10Whose idea was that?

00:18:12Well, several of us decided to do it.

00:18:13Yes, but who proposed this particular action?

00:18:16I don't remember none.

00:18:17Was it Margaret Stone?

00:18:18I don't know.

00:18:21Are you sure you don't know?

00:18:22Well, it might have been Margaret.

00:18:23I mean, it's possible.

00:18:25I see.

00:18:25But it was definitely Miss Stone

00:18:27who occupied Mr. Lumsden's cottage with you, wasn't it?

00:18:29On August the 12th.

00:18:30Yes.

00:18:32And then this country idyll was rather spoiled, wasn't it?

00:18:35Because Mr. Lumsden came back, didn't he?

00:18:37Yes.

00:18:38When was that?

00:18:40It was the day after we'd moved in, the 13th, in the evening.

00:18:43I see.

00:18:44Mr. Lumsden came into his house and he found you there, did he?

00:18:47No, he couldn't come into his house.

00:18:49No?

00:18:49Why not?

00:18:51We'd changed the locks.

00:18:53Oh, well, that was very thoughtful of you, Mr. Worsley.

00:18:55Mr. Lumsden comes back to his own home, finds he can't get in

00:18:58because you've changed the locks.

00:19:02What happened then?

00:19:04Well, Margaret opened the bedroom window

00:19:06and explained to him what we were doing.

00:19:08In what words?

00:19:10She told him that the Action Homeless Campaign Group

00:19:12had moved in to take over accommodation

00:19:14that wasn't occupied by its owner

00:19:16to use for a family that had nowhere to live.

00:19:19And what did Mr. Lumsden say to that?

00:19:21Well, looking back on it now,

00:19:23I don't think he really grasped the situation at first.

00:19:25He was shouting about burglars.

00:19:27Well, I explained to him that we weren't burglars,

00:19:30we were squatters.

00:19:31Oh, well, that must have been a great comfort to him.

00:19:34Well, we didn't know it was his proper home.

00:19:36He never told us.

00:19:36If he told us it was his proper home...

00:19:38Well, if he told you that, Mr. Worsley,

00:19:40what would you have said?

00:19:41Well...

00:19:41Would you have asked Margaret Stone for instructions?

00:19:45No, we'd have moved out.

00:19:46We're not trying to take people's homes away from them.

00:19:49We're trying to get homes for people who have nowhere to live.

00:19:53Very high-minded.

00:19:57Now, Mr. Worsley, you've told my learned friend,

00:19:59if my note is correct,

00:20:00that when Mr. Lumsden was hammering on the front door of his cottage,

00:20:04suddenly you heard a crash at the back door,

00:20:06and Margaret Stone said to you,

00:20:09stay here, guard the front door.

00:20:11Now, is that correct?

00:20:13Yes, that's right.

00:20:15You're used to receiving instructions from Margaret Stone, aren't you?

00:20:18I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean by that.

00:20:20Well, of the two of you, Mr. Worsley,

00:20:21yourself and Miss Stone,

00:20:22isn't she the one who gives the orders

00:20:23and you the one who follows them?

00:20:24She doesn't give me any orders.

00:20:26It's not that sort of relationship.

00:20:28Perhaps you'd give us an idea what sort of relationship it is.

00:20:31Oh, Your Honor,

00:20:31I object to this line of inquiry by my learned friend.

00:20:34It's quite irrelevant.

00:20:36Well, Mr. Ferguson?

00:20:38Your Honor,

00:20:39I intend to show that the witness's relationship with Miss Stone

00:20:41has a very strong bearing on his evidence.

00:20:43Very well, Mr. Ferguson.

00:20:44Thank you, Your Honor.

00:20:45Now, Mr. Worsley,

00:20:48are you and Margaret Stone lovers?

00:20:51Do I have to answer that?

00:20:53Yes, Mr. Worsley.

00:20:55Well, we have been.

00:20:57Were you lovers at the time

00:20:58that you occupied Mr. Lumsden's cottage?

00:21:00Yes.

00:21:01But you're not lovers now?

00:21:03I was in hospital for ten weeks.

00:21:05We haven't been able to see as much of each other.

00:21:07But at the time of the shooting,

00:21:08you were lovers,

00:21:09and you were, were you not?

00:21:11Very much under Margaret Stone's influence politically.

00:21:15We happen to share the same views

00:21:16about most important things.

00:21:18I'm quite capable of thinking for myself.

00:21:22How old are you, Mr. Worsley?

00:21:24I'm 20.

00:21:26Margaret Stone is some years older than you,

00:21:28is she not?

00:21:29She's a little older than I am, yes,

00:21:31but I don't see there's any significance in that.

00:21:35But in this squatting program of yours,

00:21:36this, this campaign to take over the holiday cottages,

00:21:38is it not true to say that Margaret Stone was the brains

00:21:40and you were just one of the rank and file?

00:21:42No, certainly not.

00:21:43We're both people who feel very strongly about certain things.

00:21:46Well, nevertheless, Mr. Worsley,

00:21:47and again, I quote your, your evidence.

00:21:49Stay here and guard the door, she said.

00:21:52She told you what to do and you did it.

00:21:54Well, on that particular occasion...

00:21:55Yes, but she's told you what to do on many occasions,

00:21:58hasn't she?

00:21:58No.

00:21:59Did she tell you what to say in evidence in this court?

00:22:01Oh, really?

00:22:02Really, you honour.

00:22:02I shall allow the question, Mr. Unwin.

00:22:05You must answer, Mr. Worsley.

00:22:06She hasn't told me what to say.

00:22:09What?

00:22:10You're saying that you haven't talked to her,

00:22:11that you haven't discussed this case with her?

00:22:13No, of course we've discussed it, lots of times.

00:22:15It's not exactly an everyday occurrence to us,

00:22:17someone getting shot.

00:22:19I was the one who got shot, she saw it happen.

00:22:21Naturally, we've discussed it.

00:22:23I suggest to you, Mr. Worsley,

00:22:25that your account of the shooting

00:22:25is not based upon your own memory at all.

00:22:27It's based upon Margaret Stone's version of what happened.

00:22:30No.

00:22:30She's told you her version of the events, hasn't she?

00:22:33Over and over again.

00:22:34No.

00:22:34And she's instilled it into you,

00:22:36the correct party line, as it were.

00:22:39Now, look, I've told you what happened,

00:22:40and it's what I saw.

00:22:41Yes.

00:22:42But you didn't see, did you?

00:22:44When the shot was fired,

00:22:46you were cowering against the wall,

00:22:48with your face behind your arms.

00:22:50No.

00:22:52I saw what happened.

00:22:55She shot me, Mrs. Chadwick.

00:22:58She brought her gun,

00:23:00and she pointed it at me,

00:23:02and she shot me.

00:23:17The jury in this case

00:23:18is composed of members of the general public.

00:23:21The Queen against Chadwick

00:23:22will be resumed tomorrow

00:23:23in the Crown Court.

00:23:26The Queen against Chadwick

00:24:00Vera Chadwick is now on trial,

00:24:02accused of wounding

00:24:03with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

00:24:05It is alleged that in August

00:24:06she shot and seriously injured John Wesley,

00:24:09one of two young students

00:24:10who were squatting in her father's cottage.

00:24:13Mrs. Chadwick's father

00:24:14has just been called to give evidence.

00:24:18You are Edward Lumsden

00:24:20of Church Cottage,

00:24:22Plantation Lane,

00:24:23Stubcroft?

00:24:24Yes, I am.

00:24:26How old are you, Mr. Lumsden?

00:24:28I'm going on 74.

00:24:30Perhaps you'd like to sit down

00:24:32while giving your evidence,

00:24:33Mr. Lumsden?

00:24:34Thank you, Your Honour.

00:24:44Carry on, Mr. Lumsden.

00:24:46Mr. Lumsden,

00:24:47at the beginning of August last,

00:24:49you left your home

00:24:50and spent a fortnight

00:24:51with your daughter on her farm.

00:24:53It was Frank's farm,

00:24:56Vera's husband.

00:24:57Quite so.

00:24:58Then on August the 13th,

00:25:00you returned to your own home.

00:25:02Yes.

00:25:03Well, I thought it was my own home

00:25:05till I got there.

00:25:07Then I found out it was different.

00:25:09You found out, in fact,

00:25:10that your house had been taken over

00:25:12by two young squatters.

00:25:13That's right, squatters.

00:25:15That's what they call themselves.

00:25:17I put my key in the lock

00:25:19and nothing happened.

00:25:20I thought I had the wrong key.

00:25:23Damn me, the key was right enough.

00:25:25It was the lock that was wrong.

00:25:28They'd taken my lock off

00:25:30and put a new one on.

00:25:31Now, these squatters, Mr. Lumsden,

00:25:33did you speak to them?

00:25:35Of course I did.

00:25:36I told them to clear off.

00:25:38They wouldn't go.

00:25:40One of them, that young woman,

00:25:42she leaned out of my bedroom window

00:25:44and said she'd taken my house off me.

00:25:46We've heard evidence

00:25:47that these squatters

00:25:48believed your house

00:25:50to be a holiday cottage, Mr. Lumsden.

00:25:52Did they express this belief to you?

00:25:54What?

00:25:55Did these squatters say anything

00:25:57to indicate that they thought

00:25:58your house was a holiday cottage?

00:26:00No.

00:26:02I see. Thank you.

00:26:03It was my home, Your Honor.

00:26:06I just got back from my holidays.

00:26:09I'd been at my daughter's

00:26:10helping them get the hay in.

00:26:12Yes, I understand that.

00:26:14Carry on, Mr. Lumsden.

00:26:15And when these squatters

00:26:17refused to leave, Mr. Lumsden,

00:26:18what did you do?

00:26:20I went to phone for the police.

00:26:22I couldn't use the phone

00:26:24in my own house.

00:26:25I couldn't get in there

00:26:26to use it.

00:26:27And Vera had it

00:26:29put in

00:26:30for emergencies.

00:26:31Yes.

00:26:32Well, where did you phone from?

00:26:33I walked to Stubcroft

00:26:36and used the box

00:26:37across the road from the pub.

00:26:39You spoke to Inspector Thompson

00:26:41at North Wilbur Police Station,

00:26:42did you not?

00:26:43Yes.

00:26:44Thompson.

00:26:45And what was the result

00:26:47of your conversation?

00:26:48Bugger all.

00:26:49Oh.

00:26:50Begging your

00:26:50honor's pardon.

00:26:52He wouldn't do anything.

00:26:55He said he couldn't

00:26:57touch the squatters

00:26:57if they were clever,

00:26:59and this lot was clever.

00:27:01He said I'd have to

00:27:02go to court

00:27:03to have them evicted.

00:27:05And did he give you

00:27:06any further advice?

00:27:07He said to see a solicitor.

00:27:09And did you?

00:27:09No, I haven't got money

00:27:11for solicitors.

00:27:13Anyway,

00:27:14once you're in the hands

00:27:15of solicitors,

00:27:16you're worse off

00:27:17than you were before.

00:27:18So what did you do?

00:27:20I went back home.

00:27:24I thought

00:27:25they might go out

00:27:26and then I'd slip in.

00:27:28They never showed

00:27:29their faces.

00:27:31They were in my bedroom,

00:27:32both of them.

00:27:33I could hear them.

00:27:34And in fact,

00:27:35it was not until

00:27:36next morning

00:27:36that you telephoned

00:27:37to the accused,

00:27:38your daughter.

00:27:39Vera, yes.

00:27:41In the meantime,

00:27:42Mr. Lumsden,

00:27:43where'd you spent the night?

00:27:44In my garden shed.

00:27:46They hadn't taken

00:27:47the lock of that.

00:27:48And when you telephoned

00:27:50your daughter

00:27:50and told her all this,

00:27:52what was her reaction?

00:27:54Well, she drove over

00:27:56in the car.

00:27:57Yes, but prior to that,

00:27:58I mean,

00:27:58when you told her

00:27:59what had happened,

00:28:00how did she respond?

00:28:01Oh, you should have seen her.

00:28:04She was a bit aerated.

00:28:07She was what?

00:28:08Well, she was like,

00:28:10het up, your honour.

00:28:12Angry about it.

00:28:13And did she tell you

00:28:14what to do,

00:28:15Mr. Lumsden?

00:28:17Yes, she told me

00:28:19to go back to my home

00:28:21and wait

00:28:22and keep an eye on things

00:28:23until she got over.

00:28:25You see,

00:28:26it's 30 miles from Vera's.

00:28:29I see.

00:28:29Will you tell us

00:28:29what happened

00:28:30when your daughter

00:28:31arrived?

00:28:33Well,

00:28:33she got out of the car

00:28:35and I showed her

00:28:36the squatters.

00:28:37You could see them

00:28:39hanging out of my bedroom window.

00:28:41I said,

00:28:42look,

00:28:44bold as brass.

00:28:45And she said,

00:28:47yeah,

00:28:47they want shooting.

00:28:48Your daughter said

00:28:49they want shooting?

00:28:52Yeah,

00:28:52but,

00:28:53yeah,

00:28:54not like that.

00:28:55I mean,

00:28:56she didn't mean

00:28:57she wanted to shoot them.

00:28:58Well,

00:28:59in what way

00:28:59do you think she meant it?

00:29:01Well,

00:29:01it's like something you say.

00:29:03I mean,

00:29:04you say it about,

00:29:05well,

00:29:05about a football team

00:29:06if you're disgusted with them.

00:29:08Yes,

00:29:08but when your daughter

00:29:09said it,

00:29:09Mr. Lumsden,

00:29:10she was carrying

00:29:11a shotgun,

00:29:12was she not?

00:29:12but he didn't say it

00:29:13the way you mean.

00:29:17I'm sorry,

00:29:18girl.

00:29:20I've let you in it.

00:29:24Shouldn't have brought you in

00:29:25in the first place.

00:29:30In order to give Mr. Lumsden

00:29:31time to compose himself,

00:29:32I shall now take

00:29:33the luncheon adjournment.

00:29:35Alstern.

00:29:39When your daughter

00:29:40got out of the car,

00:29:41Mr. Lumsden,

00:29:42she was carrying

00:29:43the shotgun.

00:29:44Yes.

00:29:46Did you make any comment

00:29:47about that?

00:29:48Well,

00:29:48I said,

00:29:50what are you doing

00:29:51with Frank's gun?

00:29:52Frank,

00:29:53that's your son-in-law,

00:29:53yeah.

00:29:54And what did your daughter

00:29:55reply?

00:29:55She said,

00:29:56well,

00:29:57they'll take notice

00:29:58of this.

00:29:59She said,

00:29:59they'll take notice

00:30:00of this?

00:30:01Yes.

00:30:02Now,

00:30:02answer me very carefully,

00:30:03Mr. Lumsden.

00:30:04At any time,

00:30:05did your daughter

00:30:06say anything

00:30:07which indicated to you

00:30:09that the shotgun

00:30:10was loaded?

00:30:11No,

00:30:12never.

00:30:13Now,

00:30:13Mr. Lumsden,

00:30:14did your daughter

00:30:14say anything else

00:30:15that might be taken

00:30:16as threats

00:30:17against the squatters?

00:30:19No,

00:30:19she didn't.

00:30:20Are you sure?

00:30:21I think carefully.

00:30:23Your daughter

00:30:24banged on the front door

00:30:25of your house,

00:30:26did she not?

00:30:27And she told the squatters

00:30:28to come out.

00:30:33And when they refused,

00:30:35did she not say,

00:30:36you'll regret this lady,

00:30:38I will see to that?

00:30:44I don't know.

00:30:45But she made that remark,

00:30:46did she not,

00:30:47to the woman

00:30:47of the two squatters,

00:30:49Miss Margaret Stone?

00:30:50Well,

00:30:50she was entitled to

00:30:52that woman.

00:30:53She tried to take

00:30:55my house off me,

00:30:57cold-hearted bitch.

00:30:58Well,

00:30:58in other words,

00:30:59Mr. Lumsden,

00:31:00your daughter

00:31:00did make that threat.

00:31:02No,

00:31:03it wasn't a threat.

00:31:04Well,

00:31:05then,

00:31:06what would you call it,

00:31:07Mr. Lumsden?

00:31:08Well,

00:31:10I don't know,

00:31:11but

00:31:11it wasn't a threat,

00:31:13though.

00:31:14Right.

00:31:15Thank you,

00:31:16Mr. Lumsden.

00:31:19How long have you lived

00:31:20at Church Cottage,

00:31:21Mr. Lumsden?

00:31:22More than 40 years.

00:31:25Vera was,

00:31:27was born there.

00:31:28Yes.

00:31:29And you're a widower,

00:31:30I believe.

00:31:31How long have you lived

00:31:32on your own?

00:31:33Oh,

00:31:33it's five years now

00:31:35since my wife passed on.

00:31:37Yes.

00:31:38Do you live alone

00:31:38by choice?

00:31:40Yes.

00:31:41Oh,

00:31:41Vera's always telling me

00:31:43I ought to go and live

00:31:44with her and Frank,

00:31:45but I,

00:31:46I like my independence.

00:31:49Yes.

00:31:49I don't like being

00:31:50beholden to anybody.

00:31:52Mm,

00:31:52mm,

00:31:52you're a self-reliant

00:31:53sort of man.

00:31:54Yes,

00:31:55it's the best way.

00:31:58Now,

00:31:58when you telephoned

00:31:59your daughter

00:31:59after your,

00:32:00no doubt,

00:32:01uncomfortable night

00:32:02in your own garden shed,

00:32:04what exactly

00:32:05did you want her to do?

00:32:06Well,

00:32:08I,

00:32:08I don't really know.

00:32:11You see,

00:32:12I didn't want to be a nuisance,

00:32:13but I couldn't think

00:32:14what to do.

00:32:16I thought,

00:32:17and the police

00:32:18were no help at all.

00:32:20I thought,

00:32:21I might have a word

00:32:22with Frank.

00:32:24Yes,

00:32:24your son-in-law.

00:32:25Yes,

00:32:26but he wasn't there.

00:32:28So I told Vera,

00:32:32I wish I hadn't.

00:32:33Oh,

00:32:34now please,

00:32:35don't distress yourself,

00:32:36Mr Lumsden.

00:32:38Now,

00:32:39when,

00:32:39when your daughter told you

00:32:40that she was going to drive over

00:32:42and join you,

00:32:43did she mention a shotgun?

00:32:46No.

00:32:48So evidently,

00:32:48she decided at the last minute,

00:32:50hmm,

00:32:51between talking to you

00:32:52on the telephone

00:32:53and jumping into the car.

00:32:54Oh,

00:32:54really,

00:32:55your honour.

00:32:56Yes,

00:32:56all right,

00:32:56I withdraw that question,

00:32:57your honour.

00:32:59Now,

00:32:59Mr Lumsden,

00:33:00when your daughter arrived

00:33:01at Church Cottage

00:33:02and you saw

00:33:03that she was carrying

00:33:04her husband's shotgun,

00:33:05did you then

00:33:06or at any time

00:33:07subsequently believe

00:33:08that the gun

00:33:09would ever be fired?

00:33:10No.

00:33:11I mean,

00:33:12did you even think

00:33:12it was loaded?

00:33:13No,

00:33:14I didn't.

00:33:15Why not?

00:33:17Well,

00:33:17Vera never fired that gun.

00:33:20She never touched it.

00:33:21It was Frank.

00:33:22She was the only one

00:33:23that used it.

00:33:24And he kept it

00:33:25for the rabbits.

00:33:27Yes,

00:33:28I see.

00:33:29Now,

00:33:29is your daughter

00:33:31a hot-tempered person?

00:33:33No.

00:33:34No,

00:33:34she isn't.

00:33:36She's always been

00:33:38a quiet girl.

00:33:39Never quarrels

00:33:40with anybody.

00:33:41Hmm.

00:33:42Would you say

00:33:42she was a vindictive

00:33:44sort of person,

00:33:44the sort of person

00:33:45who'd make a point

00:33:46of getting even

00:33:47with someone?

00:33:48No,

00:33:48no,

00:33:48no.

00:33:48She's not like that.

00:33:50Finally,

00:33:50Mr Lumsden,

00:33:51from what you know

00:33:52of your daughter,

00:33:53is she capable

00:33:55of deliberately injuring

00:33:56another person?

00:33:57Oh,

00:33:58no,

00:33:59if you knew her,

00:34:01you'd know

00:34:02she couldn't do it.

00:34:04She's a little lamb.

00:34:07Has been

00:34:08ever since

00:34:08she was a little girl.

00:34:20Now,

00:34:21Miss Stone,

00:34:22you were one

00:34:22of a group

00:34:23of university people,

00:34:24were you not,

00:34:24who formed

00:34:25a squatter's association?

00:34:27Yes.

00:34:28The idea was simply

00:34:29to find accommodation

00:34:30for homeless families

00:34:31in property

00:34:32that was standing empty

00:34:33or not being used

00:34:34to meet genuine

00:34:35housing needs.

00:34:36And in pursuance

00:34:37of this aim,

00:34:37last August,

00:34:38this group turned

00:34:39its attention

00:34:40to holiday cottages

00:34:41in the rural area

00:34:42north of Fulchester.

00:34:44Yes.

00:34:44There are several

00:34:45that stand empty

00:34:46there most of the year

00:34:47and some of us

00:34:48regard that as an obscenity

00:34:49when there are families

00:34:51with no decent home

00:34:52of any sort.

00:34:53Yes,

00:34:53well,

00:34:53evidently you feel

00:34:54very strongly about this.

00:34:55But how did

00:34:56Mr. Lumsden's cottage

00:34:57come into your sphere

00:34:58of operation?

00:34:59It was a mistake.

00:35:01We were told

00:35:02about Church Cottage,

00:35:04Mr. Lumsden's house,

00:35:05and when we scouted

00:35:06around there,

00:35:07there was obviously

00:35:07nobody living there.

00:35:08But in fact,

00:35:09we'd been told

00:35:10about the wrong house.

00:35:12There's another place

00:35:13about two miles away

00:35:14called Church House.

00:35:16That is a holiday cottage.

00:35:17I see.

00:35:18And you moved

00:35:19into Church Cottage

00:35:20on August 12th?

00:35:21Yes.

00:35:22On that day,

00:35:23members of the group

00:35:23moved into five

00:35:24empty houses.

00:35:26John Wesley and I

00:35:26moved into Church Cottage.

00:35:28I see.

00:35:28And on the following day,

00:35:29the 13th,

00:35:30Mr. Lumsden came back

00:35:32to his home

00:35:32to find you installed.

00:35:34Yes.

00:35:34At no time

00:35:35did Mr. Lumsden

00:35:36ever say

00:35:37or John and I

00:35:38ever realise

00:35:39that this was

00:35:39truly his home.

00:35:41It was a failure

00:35:42of communication.

00:35:46Moving on

00:35:47to the events

00:35:48of August 14th.

00:35:49On the morning

00:35:50of that day,

00:35:51you became aware

00:35:53of a car

00:35:54driving up the cottage.

00:35:55Did you not?

00:35:56Yes.

00:35:57What time was that?

00:35:58About half past nine

00:35:59or a little before.

00:36:01We were expecting

00:36:02some friends

00:36:02from Fulchester

00:36:03to drive out

00:36:04bringing a family

00:36:05to take over the cottage.

00:36:06But not as soon as that.

00:36:08So when I had the car,

00:36:10I remember looking

00:36:11at my watch

00:36:11thinking that they were

00:36:12arriving early.

00:36:13And was it your friends?

00:36:15No.

00:36:16Anything but.

00:36:17The car pulled up

00:36:18and a woman got out.

00:36:19She was carrying a shotgun.

00:36:21And do you see

00:36:22that woman in court now?

00:36:24Yes.

00:36:24The prisoner.

00:36:25Mrs. Chadwick.

00:36:26Mm-hmm.

00:36:28Yes.

00:36:28And what happened then?

00:36:29Well, of course,

00:36:30at that time

00:36:30we had no idea

00:36:31who she was.

00:36:32Except that she was

00:36:33obviously a friend

00:36:34of the old man,

00:36:35Mr. Lumsden.

00:36:36Because of the way

00:36:37they greeted each other.

00:36:39They talked for a bit.

00:36:40Then they walked

00:36:41up to the house

00:36:42to the front door.

00:36:44I see.

00:36:44And was Mrs. Chadwick

00:36:45still holding the gun?

00:36:46Oh, yes.

00:36:47She kept hold of it

00:36:48all the time.

00:36:49I was keeping

00:36:49a very wary eye on it

00:36:51from the upstairs window.

00:36:52Mm-hmm.

00:36:54Please continue.

00:36:55Well, she,

00:36:56Mrs. Chadwick,

00:36:58banged on the front door

00:36:59with her fist

00:37:00and started cursing

00:37:01and making threats.

00:37:03I told her

00:37:04she was breaking the law

00:37:05but she took no notice.

00:37:07What threats

00:37:07did she make?

00:37:08She said,

00:37:10if we didn't get out

00:37:10of the house

00:37:11we'd be sorry.

00:37:12I told her

00:37:13that we weren't coming out

00:37:14but it was obviously

00:37:16no good reasoning with her.

00:37:17She was in a fury.

00:37:19She said,

00:37:20you'll regret this, lady.

00:37:21I will see to that.

00:37:23And did you take

00:37:24the threat seriously?

00:37:25Oh, yes.

00:37:26We were obviously

00:37:27dealing with

00:37:27a very aggressive person.

00:37:29I felt quite sure

00:37:30and so did John

00:37:31that she would dearly

00:37:32love to get her hands on us

00:37:33and she handled

00:37:34that shotgun

00:37:34as if she knew

00:37:35all about guns.

00:37:37In fact,

00:37:37John thought

00:37:38we ought to ring the police.

00:37:39I see, sir.

00:37:40It was Mr. Worsley

00:37:40who said

00:37:41that he thought

00:37:42you should telephone

00:37:43the police.

00:37:44Yes.

00:37:45But you didn't?

00:37:46No.

00:37:48I realised

00:37:48it would be a mistake.

00:37:50In what way?

00:37:52Well,

00:37:52it was probably

00:37:53just what these people,

00:37:54Mrs. Chadwick

00:37:55and her father,

00:37:56wanted.

00:37:57If we rang the police

00:37:58and told them

00:37:59there was going to be trouble,

00:38:00it could have given

00:38:00the police

00:38:01just the excuse

00:38:01they wanted

00:38:02to force an entry

00:38:03and get us out.

00:38:05Ostensibly

00:38:05to prevent

00:38:06a breach of the peace.

00:38:07I see.

00:38:08And what happened then?

00:38:10Well,

00:38:11eventually

00:38:11Mrs. Chadwick

00:38:12stopped hammering

00:38:13and cursing

00:38:14and they both

00:38:15went back to the car.

00:38:16They went behind the car

00:38:17into some trees

00:38:18so that we couldn't

00:38:19see them.

00:38:21Then,

00:38:21about 15 minutes later,

00:38:24Mr. Lonsden

00:38:24appeared again

00:38:25on his own

00:38:26and walked up

00:38:27to the front door.

00:38:28He was carrying

00:38:29a heavy stick.

00:38:32There was no sign

00:38:33of Mrs. Chadwick.

00:38:34Obviously,

00:38:35she'd crept round

00:38:35to the back

00:38:36of the house

00:38:36undercover.

00:38:37Miss Stone,

00:38:38you must confine

00:38:39your evidence

00:38:39to that which

00:38:40you actually witnessed.

00:38:42Miss Stone,

00:38:44what happened then?

00:38:46Mr. Lonsden

00:38:47started beating

00:38:47on the front door.

00:38:49We went downstairs

00:38:50and pushed a chest

00:38:51of drawers

00:38:51behind the door.

00:38:53Then we had a crash

00:38:54at the back

00:38:54of the house.

00:38:55I told John

00:38:56to stay by the front door

00:38:57and I ran through

00:38:58to the kitchen.

00:38:59And when you reached

00:39:00the kitchen,

00:39:01what did you see?

00:39:02The back door

00:39:03was falling in.

00:39:04She'd bashed it

00:39:05off its hinges.

00:39:07Mrs. Chadwick.

00:39:08The door swung open

00:39:09and in she came.

00:39:12Now,

00:39:12Miss Stone,

00:39:13I want you to answer

00:39:13this very carefully.

00:39:15Was the accused

00:39:16holding the shotgun

00:39:18when she came

00:39:19into the house?

00:39:19Yes.

00:39:20And how was she

00:39:21holding it?

00:39:22When the door swung open

00:39:24and she was still outside,

00:39:25I saw that she was

00:39:26holding the gun

00:39:27the wrong way around

00:39:28with a butt-end

00:39:29towards me.

00:39:30As if she'd used it

00:39:31to batter on the door?

00:39:33Yes.

00:39:34But then,

00:39:35as she stepped

00:39:35into the kitchen,

00:39:36she reversed the gun

00:39:38so that she was

00:39:39holding it in the usual way.

00:39:40Pointing it at me,

00:39:41in fact.

00:39:42I felt sure

00:39:43she intended to shoot me.

00:39:44Miss Stone,

00:39:45you mustn't tell us

00:39:45what you felt.

00:39:46You must tell us

00:39:46only what you saw

00:39:47or what you heard.

00:39:48Now, do you understand that?

00:39:49Yes, I see.

00:39:50Miss Stone,

00:39:51what did you do?

00:39:53I shouted at her.

00:39:55I don't remember

00:39:56exactly what I shouted.

00:39:58Something like

00:39:58get out, I think.

00:40:00Then John came

00:40:01running into the kitchen

00:40:02behind me.

00:40:04I saw Mrs Chadwick

00:40:05turn towards him

00:40:06and raise up the gun.

00:40:08I shouted,

00:40:08don't shoot!

00:40:10And then I saw

00:40:11her pull the trigger.

00:40:12You saw her

00:40:13pull the trigger?

00:40:15Yes.

00:40:16She did it

00:40:17quite deliberately.

00:40:18That's not true.

00:40:19I didn't.

00:40:20Silence.

00:40:21It's alive!

00:40:22Mrs Chadwick,

00:40:22you must be quiet.

00:40:24You'll have every chance

00:40:24to give your own account.

00:40:26But until then,

00:40:27you must neither speak

00:40:28nor intervene.

00:40:29Do you understand?

00:40:30Yes.

00:40:34Now, Miss Stone,

00:40:36you say you saw

00:40:37the accused.

00:40:41Point the gun

00:40:41at John Worsley

00:40:44and pull the trigger.

00:40:45Yes.

00:40:49and this was a deliberate act?

00:40:51Yes.

00:40:52Thank you, Miss Stone.

00:40:57Miss Stone.

00:41:01Now, you

00:41:01are what one might call

00:41:03the moving spirit

00:41:04in this sad case,

00:41:05are you not?

00:41:06I really don't know

00:41:07what you mean by that.

00:41:08I mean

00:41:09that but for your actions

00:41:10the grim sequence

00:41:11which has led to this courtroom

00:41:12would never have begun.

00:41:14An old man

00:41:14would not have been

00:41:15locked out of his own home.

00:41:17Your young lover

00:41:18and disciple John Worsley

00:41:19would never have been maimed.

00:41:22An ordinary housewife

00:41:23and mother

00:41:23would not be facing

00:41:24grave charges.

00:41:27Well, Miss Stone,

00:41:28do you accept

00:41:28any responsibility

00:41:29for this chain of events?

00:41:31Certainly not.

00:41:32Well, do you feel

00:41:33no guilt

00:41:33for your part

00:41:34in this sad affair?

00:41:35I do not.

00:41:37No remorse?

00:41:38Of course not.

00:41:40Well, what do you feel?

00:41:41As regards this case

00:41:42or your questions?

00:41:46Perhaps you'd

00:41:47care to tell the

00:41:47court your views

00:41:49on both.

00:41:51As regards this case,

00:41:54I'm extremely sorry

00:41:55that John Worsley

00:41:56has been so badly injured

00:41:58and I hope

00:41:59that justice will be done.

00:42:00Yes, I hope so too.

00:42:02And I intend to show

00:42:02if I can not only

00:42:03your responsibility

00:42:04for this affair

00:42:05but that your evidence

00:42:06regarding the shooting

00:42:06of John Worsley

00:42:07is a travesty of the truth.

00:42:09And that, of course,

00:42:09is what you're paid to do.

00:42:11No, in that

00:42:12you are mistaken, Miss Stone.

00:42:14But let's consider

00:42:14another of your mistakes.

00:42:16Your decision to squat

00:42:16in Mr. Edward Lumsden's cottage.

00:42:19Now, you were the brains

00:42:20behind the August campaign

00:42:21to squat in holiday cottages,

00:42:22were you not?

00:42:23If you like.

00:42:24I'm certainly not ashamed of it.

00:42:26Yes.

00:42:26Well, you've been prominent,

00:42:27have you not,

00:42:27in a number of other campaigns

00:42:29involving direct action

00:42:30for instance two years ago

00:42:32when demonstrators

00:42:33at Fortchester University

00:42:35occupied the administrative block?

00:42:37The city?

00:42:38Yes.

00:42:39I took part in it.

00:42:40Oh, I fear

00:42:41you're too modest, Miss Stone.

00:42:42You had a leading part,

00:42:43didn't you?

00:42:44I suppose you would call it that.

00:42:46Yes.

00:42:47Yes, and last year,

00:42:49were you not

00:42:50the member of a committee

00:42:51formed to prevent

00:42:52by forcible means

00:42:54a politician

00:42:54whose opinions

00:42:55that you found distasteful

00:42:56from speaking

00:42:58to a university society?

00:42:59Yes, I was.

00:43:01I don't believe

00:43:02that fascists

00:43:02are entitled

00:43:03to spout racialist poison

00:43:05in public.

00:43:06Now, Miss Stone,

00:43:07correct me if I'm wrong,

00:43:08but on these two occasions,

00:43:09these two demonstrations

00:43:09that I've mentioned,

00:43:10some of the demonstrators

00:43:11were subsequently

00:43:13convicted

00:43:14in the magistrate's court

00:43:15on various charges,

00:43:16weren't they?

00:43:17Yes, that's true.

00:43:18But I wasn't among them.

00:43:20Yes, yes,

00:43:20I'm aware of that,

00:43:21yes, I find that

00:43:21most illuminating.

00:43:24Yes, you've admitted

00:43:25the fact,

00:43:25indeed gloried in it,

00:43:27that you've played

00:43:27a prominent part

00:43:28on these occasions.

00:43:30But you never figure

00:43:31in the casualty lists

00:43:32of these glorious battles,

00:43:34do you?

00:43:35No, it's always

00:43:36someone else

00:43:36who gets hurt, isn't it?

00:43:37It isn't like that at all.

00:43:38Oh, isn't it?

00:43:39Isn't this sad affair,

00:43:41the wounding of John Worsley,

00:43:42merely the latest

00:43:43in the line?

00:43:44Wasn't John Worsley

00:43:45just another piece

00:43:45of cannon fodder

00:43:46in your private war

00:43:47against society, Miss Stone?

00:43:48That's not a problem.

00:43:49Your private war.

00:43:50Against society.

00:43:52Isn't that what

00:43:53you spend your life

00:43:54conducting?

00:43:55I want to change things,

00:43:56certainly.

00:43:57Anyone whose mind

00:43:58is not utterly closed

00:43:59knows very well

00:44:00there are many things

00:44:01wrong with our society

00:44:02that demand

00:44:02to be put right.

00:44:04So you start

00:44:05by locking out

00:44:06a totally inoffensive

00:44:07old man

00:44:08out of his own home?

00:44:10I have already explained

00:44:11quite plainly

00:44:12that was a mistake.

00:44:14Oh, yes, yes,

00:44:15a failure of communication,

00:44:16I think you called it.

00:44:17Yes, exactly.

00:44:18But by communication,

00:44:19Miss Stone,

00:44:19do you mean

00:44:20yourself talking

00:44:21and everybody else

00:44:22dutifully listening?

00:44:23Not at all.

00:44:26You didn't listen

00:44:27to Mr Lumsden,

00:44:27did you,

00:44:28when he pleaded with you

00:44:29to let him into his own home?

00:44:31Yes, of course I listened.

00:44:33It just so happens

00:44:34that Mr Lumsden

00:44:35didn't make the right noises.

00:44:36He never at any time

00:44:38said that the house

00:44:39wasn't his holiday cottage.

00:44:41He was practically

00:44:41incoherent.

00:44:43Well, perhaps that's not

00:44:44unexpected

00:44:45in a gentleman

00:44:45of 74

00:44:47who finds

00:44:48that his home

00:44:48has been snatched

00:44:49away from him.

00:44:50I do appreciate

00:44:51that you wish

00:44:51to distract the attention

00:44:52away from the fact

00:44:53that your client

00:44:54shot John Worsley,

00:44:55but is it absolutely

00:44:56necessary to target

00:44:57the jury's heartstrings

00:44:58quite so monotonously?

00:45:00Oh, don't worry.

00:45:01I haven't forgotten

00:45:01the shooting of John Worsley,

00:45:03and we shall come

00:45:04to that very soon.

00:45:04But first, you see,

00:45:05I'm interested

00:45:06in your attitude

00:45:06to the law.

00:45:08Now, I mean,

00:45:08you're quite an expert,

00:45:09aren't you,

00:45:09on the laws

00:45:11regarding squatting?

00:45:12We were rather pleased

00:45:12with our performance.

00:45:14The laws on squatting

00:45:15are full of pitfalls

00:45:16for the unwary.

00:45:17Eh, but whatever else

00:45:18you are, Miss Stone,

00:45:19you're not one

00:45:19of the unwary, are you?

00:45:20You're very shrewd,

00:45:21very bright,

00:45:22very quick

00:45:22to see an advantage.

00:45:24I'm sure you don't mean

00:45:25any of that

00:45:25as a compliment.

00:45:26You told my learned friend

00:45:27here that when

00:45:28Mrs Chadwick,

00:45:29holding a shotgun,

00:45:30was knocking on the

00:45:30front door

00:45:31of her father's cottage,

00:45:32John Worsley

00:45:33wanted to phone

00:45:34for the police.

00:45:34But you vetoed

00:45:36that idea,

00:45:36didn't you,

00:45:37Miss Stone?

00:45:37That was your quick

00:45:37thinking, wasn't it?

00:45:38because it might

00:45:40have given the police

00:45:40an excuse to eject you.

00:45:43But if the police

00:45:43had been called,

00:45:44then John Worsley

00:45:45would never have

00:45:46been grievously injured,

00:45:47would he?

00:45:48In a hypothetical

00:45:48set of circumstances,

00:45:50no one knows

00:45:50what would have happened.

00:45:51But you stopped

00:45:52John Worsley

00:45:53summoning the police.

00:45:54And then later,

00:45:55when Mr Worsley

00:45:55lay bleeding

00:45:56on the kitchen floor,

00:45:56your adroit brain

00:45:57began to work overtime.

00:45:59The question,

00:46:00was it not,

00:46:00was how to extract

00:46:01Margaret Stone

00:46:02from the situation

00:46:03with the least trouble.

00:46:05What you're saying

00:46:05has absolutely

00:46:06no connection

00:46:07with reality.

00:46:09The defendant,

00:46:10Vera Chadwick,

00:46:11did not know

00:46:11the gun that she was

00:46:12carrying was loaded,

00:46:13Miss Stone.

00:46:14John Worsley's shooting

00:46:15was a sheer accident

00:46:16for the major

00:46:17responsibility of yours.

00:46:19Now, I suggest to you,

00:46:20Miss Stone,

00:46:21that your account

00:46:21of the shooting

00:46:22is cunningly designed

00:46:23to shift the blame

00:46:24away from yourself.

00:46:25Definitely not.

00:46:25Your evidence

00:46:26regarding the defendant's

00:46:27actions,

00:46:28the aiming of the gun,

00:46:29the deliberate

00:46:29pulling of the trigger,

00:46:31well, it's a complete

00:46:32fabrication, is it not?

00:46:34No.

00:46:34Just the latest example

00:46:35of your guiding principle.

00:46:37It doesn't matter

00:46:38who gets hurt

00:46:38or who carries the can,

00:46:40as long as it isn't

00:46:42Margaret Stone.

00:46:59The jury in this case

00:47:00is composed of members

00:47:01of the general public.

00:47:03The Queen against Chadwick

00:47:04will be concluded tomorrow

00:47:05in the Crown Court.

00:47:35The Queen against Chadwick

00:47:40Vera Chadwick is accused

00:47:42of wounding with intent

00:47:43to cause grievous bodily harm

00:47:44to John Worsley,

00:47:45one of two young squatters

00:47:47who took over

00:47:47her father's cottage.

00:47:49The other squatter,

00:47:50Margaret Stone,

00:47:50is in the witness box

00:47:51where she's been facing

00:47:52along and searching

00:47:54cross-examination.

00:47:59Now, when the police

00:48:00carried out their examination

00:48:01of the shotgun,

00:48:02a great many of your fingerprints

00:48:04were found on it,

00:48:05were they not?

00:48:05Yes, of course they were.

00:48:07Because after Mrs. Chadwick

00:48:09shot John,

00:48:10she dropped the gun

00:48:10on the floor.

00:48:11I picked it up

00:48:12and took it out of the house.

00:48:14I gave it to the police

00:48:15when they arrived.

00:48:16Did you make sure

00:48:17the gun was unloaded?

00:48:18No, I didn't.

00:48:19I don't know anything

00:48:20about guns.

00:48:21I simply made sure

00:48:22it was kept away from her,

00:48:24Mrs. Chadwick.

00:48:25I felt that one shooting

00:48:27was more than enough.

00:48:28Yes.

00:48:28But in fact,

00:48:29the police found

00:48:30that this double-barrelled gun

00:48:31was empty.

00:48:32One shot and one only

00:48:32had been fired,

00:48:33so in fact only one barrel

00:48:35had been loaded.

00:48:36Yes, I believe that is so.

00:48:38Yes.

00:48:38Oh, it was so,

00:48:39Miss Stone.

00:48:39Yes, with the police

00:48:40evidence on that,

00:48:42it's rather odd,

00:48:43don't you think?

00:48:44In what way?

00:48:45Well, if Mrs. Chadwick

00:48:46had come roaring along

00:48:47to her father's cottage

00:48:48intent on shooting up

00:48:50the squatters,

00:48:51and remember,

00:48:51she knew there was

00:48:52more than one,

00:48:52she'd have loaded

00:48:53both barrels,

00:48:54wouldn't you think?

00:48:55Your Honour,

00:48:56I really do object.

00:48:57My learned friend

00:48:58is asking the witness

00:48:59for guesswork,

00:49:00and tendentious guesswork

00:49:02at that.

00:49:03Quite so.

00:49:04You really mustn't

00:49:05ask the witness

00:49:06to speculate

00:49:07on the thinking

00:49:08of the accused,

00:49:09Mr. Ferguson.

00:49:10No, very well,

00:49:11Your Honour.

00:49:13Now, Miss Stone,

00:49:13you told my learned friend

00:49:14that when the defendant

00:49:15stepped into the kitchen

00:49:16with a shotgun,

00:49:17you told him,

00:49:18I felt sure

00:49:20she intended to shoot me.

00:49:22Yes.

00:49:23But she didn't shoot you,

00:49:24did she?

00:49:25No.

00:49:26She shot John Worsley.

00:49:28Yes, but at the time

00:49:29we're speaking of,

00:49:29Miss Stone,

00:49:30John Worsley had not

00:49:31entered the kitchen.

00:49:32You were alone

00:49:32with the defendant.

00:49:33Yes.

00:49:33So if she wanted to shoot you,

00:49:34there was nothing

00:49:35to stop her doing so,

00:49:36was there?

00:49:36Unless, of course,

00:49:38you seized the gun.

00:49:40No, I never touched it.

00:49:41Oh?

00:49:42Didn't you, Miss Stone?

00:49:43You told my learned friend

00:49:43the door swung open

00:49:44and she came in,

00:49:45and my learned friend

00:49:46asked you

00:49:47how the defendant

00:49:48was holding the gun

00:49:49and you replied,

00:49:50the wrong way round,

00:49:51butt-end towards me.

00:49:53Hmm?

00:49:53Yes.

00:49:55Well, there is a contradiction

00:49:56here, isn't there?

00:49:57I mean, first you tell us

00:49:58that the defendant

00:49:59entered the kitchen

00:49:59carrying the gun

00:50:00the wrong way round,

00:50:01butt-end towards you.

00:50:02Hmm.

00:50:03Quite harmless.

00:50:04And then you claim

00:50:04that she was pointing

00:50:06the gun at you

00:50:06and you felt sure

00:50:08she intended to shoot.

00:50:11There isn't any contradiction.

00:50:13Except, of course,

00:50:14for the one

00:50:14that you're trying to invent.

00:50:15She was holding the gun

00:50:17the wrong way around.

00:50:18Then she reversed it

00:50:20and pointed it at me.

00:50:22There's no contradiction.

00:50:24There's merely a time sequence.

00:50:26Oh, I see.

00:50:27Yes, a time sequence.

00:50:28Yes.

00:50:29Yes, and of course,

00:50:30that sort of thing

00:50:31does take time,

00:50:32doesn't it, Miss Stone?

00:50:33Not a great deal of time,

00:50:34of course,

00:50:34but then we mustn't forget

00:50:35that you're a very quick-acting

00:50:36and quick-thinking person

00:50:38as when you so quickly

00:50:39stopped your friend

00:50:40John Worsley

00:50:41from summoning the police.

00:50:43Well, I mean,

00:50:43do you see what I'm suggesting?

00:50:46I don't, quite frankly.

00:50:47Well, I'm suggesting

00:50:48that as Mrs Chabick

00:50:49stepped into her father's house

00:50:50with the shotgun reversed,

00:50:51you seized the gun

00:50:52and tried to take it from her.

00:50:54Definitely not.

00:50:55You saw your chance

00:50:55and you grabbed at the gun

00:50:56and you were still grabbing at it

00:50:57when John Worsley

00:50:58entered the kitchen.

00:50:59No.

00:50:59I never touched that gun.

00:51:01The defendant says

00:51:02that you dragged it from her.

00:51:03I expect she does.

00:51:03She says that you dragged it from her

00:51:05and during the struggle

00:51:06the gun went off

00:51:08and John Worsley was hit.

00:51:11Now, isn't that what happened,

00:51:13Miss Stone?

00:51:13No, it isn't.

00:51:15I never touched that gun.

00:51:17Not till after John was shot.

00:51:20Mrs Chabick,

00:51:21she shot John.

00:51:28Well.

00:51:31Go on, Miss Stone.

00:51:32I have only two questions for you

00:51:35arising out of my

00:51:36learned friends

00:51:38long

00:51:39and elaborate

00:51:40cross-examination

00:51:41and these are both

00:51:43very simple.

00:51:45The first one is this.

00:51:48Do you have any feelings

00:51:50of personal animosity

00:51:51towards the defendant

00:51:52or her family?

00:51:53No, of course not.

00:51:55And the second question is

00:51:57did you touch the accused

00:51:59or the shotgun

00:52:00she was carrying

00:52:01before Mr Worsley was shot?

00:52:03No, I didn't.

00:52:04Thank you, Miss Stone.

00:52:06And that, Your Honour,

00:52:09is the case for the prosecution.

00:52:10Thank you, Mr Unwin.

00:52:12You may leave the witness box.

00:52:20Now, you are Vera Chadwick

00:52:22of Hilltop Farm

00:52:25near Potterton.

00:52:27Yes.

00:52:28Now, I'm sure the jury

00:52:30realise that this is

00:52:31an ordeal for you,

00:52:32Mrs Chadwick,

00:52:33but try and give the answers

00:52:34to your questions

00:52:35as clearly as you can.

00:52:36Now, you are

00:52:37a farmer's wife

00:52:38and the mother

00:52:39of three children?

00:52:41Yes.

00:52:43On August the 14th

00:52:44at your home,

00:52:45did you receive

00:52:46a telephone call

00:52:47from your father?

00:52:48Yes.

00:52:49About half past eight

00:52:50in the morning.

00:52:51I knew straight away

00:52:52there was something wrong

00:52:52because I heard the pips go

00:52:54and the money go in

00:52:55and I wondered why

00:52:56he wasn't ringing from home.

00:52:57I'd made him have the phone

00:52:58put in a few years ago

00:52:59after my mother died.

00:53:01Yes.

00:53:01What did your father say?

00:53:04Well, he was upset.

00:53:05I couldn't make it out.

00:53:07Then he said something

00:53:08about some people

00:53:09taking his house.

00:53:10I couldn't grasp

00:53:11what he was saying.

00:53:13Then he said

00:53:14they were squatters.

00:53:16Well, then it dawned on me

00:53:17because there'd been

00:53:18something in the paper

00:53:19the night before

00:53:19about some squatters

00:53:20interfering with

00:53:21people's property.

00:53:22Yes.

00:53:23And what was your reaction?

00:53:24Well, I told him

00:53:25we'd get the police

00:53:26but my father said no.

00:53:28He'd already tried that

00:53:29and they wouldn't help.

00:53:30Yes.

00:53:30Was your father distressed?

00:53:32Yes, he was.

00:53:33He was really upset.

00:53:35Well, your father's

00:53:36an independent sort

00:53:37of a man, isn't he?

00:53:38He doesn't like

00:53:39to ask anybody for anything.

00:53:41He doesn't like

00:53:41to be beholden, you see.

00:53:43Yes.

00:53:43So when he came on the phone

00:53:44to you with this problem

00:53:45you knew it was serious?

00:53:46Right away.

00:53:48And when he told me

00:53:48what had happened

00:53:49and that he'd had to

00:53:50sleep in the shed

00:53:51well, I was disgusted.

00:53:54Did your father say

00:53:55how many squatters

00:53:56had entered his house?

00:53:57I asked him that.

00:53:59I said,

00:53:59how many are there?

00:54:01He said he'd seen two

00:54:02a man and a woman

00:54:03but he didn't know

00:54:04if there were any more.

00:54:05Yes, but you knew

00:54:06from your father's account

00:54:07on the telephone

00:54:08that there were at least

00:54:09two squatters, didn't you?

00:54:10Yes.

00:54:11Yes.

00:54:12Now, Mrs Chadwick,

00:54:12you said that your first thought

00:54:13was to bring in the police

00:54:15but your father told you

00:54:16already that he

00:54:17had no success with this.

00:54:19Yes.

00:54:21Well, was there anyone else

00:54:22that you could turn to?

00:54:23What about your husband?

00:54:24He'd already left

00:54:25for the cattle market

00:54:26at Thelford.

00:54:27I had no way

00:54:27of getting in touch with him.

00:54:30I see.

00:54:31Now, did you leave

00:54:32the farm straight away?

00:54:33Yes, right up.

00:54:34No, wait a minute.

00:54:35I went out at back

00:54:37and locked up.

00:54:38That's when I thought

00:54:39of taking Frank's shotgun.

00:54:40Oh, no, wait a minute.

00:54:41No, we come to the shotgun

00:54:43in due course.

00:54:44Now, apart from locking

00:54:46the house up,

00:54:46did you do anything else?

00:54:47Did you change your clothes,

00:54:49for instance?

00:54:50No.

00:54:50I went just as I was.

00:54:52Well, I see.

00:54:53Well, what were you wearing?

00:54:54Well, I had on my old penny.

00:54:56I'd just started baking,

00:54:57you see, when my dad rung up.

00:54:59Yes, that's right.

00:55:00You've three children,

00:55:01I believe.

00:55:03Didn't you have to make

00:55:04arrangements about them?

00:55:06No, they'd all gone off

00:55:07to school.

00:55:08The youngest is eight now

00:55:10and I didn't know

00:55:11I wouldn't be coming back.

00:55:13Yes, I see.

00:55:14Yes, well, I'm sure

00:55:15the jury will take note

00:55:16of that, Mrs Chadwick.

00:55:19Now, Mrs Chadwick,

00:55:21tell us about

00:55:22your husband's shotgun.

00:55:24Well, he keeps it

00:55:26in his office.

00:55:27It's not really an office,

00:55:28not like a proper office.

00:55:29That's what he calls it

00:55:30because he does

00:55:31his paperwork there.

00:55:33It was standing there.

00:55:35The shotgun?

00:55:37Yes, it was standing

00:55:38in an umbrella stand

00:55:39we had given to us

00:55:39when we got married.

00:55:41I saw it when I went past

00:55:42a lock-up at the back

00:55:44and I thought

00:55:45I'd take it with me.

00:55:47Why?

00:55:49Like for protection.

00:55:51I didn't know

00:55:51who these people

00:55:52were in my dad's house.

00:55:53I didn't know

00:55:54how many there were

00:55:55or what they'd do.

00:55:56I thought if they saw

00:55:57the gun

00:55:58they wouldn't start anything.

00:56:00Now, Mrs Chadwick,

00:56:01did you load the gun?

00:56:03No, I didn't.

00:56:04So, in other words,

00:56:05when you picked up

00:56:06the shotgun,

00:56:07one barrel was loaded already.

00:56:09It must have been

00:56:10but I didn't know that.

00:56:11Yes, are you used

00:56:11to handling this gun,

00:56:12Mrs Chadwick?

00:56:13I've never touched it.

00:56:14Well, I've moved it

00:56:15now and then

00:56:15when I've been cleaning

00:56:16but I've never had a go

00:56:18with it,

00:56:18never fired it or anything.

00:56:20So you're telling us

00:56:21on oath

00:56:21that you had no knowledge

00:56:22that the shotgun

00:56:23was loaded?

00:56:25Yes.

00:56:25And your sole purpose

00:56:26in taking it with you

00:56:27was as some sort

00:56:28of protection,

00:56:29a visual deterrent

00:56:31if you like

00:56:31against these

00:56:33possible rough treatment

00:56:34from these people.

00:56:35An unknown number

00:56:36but at least two of them

00:56:37occupying your father's house.

00:56:39Yes.

00:56:44Now, Mrs Chadwick,

00:56:45after the squatters refused

00:56:46point blank

00:56:47to leave the house,

00:56:48you decided to break in

00:56:49at the back door.

00:56:50Yes.

00:56:51And you sent your father

00:56:52to bang on the front door

00:56:53as a sort of diversion.

00:56:54Yes.

00:56:54Did this plan of yours succeed?

00:56:56Well, I knew that door

00:56:57was practically off its hinges

00:56:58because I'd been honoured

00:57:00in my father

00:57:00to do something about it

00:57:01the last time I was there.

00:57:03Yes.

00:57:03Now, to force the door in

00:57:05at the hinge side,

00:57:06you used the shotgun,

00:57:07didn't you,

00:57:08as a sort of

00:57:08battering ram.

00:57:10Yes.

00:57:11You struck the door

00:57:12a series of heavy blows

00:57:14with the butt end

00:57:14of the gun.

00:57:16Yes.

00:57:17Well, that's a...

00:57:18That's an extremely

00:57:20dangerous thing to do,

00:57:21isn't it,

00:57:21with a loaded shotgun?

00:57:23I suppose it is,

00:57:24but I didn't know

00:57:24it was loaded.

00:57:25Exactly.

00:57:26You didn't know

00:57:29that it was loaded.

00:57:33Now,

00:57:35Mrs. Chadwick,

00:57:36having forced the back door,

00:57:37you stepped inside the kitchen.

00:57:40Yes.

00:57:40Was anyone in the kitchen?

00:57:41Yes, that girl,

00:57:42that Miss Stone.

00:57:43What happened then?

00:57:45Well, as I went in,

00:57:47she grabbed at the gun.

00:57:49I was still holding it

00:57:50backwards way round,

00:57:51you see,

00:57:51from how I'd been

00:57:52hit in the door.

00:57:53She grabbed hold of it

00:57:54and tried to take it off me.

00:57:56Well, Miss Stone

00:57:56tried to take the gun

00:57:57away from you?

00:57:58Yes.

00:57:59Why?

00:57:59Was the gun pointing at her?

00:58:00No, it was more

00:58:01pointing at me

00:58:01because of the way

00:58:02I'd been holding it,

00:58:03you see.

00:58:03I see.

00:58:04So she tried to take

00:58:05the gun from you,

00:58:06then what?

00:58:07Well,

00:58:09she grabbed at it

00:58:10and it went off.

00:58:11It went off

00:58:12and then the young man

00:58:13was bleeding.

00:58:15He must have just come in

00:58:16as the gun went off.

00:58:17I hadn't seen him

00:58:18till then.

00:58:19I didn't know

00:58:20it was loaded.

00:58:21I wish to God

00:58:22I'd never seen it.

00:58:23I didn't know

00:58:24the young lad

00:58:24was going to get hurt.

00:58:27Yes, it's all right.

00:58:28Thank you, Mrs. Chadwick.

00:58:29Would you, uh,

00:58:30wait there, please?

00:58:35You know,

00:58:35this version of the affairs

00:58:37that you've been giving us,

00:58:38Mrs. Chadwick,

00:58:40is rather like

00:58:41that old song,

00:58:42isn't it?

00:58:43I didn't know

00:58:44the gun was loaded.

00:58:46It's true.

00:58:47And that is what

00:58:48you're asking us to believe?

00:58:49Yes, because it's the truth.

00:58:51And even if you had known

00:58:53it was loaded,

00:58:54you didn't deliberately

00:58:55aim and fire at Mr. Worsley.

00:58:57Now, is that the story

00:58:59that you're telling us?

00:59:01Yes, because it's the truth.

00:59:04But it isn't your original story,

00:59:05now, is it?

00:59:07You gave the police

00:59:08a completely different version.

00:59:11No, I didn't.

00:59:12What, do you deny then

00:59:13making a statement

00:59:13to Inspector Thompson

00:59:15just a few minutes

00:59:16after the shooting?

00:59:17I don't remember

00:59:18much about it.

00:59:20Really?

00:59:20Well, is your memory

00:59:21so short?

00:59:22I mean, Inspector Thompson

00:59:23did give evidence earlier

00:59:25in this case,

00:59:26did he not?

00:59:27Now, let me remind you.

00:59:28He told us

00:59:29how he found you

00:59:30in the kitchen

00:59:32beside the injured

00:59:33Mr. Worsley.

00:59:35I will quote

00:59:36what he said.

00:59:37I said to her,

00:59:39what has happened here?

00:59:40And she replied,

00:59:41I have killed him.

00:59:43Oh, God,

00:59:44I have killed him.

00:59:46Well, Mrs. Shadwick,

00:59:48tell us,

00:59:49is that what you said?

00:59:54TV Lawyers

01:00:02Come now, Mrs. Shadwick.

01:00:04Did you say to the Inspector,

01:00:06I have killed him?

01:00:08I don't know.

01:00:09But you heard the Inspector

01:00:11give in his evidence

01:00:11that you said it.

01:00:12Are you suggesting

01:00:13that he lied?

01:00:14No, I must have done.

01:00:16But I didn't know

01:00:17what I was saying.

01:00:18You mean you didn't

01:00:18have sufficient time

01:00:19to think of a story

01:00:20that might save your bacon?

01:00:22No.

01:00:22If I said it,

01:00:23it was because

01:00:24I was confused.

01:00:25You were confused.

01:00:27And yet,

01:00:28just a few minutes later,

01:00:29the Inspector asked you,

01:00:31and again,

01:00:31I will quote

01:00:32from his testimony,

01:00:34did you shoot him?

01:00:35And she replied,

01:00:36yes, it was me.

01:00:39Well, now, Mrs. Shadwick,

01:00:40were you also confused

01:00:41when you said that

01:00:42to the Inspector?

01:00:42I must have been.

01:00:43Well, then you admitted

01:00:44then that you said it.

01:00:45You said, yes,

01:00:46it was me.

01:00:48Yes, if the Inspector

01:00:49says I did,

01:00:49but I didn't know

01:00:50what I was saying.

01:00:51I was all upset.

01:00:53I didn't know

01:00:53what had happened

01:00:54or how it had happened.

01:00:55I was upset.

01:00:56I see.

01:00:56Well, I...

01:00:57You were, in fact,

01:00:58so upset, I suggest,

01:00:59that you told the plain

01:01:01sad truth,

01:01:02which is that in anger,

01:01:04you took your husband's shotgun,

01:01:06you loaded it,

01:01:07and that later,

01:01:08still in anger,

01:01:10you fired it

01:01:11at one of those intruders

01:01:13in your father's house.

01:01:14No, it wasn't deliberate.

01:01:15But you took that gun

01:01:16and you loaded it,

01:01:17did you not?

01:01:18No.

01:01:19And in a moment of fury,

01:01:20you aimed that gun

01:01:21and you pulled the trigger.

01:01:22No, I didn't.

01:01:23I didn't load it

01:01:24and I didn't know

01:01:24it was loaded

01:01:25and I didn't fire it

01:01:26on purpose.

01:01:27I see.

01:01:27Well, now,

01:01:28let us try to establish

01:01:30what you did intend

01:01:32to do on that day.

01:01:35Now,

01:01:36when your father rang up

01:01:37and told you

01:01:37what had happened,

01:01:39you were angry,

01:01:40were you not?

01:01:41Yes.

01:01:42Yes, well,

01:01:42that's a very natural reaction.

01:01:45Quite normal.

01:01:47Were you frightened?

01:01:49No.

01:01:50Ah.

01:01:50So, on your own admission,

01:01:52you took your husband's shotgun

01:01:53in a mood of anger

01:01:55and not of fear.

01:01:56So, Mrs. Shadwick,

01:01:57you took that gun

01:01:58for attack

01:02:00and not for defence.

01:02:01I took it just in case.

01:02:03I suppose I was frightened, really.

01:02:05Really, Mrs. Shadwick?

01:02:07You know,

01:02:07first you say

01:02:07you weren't frightened

01:02:09and then you say you were.

01:02:10You know,

01:02:10you do adapt your story

01:02:12according to how you see

01:02:13your advantage,

01:02:14now, don't you?

01:02:15No.

01:02:15You get me mixed up.

01:02:17But you told us earlier

01:02:18that not only

01:02:19had you never fired that gun,

01:02:22but that you didn't even know

01:02:25how to load it.

01:02:26Yes, that's right.

01:02:28Well, you know,

01:02:29I find that

01:02:30an extremely surprising story,

01:02:32Mrs. Shadwick.

01:02:33I mean,

01:02:34here you are,

01:02:34a farmer's wife,

01:02:35sort of woman

01:02:36who can turn her hand

01:02:38to any job about the farm,

01:02:40milks the cows,

01:02:41bakes the bread,

01:02:42drives the car,

01:02:44rings a chicken's neck,

01:02:45I shouldn't wonder.

01:02:46You do kill chicken,

01:02:47don't you?

01:02:48Well, I have done.

01:02:50Yeah, I'm sure you have.

01:02:51Yes, you're a sort of woman

01:02:53who can turn her hand

01:02:53at any job.

01:02:55And yet you're asking us

01:02:56seriously to believe

01:02:58that you don't even know

01:03:00how to load a shotgun.

01:03:02I've never been interested.

01:03:04I've never wanted

01:03:05to shoot anything.

01:03:06Not even when you found

01:03:07your father's house

01:03:07occupied by squatters?

01:03:08No.

01:03:10Well, then,

01:03:11will you please tell me,

01:03:12Mrs. Shadwick,

01:03:13when you drove

01:03:14to your father's house,

01:03:16taking that gun with you,

01:03:18and you marched

01:03:19so boldly up to the door

01:03:21and confronted

01:03:22these intruders,

01:03:24just what did you

01:03:25hope to achieve?

01:03:26I don't know, really.

01:03:27I didn't stop

01:03:28to think about that.

01:03:29I was just so disgusted

01:03:30with these people,

01:03:31I wanted to give them

01:03:31a piece of my mind.

01:03:32Which, of course, you did.

01:03:33Yes, I did.

01:03:34I told them they were

01:03:35no better than thieves.

01:03:36I see.

01:03:36And did you tell them,

01:03:37Mrs. Shadwick,

01:03:37that if they didn't get out

01:03:38of your father's house,

01:03:41they would be sorry?

01:03:41I might have done,

01:03:43but I didn't mean...

01:03:44Well, what I did mean

01:03:45was that I'd get the law

01:03:46onto them,

01:03:47something like that.

01:03:47Ah, but you didn't mean that,

01:03:48now, did you?

01:03:49Because what you proceeded to do

01:03:50was to take the law

01:03:51into your own hands,

01:03:53now, wasn't it?

01:03:53I just wanted to get in the house.

01:03:55They'd no right

01:03:56to keep my father

01:03:57out of his own house.

01:03:58I see, but did you understand,

01:03:59Mrs. Shadwick,

01:03:59that by using force

01:04:02to gain entry

01:04:03to this house,

01:04:05you were breaking the law?

01:04:06No, I didn't.

01:04:07I've heard that since,

01:04:08and I think it's ridiculous.

01:04:10It makes my blood boil.

01:04:11Somebody comes along

01:04:13and tells you

01:04:13you can't break into

01:04:14your own property.

01:04:15Yes, you're a strong believer

01:04:16in property rights,

01:04:17are you?

01:04:18Yes, I am.

01:04:19People work hard

01:04:20for their homes,

01:04:21and nobody's entitled

01:04:22to take it off them.

01:04:23I see, and so you decided

01:04:24to force your way in.

01:04:25But, you know,

01:04:26wasn't that a remarkably bold thing

01:04:28to do, Mrs. Shadwick?

01:04:30How do you mean?

01:04:31Well, I mean,

01:04:32surely you were taking

01:04:33a big risk, weren't you?

01:04:35I mean, here you are, woman,

01:04:37aided by a 74-year-old man,

01:04:40proposing to burst into a house

01:04:42occupied by at least two people,

01:04:44possibly more than two.

01:04:47I didn't stop to think about that.

01:04:49I just wanted to get inside.

01:04:50You already knew

01:04:51that these people

01:04:51were no respecters of property.

01:04:53Now, why should they have

01:04:54any more respect for people?

01:04:55Hmm?

01:04:58What made you so brave?

01:05:02It was a shotgun, wasn't it?

01:05:03No.

01:05:04Yeah.

01:05:05You knew that gun was loaded.

01:05:06Now, didn't you, Mrs. Shadwick?

01:05:07No, I didn't.

01:05:08Well, Mrs. Shadwick,

01:05:09you know, you really must.

01:05:10You really must tell the truth.

01:05:12I have told the truth.

01:05:14Well, surely the truth is

01:05:16that anger took hold of you,

01:05:18and we can all understand that.

01:05:20But you went for that shotgun

01:05:23and you loaded it.

01:05:24No, I didn't.

01:05:25And in a moment of terrible impulse,

01:05:27a moment of fury,

01:05:29a desire to punish,

01:05:31to hurt these people...

01:05:32It's not true.

01:05:33You deliberately fired that gun.

01:05:35I wouldn't do a thing like that.

01:05:36when Margaret Stone said you did.

01:05:40She's lying.

01:05:41The wicked bitch is lying.

01:05:47Every now and then,

01:05:48I go down the big field with it.

01:05:50I generally hit something.

01:05:53Rabbits, mostly.

01:05:54Yes.

01:05:55Yes, but on this particular occasion,

01:05:57Mr. Shadwick,

01:05:58you fired only one barrel.

01:06:00Yes, that's right.

01:06:02Did you hit your target?

01:06:04Yes.

01:06:04It was a fine big rabbit.

01:06:07So you fired one barrel only?

01:06:11Well, yes.

01:06:12You've got to be careful.

01:06:13Price cartridges out of these days.

01:06:16Yes.

01:06:16Now then, Mr. Shadwick,

01:06:18are you normally

01:06:20careful

01:06:22with your shotgun?

01:06:23Oh, yes.

01:06:24You've got to be careful.

01:06:26There's kids about, you see.

01:06:28Only this time,

01:06:29I slipped up.

01:06:30I forgot and I left a cartridge in there.

01:06:32Oh, why was that?

01:06:34Why did you forget?

01:06:35Well,

01:06:36I just got back to the house

01:06:37and

01:06:39one of the kids came running up.

01:06:40He said one of the cows was badly.

01:06:43Well,

01:06:43I just put the gun down

01:06:44and

01:06:45forgot about that cartridge

01:06:46and the excitement.

01:06:48Yes, yes, I see.

01:06:49Yes.

01:06:50Now, Mr. Shadwick,

01:06:52your wife,

01:06:54has she, to your knowledge,

01:06:56ever fired

01:06:56your shotgun?

01:06:58No, not her.

01:06:59Never.

01:07:02Thank you, Mr. Shadwick.

01:07:12Now, Mr. Shadwick,

01:07:18you really love your wife,

01:07:20don't you?

01:07:22Well, yes,

01:07:24certainly.

01:07:25You go to some pains

01:07:26to look after her?

01:07:29Yes, I would.

01:07:32Do your best to keep her out of trouble.

01:07:35Yes.

01:07:37Save her from something unpleasant,

01:07:39if you could.

01:07:41Yes.

01:07:44Such as a term of imprisonment?

01:07:47Well,

01:07:47um,

01:07:49well,

01:07:50yes.

01:07:51If necessary,

01:07:52would you,

01:07:53um,

01:07:55would you tell a lie

01:07:55on her behalf?

01:07:58Oh, no.

01:07:59Oh, no.

01:08:01No.

01:08:05Thank you, Mr. Shadwick.

01:08:09The vital

01:08:10elements of the offence

01:08:12are firstly

01:08:13that there must have been

01:08:14a wounding.

01:08:15Secondly,

01:08:16that that wounding

01:08:17must have been

01:08:18inflicted intentionally.

01:08:20And thirdly,

01:08:21there must have been

01:08:22an intention

01:08:23to cause

01:08:23grievous bodily harm.

01:08:25That is

01:08:26really serious harm.

01:08:29Now,

01:08:29certainly,

01:08:30Mr. Worsley

01:08:31was wounded

01:08:31and badly.

01:08:33The vital question,

01:08:34you may think,

01:08:35is whether the gun

01:08:36which wounded him

01:08:37went off accidentally

01:08:38or whether it was

01:08:39fired deliberately.

01:08:40Now,

01:08:41if it was fired

01:08:42deliberately,

01:08:43Mr. Worsley,

01:08:43you may think,

01:08:44though,

01:08:45this is a matter for you,

01:08:47you may think

01:08:47that the accused

01:08:48intended to cause him

01:08:50grievous bodily harm.

01:08:51because that is the almost

01:08:53inevitable result

01:08:55of such an act.

01:08:56Now,

01:08:57if,

01:08:57on the other hand,

01:08:57you think that although

01:08:58the accused

01:08:59pointed the gun

01:09:00at Mr. Worsley,

01:09:01she only intended

01:09:02to frighten him,

01:09:03then she would

01:09:05only be guilty

01:09:06of assault

01:09:07occasioning

01:09:08actual bodily harm.

01:09:10And lastly,

01:09:12if you think

01:09:13the accused

01:09:14did not point

01:09:14the gun

01:09:15at Mr. Worsley,

01:09:16but it did go off

01:09:18accidentally,

01:09:18then she is not

01:09:20guilty of any

01:09:21offence at all.

01:09:23Now,

01:09:23remember,

01:09:24the prosecution

01:09:25have the task

01:09:26of proving their case

01:09:27and of proving it

01:09:28beyond all

01:09:29reasonable doubt.

01:09:30And if they do not,

01:09:31the accused

01:09:32is entitled

01:09:33to be acquitted.

01:09:35Now,

01:09:36will you please retire

01:09:37and consider your verdict?

01:09:39All, sir.

01:09:47The prisoner will stand.

01:09:53Will the form of the jury

01:09:54please stand?

01:09:56Just answer this question,

01:09:58yes or no.

01:09:59Have you reached a verdict

01:10:01upon which

01:10:01you are all agreed?

01:10:03Yes.

01:10:04Do you find the defendant,

01:10:06Vera Chadwick,

01:10:07guilty or not guilty

01:10:09of causing

01:10:10grievous bodily harm?

01:10:11Not guilty.

01:10:37The jury in this case

01:10:38is composed of members

01:10:39of the general public.

01:10:41Our cameras will return

01:10:42to bring you another

01:10:42leading case

01:10:43in the Crown Court.

01:10:54The jury in this case

Crown Court - An Englishman's Home (1080p) (Complete)

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