- 10 minutes ago
1975 COURTROOM DRAMA "Alan Stockwell stands trial for the murder of Charles Robins. His father Arthur claims he confronted Stockwell and knocked the gun out of his hand before the defendant ran.. Taxi driver Robert Markham says he took Stockwell to Robins home." IMDB Starring William Mervyn, Jonathan Elsom, Charles Keating, Arthur English, Neil McCarthy, Roddy McMillan, Maurice O'Connell, John Abineri
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TVTranscript
00:00:26The
00:00:27case you're about to see is fictional,
00:00:28but the jury is made up of members of the public who will assess the evidence
00:00:32and deliver their own verdict at the end of the programme.
00:00:58The case before Mr Justice Campbell in the Crown Court today involves a serious criminal
00:01:02charge. Alan Stockwell stands trial for the murder of Charles Robbins. He'll be defended
00:01:08by Mr James Elliot QC. Prosecuting for the Crown is Mr Marcus Golding QC.
00:01:15I call Arthur Robbins. Arthur Robbins, please.
00:01:20The prosecution have called the father of the murdered man as their first witness.
00:01:34What is your religion? Church of England. Take the testament in your right hand and read aloud
00:01:38the words on this card. I swear by Almighty God that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth,
00:01:44the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Are you Arthur Robbins? Yes, I am. And you live at
00:01:50Charters Paddock, Timsbury, near Fulton? I do, but I'm staying with friends at the moment.
00:01:55I see. And your son Charles lived with you? It was his house. I shared his house, you see.
00:02:02Do you mean you had your own rooms? My own rooms? Well, did you live separate?
00:02:06Not separate. It was a big house and I had my own sitting room for when I wanted. We didn't
00:02:13get
00:02:13under each other's feet, you see. Yes. Now, were you with him on the evening of Monday, April the 14th
00:02:19of the ship? I was in the house. Tell us what happened, Mr Robbins. Yes. I was watching the
00:02:24television and there was the doorbell. I didn't give it a second thought because Charlie had said
00:02:29someone was coming round on business. Had you asked him who was coming or what it was about?
00:02:33No, he often had people, visitors visiting like. Yes. So you heard the front doorbell and then what
00:02:40happened? Well, nothing. Not for a while. After a bit, say about five minutes, I heard someone
00:02:47shouting. And what did you do? I went into the hall and the noise was coming from the far end
00:02:53of the hall from my son's study. The shouting, you mean? Yes. It's a long hallway and with the study
00:03:01door closed, I could still hear this fellow shouting. Did you recognize the voice? No, it was a man with
00:03:08an Irish accent. Could you hear what was being said? Yes. The Irish bloke said, you've got everything
00:03:16here, haven't you? And my son said, you'll get it all one day. And then the man said, I
00:03:23wouldn't mind half of it now. And my son said, you'll get it. Don't worry. Then it got quiet
00:03:31and I turned to go back to my room. And that's when I heard this, this bang, this shot. Then
00:03:39what did
00:03:39you do? Nothing. The study door flew open and someone came out like a bat out of hell. I said,
00:03:46hey, what's going on? And I'm searching in my pocket for my glasses and something came flying through the
00:03:53air and hit me by the side of the head. It stunned me. Do you know what had been thrown?
00:03:58Yes. It was
00:03:59a gun. It landed in front of me. I just stood stunned looking at it. May he be shown exhibit
00:04:08one,
00:04:08please? Yes, that looks like the one.
00:04:23Now, members of the jury, as you've already heard, analysis of the marks on the bullet has
00:04:29shown that the murdered man was indeed killed by a round fired from that same gun. Now what
00:04:35happened next, Mr. Robbins? Well, I just stood looking at the gun, hypnotized like, and then he
00:04:43was picking up the gun and then one hand holding his sweater pulled over his face and I gave him
00:04:50a
00:04:50fistful. You mean you hit him? Yeah, round about here. So you caught him a blow on the left side
00:04:56of his head, just under the eye? Yes. And then he swung at me and hit me against the wall
00:05:01and he was
00:05:02gone. I was just stunned. It was like a nightmare. It hadn't really happened. Then what did you do,
00:05:11Mr. Robbins? Well, then I... I went to my son's study and my son... Are you all right, Mr. Robbins?
00:05:28My son... Did you find your son in the study? Yes. He was sitting on the sofa, a long one.
00:05:41Seat half a dozen. He liked that sofa. He was sitting with his head in the cushion. Half his face
00:05:57was
00:05:57gone and bone and stuff hanging out. That bastard done for him! You're a liar. I've never seen you.
00:06:06I've never been in your house, never. That will do, Stockwell. Now, Mr. Robbins, you are here to give
00:06:12evidence not to hurl insults at the accused or indeed at anyone else in this court. Now, do you
00:06:17understand? Yes, my lord. Now, on Wednesday the 16th of April, were you asked to attend an identity
00:06:24parade at Fulchester Police Station? Yes. Yes. And were you able to pick out the man who had attacked you?
00:06:29Yes, I was able to. And is that person in court today? He is. Would you point him out, please?
00:06:35It was him. Thank you, Mr. Robbins. Will you wait there, please? So you picked out the accused at this
00:06:42identity parade? I've said that. Is there anything different about him now than from when you say
00:06:47you saw him on the night of your son's murder? How do you mean? His hair is shorter. And what
00:06:52about
00:06:52his clothes? He was wearing a leather jacket. What colour? I don't know. Oh, was it black, brown,
00:07:00yellow, blue? It was brown. And what sort of jacket was he wearing at the identity parade?
00:07:07I can't remember. He was wearing a brown leather jacket, was he not? Perhaps he was. He had been
00:07:13wearing a short duffel coat, but he changed it. I don't know about that. He was, in fact, the only
00:07:18man
00:07:18in the line-up wearing a brown leather jacket, correct? If you say so. You're sure you recognised
00:07:24the man and not a leather jacket? It wasn't the fashion show. I was looking at their faces.
00:07:31And why, then, did you ask to hear the men speak? To be double sure. Why don't you tell
00:07:35the truth? You know I wasn't there. I am telling the truth. Bloody lie. It was you. I saw you
00:07:39there almost.
00:07:40That is quite enough. He couldn't have seen me. I wasn't there. Stockwell, you must not interrupt.
00:07:44I can't just sit here and listen to lies. You will have every opportunity of speaking
00:07:48in your own defence later. I had nothing to do with it. I wasn't there.
00:07:52Someone's got it in. Stockwell, be quiet. My lord, may I have a moment
00:07:56to confer with my client? Yes, of course.
00:08:02What are you trying to do? You'll have the judge and the jury against you.
00:08:05Yes, I know. No buts. You do this my way,
00:08:08or you'll go down. Right, on your feet. Apologise to his lordship.
00:08:14I'm sorry, my lord. Good. I would not like to continue this case in your absence,
00:08:21but if there are any more outbursts, there will be no other course left open to me.
00:08:26Do you understand? Yes, my lord. Very well. Shall we get on?
00:08:30My lord. Mr. Robbins, you have stated that the man you heard in the study had an Irish accent.
00:08:36I thought so. Would you say the accused has an Irish accent? No.
00:08:40And then when you heard that voice on that parade, how did that make you double sure that he was,
00:08:44in fact, the Irishman who killed your son? Perhaps he was putting the voice on.
00:08:49On the parade? In the study? Or now?
00:08:52In the study.
00:08:55But why should he do that? I mean, he wasn't to know anyone was listening, was he?
00:09:03Correct me if I'm wrong, but on the morning of the 15th of April,
00:09:07you went to the police station, and from 11 until 1, and again in the afternoon,
00:09:11you looked at photographs of possible suspects.
00:09:13Yes.
00:09:14Now, the accused, Alan Stockwell, has a criminal record
00:09:17for minor and non-violent offences.
00:09:20His photograph would therefore be on record.
00:09:23Were you shown photographs of the accused?
00:09:26I was shown hundreds of photographs.
00:09:27Now, that is not the question I asked.
00:09:29I've been answering questions ever since that night.
00:09:31I wish you'd stop trying to make me out a liar, trying to win every point.
00:09:35Mr. Robbins, we're not here to win points.
00:09:38Now, Mr. Robbins, I understand this must be an emotional strain for you,
00:09:43but you must answer counsel's questions.
00:09:46Yes, sir.
00:09:47Were you shown photographs of the accused?
00:09:50Yes, I was.
00:09:51Yes.
00:09:51Presumably, you were shown cards with several different photographs on each card.
00:09:56Yes.
00:09:56And was Stockwell pointed out as a possible suspect?
00:09:59His name was never mentioned.
00:10:00Was his picture pointed out?
00:10:02Some were pointed out.
00:10:03For what reason?
00:10:05They just said that they weren't in prison.
00:10:08You mean they were not in prison when the murder took place?
00:10:11Yes, that's right.
00:10:12Well, Alan Stockwell wasn't in prison when the murder took place, was he?
00:10:14No, he wasn't.
00:10:15So, presumably, his picture was pointed out?
00:10:19Yes.
00:10:20At last.
00:10:21Now, were you also shown individual photographs?
00:10:24Yes.
00:10:25And were these photographs in a pile on the desk or were they handed to you one by one?
00:10:32Sometimes they were handed to me and sometimes they were on the desk.
00:10:35Now, this is important, Mr. Robbins.
00:10:36Were there occasions when you asked for the next photograph and were told not to rush,
00:10:42to take your time, to take even a second look at the photograph in your hand?
00:10:48There were times.
00:10:49I just wanted to get a move on.
00:10:51Yes, quite.
00:10:51And was one of the photographs that you were asked to take a second look at a photograph
00:10:55of the accused, Alan Stockwell?
00:10:58Yes.
00:10:59Mr. Elliot, I take it that you're suggesting that the police deliberately tried to influence
00:11:04the witness's identification?
00:11:06I'm exploring the possibility, my lord.
00:11:08Mr. Robbins, when you went to the police station first to look at the photographs, did the police
00:11:13show you a photograph of the accused and suggest that he was a likely suspect?
00:11:19No, I was shown hundreds of photographs.
00:11:21They just let me get on.
00:11:23Left you alone?
00:11:24Yes.
00:11:25Well, not all the time.
00:11:26I mean, sometimes they were with me and sometimes I was on my own.
00:11:29So the police never said anything to try and persuade you to make an identification?
00:11:34They did not.
00:11:35Did they make any other suggestion in any other sort of way, like leaving a particular photograph
00:11:39in front of you for a long time?
00:11:42Longer, shall we say, than any of the others.
00:11:45The police left it to me.
00:11:47I mean, I picked out five photographs, but I couldn't be sure, not positive, only when I
00:11:53saw him.
00:11:54Thank you, Mr. Robbins.
00:11:56Did it?
00:11:57Hello.
00:11:57Well, Charter's Paddock is a big house, isn't it, Mr. Robbins?
00:12:01A fair size.
00:12:03A big house surrounded by spacious grounds?
00:12:05A lot of garden.
00:12:07There's a massive wall around it?
00:12:08Yes.
00:12:09Spiked and broken glass embedded along the top?
00:12:12That's right.
00:12:13Did your son have enemies?
00:12:15No, he didn't.
00:12:16Did he not have business rivals?
00:12:18None likely to want to climb the walls.
00:12:22I believe your wife died a little over a year ago.
00:12:25Yes.
00:12:26Your son had just become engaged?
00:12:28Yes.
00:12:30He'd done well for himself, hadn't he?
00:12:32Marvellous.
00:12:32He certainly pulled himself together after the trouble.
00:12:35What do you mean?
00:12:36Well, he did serve a sentence of 18 months' imprisonment, did he not?
00:12:40Well, that was six years back.
00:12:41Well, yes, yes, yes, of course.
00:12:43So, with his criminal activities behind him, he became a respected man, the owner of a
00:12:49big house and a chain of betting shops.
00:12:51Yes.
00:12:52Now, the betting shops were in your wife's name, correct?
00:12:54Yes.
00:12:55Was it because of his record that he wasn't allowed to have them in his name?
00:12:58That's right.
00:12:59So, when your wife died, what happened?
00:13:02How do you mean?
00:13:03Who did she leave the betting shops to?
00:13:05Well, the solicitors hold them in trust.
00:13:07They were executives of the estate, as it was.
00:13:09I see.
00:13:10Uh, why didn't your son put the business in your name?
00:13:14Well, he couldn't.
00:13:15Why was that?
00:13:18Well, for the same reason as...
00:13:20Was it because you yourself have a police record?
00:13:23In the past, yes.
00:13:25Still, with your son's help and money, you've been able to go straight for some time now,
00:13:29haven't you?
00:13:29Yes, he was a good boy.
00:13:32Understandably, you felt grief and anger after his death.
00:13:36Yes.
00:13:36You wanted vengeance?
00:13:38My son's in his coffin.
00:13:40Someone's going to pay.
00:13:41Anyone?
00:13:42The man who did it.
00:13:44Or the man the police suggested might have done it.
00:13:46You've already covered that ground, Mr Elliot.
00:13:48The witness has told us on oath that this was not the case.
00:13:52Yes, but on.
00:13:54Mr Robbins, you see the officer sitting to the left of the accused?
00:13:59Yes.
00:14:00Do you know him?
00:14:01No.
00:14:02But now I've pointed him out to you, you would recognise him again.
00:14:05Now you've had a chance to have a good look.
00:14:07Yes.
00:14:08You say you had a good look at the accused that night, didn't you?
00:14:11Yes.
00:14:12From the, what was it, the full length of the hall?
00:14:15Yes.
00:14:16But you were not wearing your spectacles?
00:14:18No.
00:14:20How long is the hall at Charters Paddock?
00:14:23I don't know, about 25 feet.
00:14:25That's not bad, but it's 35 feet to be precise.
00:14:28That was your only opportunity of observing the intruder, correct?
00:14:33I recognise him, I tell you.
00:14:35Take your glasses off, please, Mr Robbins.
00:14:37Huh?
00:14:38Take them off, please.
00:14:42Well, you don't mind, do you?
00:14:43I mean, you can't see all right without them.
00:14:45Perfectly all right.
00:14:46Would you excuse me for one minute, my lord?
00:15:06Mr Robbins, would you please look at the officer sitting to the left of the accused?
00:15:13The one I asked you to look at a moment ago.
00:15:15Now, is he still in the same place, or has he changed places with the officer on the right?
00:15:23Yes, he's changed places.
00:15:26Put your glasses on again, please.
00:15:29Yeah, but when he picked up the gun, he was right in front of me.
00:15:32Yes, but as you told us, you were hypnotised, stunned, and the man had his sweater pulled up over his
00:15:37face.
00:15:38Oh, my God, blimey, I mean...
00:15:40Thank you, thank you, no further questions.
00:15:41Do you wish to re-examine, Mr Golding?
00:15:43Indeed I do, my lord.
00:15:46Now, Mr Robbins, when you were in the hall, you heard a shot.
00:15:49Yes.
00:15:50Coming from the study, which was at the far end.
00:15:53That's right.
00:15:53Yes.
00:15:54And then someone came out.
00:15:56Yes.
00:15:57And you saw that person from a distance of 35 feet.
00:16:00Yes.
00:16:01Now, you said that he came out like a bat out of hell, and then he threw a gun at
00:16:06you.
00:16:06Yes.
00:16:06So, I presume he was moving fast in your direction?
00:16:10Yes, he did, before he threw the gun.
00:16:12Yes.
00:16:13How far did he get?
00:16:14Well, I don't know, 10, 15 feet.
00:16:16Well, let's say 15 feet.
00:16:17Now, had he pulled his sweater up over his face at this point?
00:16:20No.
00:16:21So you did, in fact, see the face of your attacker at a distance of some 20 feet?
00:16:25I would have done, yes.
00:16:27Well, without sending out to the borough surveyor for his tape measure, I think we would all agree that the
00:16:32distance between the witness box and the dock is some 40 to 50 feet.
00:16:36Double the distance, members of the jury.
00:16:39So much for my learned friend's courtroom demonstration.
00:16:44Now, when your attacker picked up his gun, he was close to you, wasn't he?
00:16:48Right by me.
00:16:49With his sweater pulled up over his face?
00:16:51Yes.
00:16:52But not over his head?
00:16:53No.
00:16:54So you could see his hair?
00:16:55Oh, yes, it was pulled up to about here, you see.
00:16:57I could see his eyes and part of his nose.
00:17:00It was up to about here.
00:17:01Yes, thank you, Mr. Robbins.
00:17:03Does your lordship have any questions?
00:17:04No, thank you.
00:17:06You may leave the witness box, Mr. Robbins.
00:17:11I call Robert Markham.
00:17:14Robert Markham, please.
00:17:16Yes, sir, please.
00:17:30What is your religion?
00:17:32I'd like to affirm.
00:17:33Raise your right hand and read aloud the words on this card.
00:17:37I do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the
00:17:43whole truth and nothing but the truth.
00:17:45You are Robert Markham of Marigold Court, Empire Drive, Fulchester West?
00:17:50Yes.
00:17:51You have a small minicab business with just a few cars, is that right, Mr. Markham?
00:17:55That's right.
00:17:56Yes.
00:17:56Now, what took place on the evening of April the 40th?
00:18:00Well, Alan Stockwell rang up and he booked a cab for our plus seven.
00:18:04And had he engaged your professional services before, Mr. Markham?
00:18:07Yeah, a few times, after parties and that.
00:18:10Did you drive him on these occasions?
00:18:12No, one of my drivers did.
00:18:13Yes.
00:18:14Now, what is the distance from 3 West Road to Charters Paddock?
00:18:18Oh, about ten miles.
00:18:19And how long did the journey take?
00:18:21Half an hour.
00:18:22And did the accused sit in the front or the back of the car?
00:18:25No, he sat in the front.
00:18:27And did any conversations take place in your cab?
00:18:30Well, we talked about football a bit.
00:18:33Did he tell you why he was going to Charters Paddock?
00:18:36He said he was going to collect something.
00:18:38He said he was going to collect something, yes.
00:18:41Anything more?
00:18:42No.
00:18:43Now, it took you half an hour to drive there, so you arrived at eight o'clock?
00:18:47Just before.
00:18:49Then what did you do?
00:18:50I waited.
00:18:51For how long?
00:18:53About ten minutes.
00:18:55And then?
00:18:56Well, then Stockwell comes out of the house at the bit of a gallop, carrying a bag.
00:19:02Looks as though he's hiding something under his coat, which is the gun, I suppose.
00:19:06But you did not see it?
00:19:08No, my lord.
00:19:09You are here to say what you saw and heard, not what you suppose.
00:19:14Do you understand?
00:19:15Yes, my lord.
00:19:16Idiot.
00:19:17You are awake?
00:19:19Always, my lord.
00:19:21Hmm.
00:19:22I wonder you didn't object.
00:19:24It is our case, my lord, that the accused was not the passenger.
00:19:28I see.
00:19:31Now, when Stockwell ran out, did he get into the front of the cab again?
00:19:35No, this time he got in the back.
00:19:37Did he say anything?
00:19:39He said, get a move on.
00:19:40And where did you drive him?
00:19:42I drove him back to his house.
00:19:44And was anything said on the return, Joe?
00:19:47Not a lot.
00:19:48Something about Robbins getting too cocky by half.
00:19:53You heard Stockwell say Robbins was getting too cocky by half?
00:19:56Yes.
00:19:57Yes.
00:19:58Did anything else take place?
00:20:00Yes.
00:20:01He wound down the window and he threw something out of the car near Fenchham Woods.
00:20:06Of course, I don't know what it was.
00:20:08Quite so, Mr Markham.
00:20:11Now, members of the jury, you may recall from the prosecution's opening speech
00:20:14that the police searched the area of Fenchham Woods and found the gun there.
00:20:19Do you have any more questions, Mr Golding?
00:20:22No, my lord.
00:20:24Mr Markham, you say you saw your passenger throw something out the window.
00:20:29Yes.
00:20:29Did you ask him what it was?
00:20:30No.
00:20:31You didn't stop?
00:20:32No.
00:20:34What did you think it was?
00:20:35I didn't know.
00:20:37Something heavy?
00:20:38Medal?
00:20:39Do people often throw heavy objects out of your cab window?
00:20:42No.
00:20:43Now, according to you, Stockwell asked you to drive him to the scene of the crime,
00:20:47told you to wait while he committed a brutal murder,
00:20:50got back into your cab, threw something heavy out the window,
00:20:52which conveniently turns out to be the murder weapon.
00:20:54Now, that's what you're asking us to believe?
00:20:56Well, that's the truth.
00:20:58Then Stockwell must be the most incompetent criminal of all time.
00:21:02Or you're lying.
00:21:04I'm not lying.
00:21:05I believe you are.
00:21:08Is it a hard life being a cab driver?
00:21:11It's a living.
00:21:13But you're not just a driver, are you?
00:21:15I own me own business.
00:21:16Well, it's not your only business interest, is it?
00:21:19It's the way I earn my living.
00:21:20A very good living.
00:21:22I don't do badly.
00:21:24Good enough to buy expensive suits.
00:21:25I save up.
00:21:27Good enough to run a Morgan sports car.
00:21:29I also win money on horses.
00:21:32I see.
00:21:34Now, you have connections, have you not,
00:21:36with the large family firm of Matthews of Fulchester?
00:21:39What firm is this?
00:21:41They have several nightclubs, my lord,
00:21:42and a stable of splendid racehorses.
00:21:45Does it have any bearing on this case?
00:21:47Well, yes, I believe it does, my lord.
00:21:48The accused owes Matthews a considerable sum of money.
00:21:51Now, in view of the connection between this witness and Matthews,
00:21:56I question the likelihood of my client ever using a taxi cab
00:21:59owned by Mr Markham.
00:22:01I hope to prove it would be the last thing he'd be likely to do.
00:22:06Well, answer counsel's question.
00:22:08I'm afraid I've forgotten what it was, my lord.
00:22:11Do you have any connection with the Matthews firm?
00:22:15Yeah, I do a bit of driving for them, yeah.
00:22:16Do you do a lot of driving?
00:22:18Well, they ring me up when they want me.
00:22:20How do they pay you?
00:22:22They usually settle their account at the end of the month.
00:22:25And they're reliable?
00:22:26How do you mean?
00:22:28Do they pay you regularly for this work that you do?
00:22:30Oh, yeah.
00:22:31Which is what?
00:22:33Driving.
00:22:34Oh, driving, yes, of course.
00:22:36The accused Alan Stockwell owes them a lot of money, doesn't he?
00:22:40I don't know.
00:22:41Like I said, I only drive for them.
00:22:43Well, you're surely aware that Matthews has gone into the betting shop business.
00:22:47Yeah.
00:22:48In direct competition with the late Charles Robbins.
00:22:51Could be.
00:22:53Mr Markham, let's get down to the facts of this matter, shall we?
00:22:56Well, I've told you all I know.
00:22:58Yes.
00:22:58Yes, you've been very positive.
00:23:01I've done my best.
00:23:02I'm very sure of everything you've told us.
00:23:04All right.
00:23:05I've just told you the facts.
00:23:06But are you sure of the person you say you drove to Charter's Paddock on the night of the murder?
00:23:11Well, of course I'm sure.
00:23:13You're sure you didn't drive someone else?
00:23:15I couldn't very well mistake who I was driving.
00:23:17Your memory isn't letting you down?
00:23:19No, it's not.
00:23:19But you're not infallible.
00:23:20You don't remember everything, do you?
00:23:22How can he tell you that he doesn't remember everything?
00:23:24What he doesn't remember, he will have forgotten.
00:23:26So, of course, he'll think that what he does remember is everything.
00:23:31Yes, my lord.
00:23:32Yes, I take your point.
00:23:33And I hope you will be coming to yours.
00:23:36Yes, my lord.
00:23:37You went on holiday with Matthews last year, did you not?
00:23:42Yes.
00:23:43The Canary Islands.
00:23:44That's right.
00:23:45For a month?
00:23:47Yes.
00:23:48You must know each other very well.
00:23:50Well, I suppose you could say I'm a bit of a friend, yeah.
00:23:53A close friend would be more accurate, wouldn't it?
00:23:56Well, if you want to put it that way.
00:23:58And you're asking us to believe that this man, owing over a thousand pounds to Matthews,
00:24:03would ask you, one of Matthews' close friends, to drive him somewhere?
00:24:07That's what happened.
00:24:07It's a bleeding fit-up.
00:24:09Who's paying you, the filth or the family?
00:24:10I warned you already, Stockwell.
00:24:12All right, Robin's made a mistake.
00:24:14This one's lining his teeth.
00:24:15I've heard of being fit-up.
00:24:16That is quite enough.
00:24:17This is Taylor May.
00:24:18This is a Savile Row job.
00:24:20This frame never came off the plate.
00:24:21Mr. Elliot, I cannot allow this to continue.
00:24:24If I might speak to him, my lord.
00:24:25I want another judge.
00:24:27That is impossible.
00:24:28Well, then I think you're bent on all.
00:24:30I want a fair trial.
00:24:31Take him down.
00:24:33I want the jury to know I never done this.
00:24:35I want a public inquiry.
00:24:38I want the press to know I never done it.
00:24:43Shall we continue?
00:24:44Thank you, my lord.
00:24:46Mr. Markham, has your evidence to this court been dictated by Paul Matthews?
00:24:51No, it hasn't.
00:24:53A reward was offered for information leading to the arrest of Charles Robbins' killer, was
00:24:58it not?
00:24:58Yes.
00:24:591,000 pounds offered by the dead man's father.
00:25:02That's right.
00:25:04Now, is it correct that Superintendent Collins, the detective in charge of investigations into
00:25:09this case, recommended that you should get this money?
00:25:12Yes.
00:25:13Have you, in fact, received this money?
00:25:15Yes, I have.
00:25:16And did you, on May the 6th, withdraw 500 pounds from your bank account in 10-pound notes?
00:25:24Yes, sir.
00:25:25I beg your pardon?
00:25:27I said, yes, I did.
00:25:28Yes, you did.
00:25:29And did you give that 500 pounds to Superintendent Collins?
00:25:32No, I certainly did not.
00:25:36No further questions.
00:25:38Gilding.
00:25:39Do you wish to re-examine?
00:25:41Uh, indeed I do, my lord.
00:25:44Mr. Markham, what did you do with that money?
00:25:47I owed it to a bookie.
00:25:48You drew it out to pay off a gambling debt?
00:25:51Yeah, that's right.
00:25:52Yes.
00:25:53And a gambling man has a lot of ups and downs, am I right?
00:25:56Yes, you're right.
00:25:57Are you much of a gambler, Mr. Markham?
00:26:00I suppose you could call me semi-professional.
00:26:02And you're quite successful a lot of the time?
00:26:04Yes.
00:26:05Yes.
00:26:06And when you do win, are you the kind of person who likes to save his money to put it
00:26:10aside
00:26:10for a rainy day?
00:26:11No.
00:26:12You may rather spend it on good clothes and sports cars, that sort of thing.
00:26:18Yes, that's right.
00:26:19Yes.
00:26:19Thank you, Mr. Markham.
00:26:21I've no further questions, my lord.
00:26:52I swear by almighty God that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth,
00:26:55and nothing but the truth.
00:26:58William Stuart Collins, Detective Superintendent, attached to the Fulcester Division, my lord.
00:27:03Detective Superintendent.
00:27:04One moment.
00:27:05Superintendent, I've just been informed that attempts have been made overnight to interfere
00:27:10with the jury.
00:27:11Can you confirm this?
00:27:12I understand that to be so, my lord.
00:27:13Yes, one of them believed that he was followed home, and another received an anonymous telephone
00:27:17call.
00:27:18It wasn't my lord.
00:27:19I can tell you...
00:27:19Be quiet, Stockwell.
00:27:20I'm sorry.
00:27:21I was just saying that...
00:27:21Be quiet.
00:27:23Now, members of the jury, I shall be asking for added precautions.
00:27:26You will be escorted between your homes and this court by police officers.
00:27:30And if anyone should try to communicate with you in any way about this case, you must at
00:27:34once inform the police.
00:27:36Do you understand?
00:27:38Very well.
00:27:39Good evening.
00:27:41Detective Superintendent Collins, you've been in charge of investigations into this case?
00:27:45Yes, I have.
00:27:46Yes, will you tell the court what happened on the evening of Tuesday, the 15th of April
00:27:49of this year?
00:27:51As a result of information given to me, I went to number three, West Road, Fulcester, the
00:27:55accused home.
00:27:56He was there alone, apart from his mother, whom I knew to be an invalid.
00:28:01He said she was asleep upstairs.
00:28:03He was wearing dark glasses.
00:28:05I asked him to take them off.
00:28:07He had bruising around the left eye.
00:28:10I told him I was arresting him on suspicion of murdering Charles Robbins, and I cautioned
00:28:14him.
00:28:15He said, you would like to see me go down on a tasty one.
00:28:18What did you take that to be?
00:28:20Go to prison on a serious charge, my lord.
00:28:22Pardon.
00:28:23Then he said, don't write this down, because I'll deny it.
00:28:26I have an alibi for this one as well.
00:28:28You don't object to this, Mr. Elias?
00:28:31No, my lord.
00:28:32I shall return to this in my cross-examination.
00:28:34Very well.
00:28:36Now, you said he had an alibi for this as well.
00:28:39As well as what?
00:28:40Well, he had been a suspect in a previous case, my lord, but he was able to prove that
00:28:44he was nowhere near the crime.
00:28:46I asked him what his alibi was.
00:28:47He said, I'll think of something.
00:28:50I never said that.
00:28:51I told him where I was.
00:28:52Mr. Elliot, I don't want to have to send him down again.
00:28:55Give me the truth, Rodden.
00:28:56That will prove it.
00:28:57That will do, Stockwell.
00:28:58I'm afraid we do not use those methods.
00:29:00You may well be afraid.
00:29:02It'll prove I haven't done it.
00:29:03Although it would be with some reluctance, I'm quite prepared to hear the remainder of
00:29:08this case in your absence.
00:29:15Mr. Elliot.
00:29:16My lord.
00:29:17So, Stockwell said he'd think up some alibi.
00:29:20That's right.
00:29:21I took him to Fulchester Police Station.
00:29:24Later, I cautioned him and inquired if he'd like to say anything.
00:29:27I'll make a written statement.
00:29:28He made no reply.
00:29:30And later, at an identification parade, the accused was picked out by both Mr. Robbins
00:29:34and Mr. Markham.
00:29:35That's correct.
00:29:36Yes, and fingerprints belonging to Stockwell were found on a marble-topped coffee table
00:29:41in a study at Charter's Paddock.
00:29:43Yes, such prints were found.
00:29:45Yes, thank you, Superintendent.
00:29:46Dives on all.
00:29:47That must have cost somebody something.
00:29:49You've been with the police a long time, Superintendent?
00:29:52Since I left school.
00:29:54It's a curious profession, isn't it?
00:29:56How do you mean?
00:29:57Well, the dedication required.
00:29:59It's a job worth doing.
00:30:00No, but the sacrifices.
00:30:02It's a job that doesn't give you much time to yourself.
00:30:04An officer has a life outside the force, like anyone else.
00:30:07But to some officers, hours mean nothing.
00:30:11I suppose so.
00:30:11Especially when they're on a case and the hunt is on.
00:30:14You can't just clock off at six.
00:30:16You yourself sometimes work a hundred-hour week, I'm told.
00:30:20Why, sir?
00:30:20Particularly when you're on a murder case.
00:30:23You don't count up hours.
00:30:25No, indeed.
00:30:26And when you're on such a case, you don't even go home, do you?
00:30:29Oh, yes, I go home.
00:30:30I don't live in the station.
00:30:32Don't you keep a bed in your office?
00:30:35Yes, I do.
00:30:36Then you do live at the station sometimes.
00:30:38Well, if something comes up, an emergency, and I stay late, then I sleep in the office.
00:30:41Quite frequently, you never go to bed at all, do you?
00:30:45If we're after someone, then I worry on it.
00:30:49If my information is correct, when you're on a case, you keep an identikit picture of your suspect on the
00:30:56wall beside your bed.
00:30:57Yes, I do.
00:30:58Why do you do that?
00:31:02Well, I look at the picture, and I try to visualise the villain, try to get inside his mind.
00:31:07A sort of obsessional approach.
00:31:09More of a psychological approach.
00:31:12When do you retire, Superintendent?
00:31:15Four months.
00:31:16And you'd like to go out with a 100% record of detection?
00:31:19Of course I would.
00:31:20Now, you've worked on 35 murder cases, I understand.
00:31:23Mm-hmm.
00:31:24Like the Mounties, you've got your man in 34 cases.
00:31:27Every one.
00:31:28No acquittals?
00:31:29No failures.
00:31:31You look upon an acquittal as a failure?
00:31:34A man's guilty.
00:31:35Well, if a man is guilty, he shouldn't get off.
00:31:36One hopes so.
00:31:39How do you feel when a man you think to be guilty goes free?
00:31:43Well, it makes you feel a bit sick.
00:31:46Months of hard work, following up every lead, every strand of information.
00:31:49Hours of waiting.
00:31:52I need to get him.
00:31:54Then he gets in the dock and starts acting.
00:31:56How do you mean?
00:31:57A man in the dock is different to the man on the crime.
00:32:01You see him in a suit with his hair combed?
00:32:03On his Sunday school, best behaviour.
00:32:05Talking quietly.
00:32:07Butter wouldn't melt.
00:32:08And we have to pick up the broken pieces.
00:32:11I mean, I'm the only person here who watched the brains being pushed back into Robin's head after he'd had
00:32:16them blown out.
00:32:17You feel passionate about violent crimes?
00:32:20Any thinking human being feels strongly about violence.
00:32:23Do you get emotionally involved with all your cases?
00:32:26Involved?
00:32:29Emotion gets in the way of logic.
00:32:31Indeed.
00:32:31It might lead some people to take the law into their own hands.
00:32:35Well, possibly.
00:32:37I mean, it could turn a policeman into a vigilante.
00:32:40Couldn't it?
00:32:41I don't know any policemen of that nature.
00:32:43Now, what's your opinion of those who say,
00:32:46Well, he's a known criminal.
00:32:48He should have been put away years ago.
00:32:50Doesn't really matter if he did this one.
00:32:52It'll make up for all the ones he got away with.
00:32:54I think that would be a highly dangerous ethic.
00:32:56Yes.
00:32:57It might force a detective to concoct evidence in order to be sure of a conviction.
00:33:01We don't work that way.
00:33:03Now, some detectives eat and drink with criminals, don't they?
00:33:06I expect you yourself know many professional criminals on a first-name basis.
00:33:10Oh, yes, I do.
00:33:11Yes, of course you do.
00:33:11The detective shares an interest with the villain.
00:33:15Crime.
00:33:17And sometimes, alas, he changes sides for a while.
00:33:21I don't follow.
00:33:22He becomes a criminal himself.
00:33:24Bribes.
00:33:25Shares of the reward.
00:33:26My lord, all these references to shares of the reward, bribes.
00:33:31They're all my loner's friend's comments.
00:33:33Yes, I think that Mr Elliot, as part of an almost general attack on the forces of law and order,
00:33:37is in fact suggesting that the superintendent has done these things.
00:33:41My lord, I'm trying to defend the accused to the best of my ability.
00:33:45I'm not making a general attack on the forces of law and order,
00:33:49but if we cannot question those appointed to uphold the law,
00:33:52we're in a situation akin to that in a fascist state.
00:33:56We create citizens who are above suspicion.
00:33:58Yes, I was not suggesting that you should not question the police.
00:34:03If you think you are doing the best that can be done for your client,
00:34:06you had better get on.
00:34:07Thank you, my lord.
00:34:09Now, superintendent, that conversation when you arrested Stockwell,
00:34:12it didn't happen in those terms, did it?
00:34:14Yes, it did.
00:34:15As you told it to us earlier.
00:34:16That's right.
00:34:17With Stockwell saying,
00:34:19you'd like to see me go down on a tasty one.
00:34:22Don't write this down because I'll deny it.
00:34:24I've got an alibi for this one as well.
00:34:26Now, he never said that, did he?
00:34:27Yes, he did.
00:34:27Now, a conversation took place, but not as you told it, though.
00:34:31Exactly as I told it.
00:34:32Did he not tell you he spent the evening in with his sick mother upstairs
00:34:35and you said to him,
00:34:36the firm will break you this time?
00:34:38The firm?
00:34:39Meaning the policeman, my lord.
00:34:41I said no such thing.
00:34:42When asked to make a statement concerning his alibi, he made no reply.
00:34:46He stood by his right to silence.
00:34:48That was his right.
00:34:49As you say.
00:34:51Not as I say.
00:34:52As the law says.
00:34:54Yeah.
00:34:55Am I correct in saying that you're critical of the right of silence?
00:34:59Well, to be frank, like many other informed people,
00:35:02I believe it to be of advantage only to the guilty.
00:35:05The passage of time gives rise to some of the highest paid fiction this side of Hollywood.
00:35:09Not only are you critical of the law conferring the right of silence,
00:35:13but you don't respect it either, do you?
00:35:14I have the greatest respect for the law.
00:35:16Except for the accused being allowed the right of silence.
00:35:18I observe it even when I don't respect it.
00:35:21Well, the passage of time didn't do Stockwell much good, did it?
00:35:23In what way?
00:35:24Well, he didn't come up with much of an alibi, did he?
00:35:27When did he tell you his alibi?
00:35:29When his solicitor was present.
00:35:30Just what did he say?
00:35:32Well, he said his mother had had a nasty turn.
00:35:34The doctor came about six, gave her a sedative, and she went to sleep.
00:35:38He claimed to have stayed home in case she woke up and needed it.
00:35:42But she didn't wake up.
00:35:44Not until the next morning.
00:35:45And no one saw him?
00:35:46No one called on him?
00:35:47No one telephoned him?
00:35:49That's what he said?
00:35:50Yeah.
00:35:51And you're saying that this man who cannot produce a single witness to back up his story
00:35:55told you he'd got an alibi?
00:35:56It doesn't make much sense, does it?
00:35:57Ah, well, you're moving into a theoretical area now.
00:36:00Well, if you have a theory, Superintendent, please enlighten us.
00:36:03Well, if I were a criminal, I might think it a good idea to formulate a weak alibi to
00:36:08give my defense a point to fight on.
00:36:11I see.
00:36:13Now, when you went to arrest Stockwell, you went into his house on your own, didn't you?
00:36:17Yes.
00:36:19You were going to arrest someone whom you suspected of having committed a brutal murder.
00:36:23Why did you go alone?
00:36:25I didn't.
00:36:26There were officers outside.
00:36:27But why didn't they go in with you?
00:36:30I knew Stockwell's mother was in the house.
00:36:32I knew she had a heart condition.
00:36:33I didn't want to upset her.
00:36:35I'll consider it.
00:36:36You went in alone so you could have a quick word in privacy with Stockwell, didn't you?
00:36:39No, I didn't.
00:36:39And you said to him, where's your bruise, laddie?
00:36:41I did not.
00:36:41Then you pinned him up against the wall.
00:36:43I did not.
00:36:43Took a swing at his left eye.
00:36:44No, I didn't.
00:36:45And then you said now you've got the right sort of bruise, laddie.
00:36:47I did not.
00:36:51On this identification parade, did the other men have bruised left eyes?
00:36:57They wore make-up.
00:36:59Make-up?
00:37:00You mean the accused went on an identification parade with 11 other men wearing eye make-up?
00:37:05Made up to make it look as though their eyes were bruised.
00:37:07Was it a good make-up?
00:37:09Yes.
00:37:11Might have been better if they'd worn eye patches, don't you agree?
00:37:13It was felt eye patches might distort the face.
00:37:15Yes.
00:37:16Then Mr. Robbins might not have identified the accused from the photograph you showed him.
00:37:20Mr. Robbins saw hundreds of photographs.
00:37:22The men who were not in prison were pointed out.
00:37:24How many possibles did he pick out?
00:37:26Five possibles apart from the accused.
00:37:28And did you say something like, it's one of these.
00:37:31How about this one?
00:37:32I did not.
00:37:34Now, as to the way the identification parade was conducted,
00:37:37Stockwell had a donkey jacket on to start with,
00:37:39but you told him to change into a leather jacket,
00:37:41similar to the one the murderer had worn, correct?
00:37:44I asked Stockwell where he wanted to stand on the line.
00:37:47He stood and chose to stand third from the left.
00:37:50He then asked if he could change his jacket.
00:37:53It happened to be a leather jacket that he chose.
00:37:58Mr. Robbins walked along the line, then, without pointing anyone out.
00:38:02Right.
00:38:03And then he asked each man to say,
00:38:05you've got everything here, haven't you?
00:38:07Yes, he wanted to be quite sure.
00:38:08And then he pointed to Stockwell.
00:38:09Yes.
00:38:11Here's the extraordinary point.
00:38:13I mean, the man he heard in his son's study spoke with an Irish accent.
00:38:16That's perfectly obvious to everyone that Stockwell comes from...
00:38:18Perhaps the murderer put a voice on.
00:38:21Far from making the identification quite sure,
00:38:23he could only have put Mr. Robbins into some confusion.
00:38:25He did not hesitate in his identification.
00:38:27So the voice test was pointless.
00:38:29Mr. Robbins made an identification of the accused.
00:38:32And Robert Markham did the same.
00:38:33That's correct.
00:38:35Is Markham known to you?
00:38:39How do you mean?
00:38:40Kind of superintendent.
00:38:41You go about with him, don't you?
00:38:43Well, I wouldn't put it like that.
00:38:44How would you put it?
00:38:47I have a working relationship with him.
00:38:49A working relationship?
00:38:51My lord, my only reluctance in answering this question
00:38:53is because of the professional nature of this relationship.
00:38:57Sometimes a detective is only as good as his informants.
00:39:01That is the kind of relationship I have with this man.
00:39:03I see.
00:39:04Markham.
00:39:05Okay.
00:39:05Let's move on to something else, shall we?
00:39:09Tell us about the last case that you worked on,
00:39:11the one you haven't solved.
00:39:12How is this relevant to the case that we're dealing with, Mr. Elliot?
00:39:15My lord, it is not unconnected, as you will see.
00:39:18Hmm.
00:39:18Very well.
00:39:21Six months ago,
00:39:22more than 100,000 pounds worth of diamonds
00:39:24were stolen from a security van.
00:39:26The guard was shot in the head.
00:39:28He's not dead, just a vegetable.
00:39:31The robbers were not caught.
00:39:33I believe the murdered man, Charles Robbins, was questioned.
00:39:36He was.
00:39:37You suspected that he had received the stolen diamonds.
00:39:39He was questioned in that respect.
00:39:41Stockwell was also questioned.
00:39:42That's right.
00:39:43You suspected him of being directly involved with this crime.
00:39:46Yes, but his alibi stood up.
00:39:47Do you still believe that Stockwell was connected with this robbery?
00:39:50I've just said that his alibi was substantiated.
00:39:52Do you accept his alibi was true?
00:39:53Or do you perhaps think,
00:39:55well, we'll get him for this one,
00:39:56because you believe he did the last one?
00:39:58I might remind you his fingerprints were found in the victim's study.
00:40:01I shall be dealing with the fingerprints in due course, thank you, Superintendent.
00:40:02You should deal with them now.
00:40:04I'm asking the question, Superintendent.
00:40:05You're not speaking to one of your criminal friends now.
00:40:07Mr Elliot, Superintendent, please.
00:40:10Let us try to keep this in the right key.
00:40:14I do apologise, my lord.
00:40:17Now, in December 1973,
00:40:20several officers asked to be taken off
00:40:23a murder squad that you were in charge of, correct?
00:40:27Correct.
00:40:28Yes.
00:40:28What reason did they give?
00:40:31Oh, that I worked them too hard.
00:40:34There were family troubles.
00:40:36I did, I drove them too hard.
00:40:39What other...
00:40:39I mellowed after that,
00:40:40I eased up on my men after that.
00:40:43What other reason did your squad leave you for?
00:40:45None that I'm aware of.
00:40:48I'm sure you drove your men too hard
00:40:49and I'm sure there were family problems,
00:40:50but there was something else.
00:40:52I was never told.
00:40:53Then I shall tell you.
00:40:54You threaten your suspects
00:40:55when they refuse to give you information, don't you?
00:40:57No.
00:40:58Well, one of those men on your squad,
00:41:00one Sergeant Longhurst,
00:41:02he asked to be transferred
00:41:03because he was with you
00:41:04when you threatened to plant
00:41:05incriminating evidence on a suspect.
00:41:08Is this true?
00:41:10No.
00:41:11Is it true?
00:41:14Well, yes.
00:41:15But you see,
00:41:17it's not that simple.
00:41:20In that case,
00:41:21I knew the man had been seen
00:41:22near the scene
00:41:24of the crime.
00:41:25Now, I thought he might be the lookout.
00:41:28The gang used gelignite.
00:41:30Three innocent men were blown up.
00:41:32I leaned on a petty crook
00:41:35to bring a gang of evil men into the dock
00:41:38to rid society of scum.
00:41:41Now, I got the information
00:41:42and the case against those men was built.
00:41:46And the drawback is
00:41:47you can't use the confession
00:41:48against the man himself.
00:41:49But that is not important
00:41:51as long as the big operators go down.
00:41:53What you said to that petty criminal was this.
00:41:55If you don't talk,
00:41:57I'm going to plant your fingerprint
00:41:58on a lump of gelignite
00:42:00and then we'll have you
00:42:00bang to rights on a murder charge.
00:42:02Well, it's a dirty game.
00:42:05We're playing against evil men.
00:42:07I mean, you don't fight
00:42:08to the Queensbury rules.
00:42:10Society's got to make up its mind.
00:42:12You want anarchy?
00:42:13Right.
00:42:14I'll sit in my office and do nothing.
00:42:15Well, the superintendent,
00:42:16we've finally agreed about one thing.
00:42:18You do not fight
00:42:19by the Queensbury rules.
00:42:21And Mr. Robbins,
00:42:22without his glasses,
00:42:23could not identify his son's murderer.
00:42:25Markham,
00:42:26who says he drove the accused
00:42:28to the scene of the crime,
00:42:29he works for an organization
00:42:30who have the accused
00:42:31on their wanted list.
00:42:33And that leaves
00:42:34the fingerprint evidence
00:42:35that you were so anxious about.
00:42:37Those vital prints
00:42:39found on the coffee table
00:42:40in the murdered man's study.
00:42:42Superintendent,
00:42:43did you plant those fingerprints?
00:42:46I did not.
00:42:47The truth is this, isn't it?
00:42:48You're convinced
00:42:49that Stockwell is guilty
00:42:50of some other crime,
00:42:51so you've no compunction
00:42:53in rounding off your career
00:42:54by bending the rules further
00:42:55than ever before.
00:42:57I may have worked
00:42:57outside the rules
00:42:58in my career.
00:42:59I may have bullied,
00:43:00I may have threatened,
00:43:01but I have never falsified evidence.
00:43:03Nor have I ever tried
00:43:04to get a man framed
00:43:05or fitted up.
00:43:06Everything I have done
00:43:07has been in the cause of justice.
00:43:10My methods of getting information,
00:43:12those I mix with,
00:43:13it's all been part of a war
00:43:15against a criminal element
00:43:16in society.
00:43:19I spent my whole life
00:43:20on the force.
00:43:22It's been my life.
00:43:23Nothing else has been
00:43:24as important.
00:43:26If it came to a choice,
00:43:27then it would be my work.
00:43:29Now, I may have threatened
00:43:31to plant fingerprints,
00:43:32but I would never actually
00:43:34do such a thing.
00:43:36Nor would I use against a man
00:43:37any evidence obtained
00:43:38by a threat.
00:43:40Detection is bluff.
00:43:42If I ever did anything
00:43:43like that,
00:43:44then I would be as bad
00:43:45as all those criminals
00:43:46I have spent my life
00:43:47fighting against.
00:43:48But the line between
00:43:49the zealous policeman
00:43:50and the corrupt one
00:43:51is very fine,
00:43:53don't you agree?
00:43:53My lord,
00:43:54if my learner friend
00:43:54is attempting to suggest
00:43:55that Superintendent Collins
00:43:56is corrupt,
00:43:57then he should do so
00:43:58in plain terms.
00:43:59What are you suggesting,
00:44:00Mr. Elliot?
00:44:01My lord,
00:44:01I'm just coming to the point.
00:44:03Superintendent,
00:44:04are you aware
00:44:04that on May the 5th,
00:44:05Robert Markham received
00:44:06£1,000
00:44:07for giving the name
00:44:08of the man
00:44:08he alleges
00:44:09he drove
00:44:09to Charters Paddock?
00:44:11Yes.
00:44:12And it was on your
00:44:13recommendation
00:44:13that Markham receive
00:44:14this money?
00:44:15It was.
00:44:16And I am correct,
00:44:17am I not,
00:44:18in saying that
00:44:18on the 7th of May
00:44:19you put a deposit
00:44:20on a small boat?
00:44:23Yes.
00:44:23And I'm correct
00:44:24in saying that
00:44:25that deposit
00:44:25was for £500?
00:44:27Yes.
00:44:28Now,
00:44:28on May the 6th,
00:44:29Robert Markham
00:44:30had withdrawn £500
00:44:31from his bank account,
00:44:33had he not?
00:44:34I have no idea.
00:44:36Did not you and he
00:44:37share the reward
00:44:38for having got
00:44:39your man?
00:44:41I'd been saving
00:44:42for that boat
00:44:42for a long time.
00:44:45Now,
00:44:46I'd be pretty stupid,
00:44:47wouldn't I,
00:44:47if I were guilty
00:44:48to bring the money
00:44:49into the open?
00:44:51But you had no idea
00:44:52you were being watched,
00:44:53had you?
00:45:08Chief Inspector Stott,
00:45:09you're the fingerprint
00:45:09expert in this case.
00:45:12Let me put a
00:45:12hypothetical question
00:45:14to you.
00:45:15I'm a criminal.
00:45:17I go into a rule.
00:45:19Are you following me?
00:45:21Oh, yes,
00:45:21I think so.
00:45:22I didn't think
00:45:23you were listening.
00:45:23Oh, yes,
00:45:24you're a criminal
00:45:25and you've gone
00:45:26into a room.
00:45:27That's it.
00:45:29Now,
00:45:29my fingerprints
00:45:30are found
00:45:31on a coffee table
00:45:33in that room.
00:45:34Does that necessarily
00:45:35prove that I've been there?
00:45:37Definitely.
00:45:37You just told us
00:45:38you went in.
00:45:39Am I not correct
00:45:40in saying that the print
00:45:41could be a forgery?
00:45:43And who would do that?
00:45:44Please answer
00:45:45my question,
00:45:46Mr Stott.
00:45:47Well,
00:45:47it can be done.
00:45:48Now,
00:45:48will you tell us
00:45:49how it can be done?
00:45:50I'd rather not.
00:45:51He has said
00:45:52the prints can be found,
00:45:53forged.
00:45:54Why must we know
00:45:55how it's done?
00:45:56Well, it's important
00:45:56to know, my lord,
00:45:57not only if it can be done,
00:45:58but whether, in fact,
00:45:59it was done in this case.
00:46:01Very well.
00:46:02How might it be done?
00:46:05Well, it might be
00:46:06a Xerox copy
00:46:07if you already
00:46:08had a set of fingerprints.
00:46:09As you would have
00:46:10in a police file.
00:46:11Yes,
00:46:11you could use
00:46:12the Xerox photostatic process
00:46:13to make more prints.
00:46:15You see,
00:46:16in this process,
00:46:17minute carbon-coated beads
00:46:18are laid on paper
00:46:19and fused there
00:46:20by heat,
00:46:21but they're not
00:46:21permanently fixed there.
00:46:22Anyone can lift
00:46:23an impression
00:46:24from the rubber-like surface
00:46:25using scotch tape.
00:46:27You see,
00:46:28the carbon-particle...
00:46:29A moment, please,
00:46:29Inspector.
00:46:31My lord,
00:46:31if I might interrupt.
00:46:33An independent expert
00:46:34was engaged
00:46:35by my instructing solicitors
00:46:36to make microscopic
00:46:38and chemical tests
00:46:39of the prints
00:46:39found on the coffee table.
00:46:40Now, this expert
00:46:41has been away,
00:46:42and unfortunately,
00:46:43this report
00:46:44has only just reached me.
00:46:45And how does
00:46:46what your expert say
00:46:47affect the present evidence?
00:46:49He concludes
00:46:52that there is
00:46:53no possibility
00:46:53of the prints
00:46:55found being Xerox forgeries.
00:46:57I see.
00:46:58My lord,
00:46:59now that these
00:46:59supposed forgeries
00:47:01have been discounted
00:47:01by my learned friend's
00:47:02own expert,
00:47:03perhaps he will stop
00:47:04this barrage
00:47:05of unfounded allegations
00:47:06against the police.
00:47:07My lord,
00:47:07I would like to explore
00:47:09this matter a little further.
00:47:10The fingerprints found
00:47:11a charters pedigree
00:47:12of the utmost importance
00:47:13in this case.
00:47:16Hello, Mr. Elliot.
00:47:17Thank you, my lord.
00:47:19Now, Mr. Stott,
00:47:21is there any other method
00:47:22of planting a fingerprint?
00:47:24I don't follow.
00:47:26Come, haven't you developed
00:47:27a new system
00:47:27in the past few years
00:47:28where you use
00:47:29a piece of sticking plaster?
00:47:30Oh, adhesive tape, yes.
00:47:31Yes.
00:47:32You put it on the fingerprint
00:47:33and presto,
00:47:34you've got the print on tape.
00:47:36Not all of it.
00:47:37Some of the mark
00:47:37is left on the article,
00:47:38but the majority
00:47:38comes away with the tape, yes.
00:47:39And then you marry
00:47:40the print
00:47:41to a piece of
00:47:41transparent material.
00:47:42Yes.
00:47:43So you can take
00:47:44a print off a wall
00:47:45and bring it into court
00:47:46on a piece of glass.
00:47:47Yes, yes.
00:47:48We use perspex.
00:47:49Well, equally then,
00:47:50you could take
00:47:51a fingerprint
00:47:51off an innocent object
00:47:54and transfer it
00:47:55to, say,
00:47:56a coffee table
00:47:57where it would become
00:47:58a piece of
00:47:58incriminating evidence.
00:48:01But you'd have to be
00:48:02in a position
00:48:02to get hold
00:48:03of the fingerprints
00:48:03in the first place.
00:48:05Well, you could
00:48:06have a drink
00:48:06with a chap
00:48:07in a bar
00:48:07and wrap up
00:48:09his glass
00:48:09or the glass
00:48:10and then take
00:48:11the print off
00:48:11at home.
00:48:12Well, if you
00:48:12wrapped the glass,
00:48:13you'd wipe the print.
00:48:15Well, what if you
00:48:15did it straight away?
00:48:17Well, how could you
00:48:18be sure that there
00:48:18weren't other prints
00:48:19on the glass?
00:48:20The barman, say.
00:48:21How difficult
00:48:22is this process?
00:48:24Well, my lord,
00:48:24for someone without
00:48:25fingerprint experience
00:48:26to find the print
00:48:27he wants,
00:48:28lift it without
00:48:28damaging it,
00:48:29plant it,
00:48:30so as to fool
00:48:31an expert,
00:48:32I'd say pretty impossible.
00:48:33The only candidate
00:48:34for such a job
00:48:35would be another
00:48:35fingerprint expert.
00:48:37Has Superintendent
00:48:37Collins had
00:48:38fingerprint experience?
00:48:40Yes.
00:48:41So Collins
00:48:41might have done it.
00:48:43Why would he do that?
00:48:44Did he not have
00:48:45the opportunity?
00:48:46No.
00:48:47We arrived together.
00:48:48Of course,
00:48:49I couldn't start my work
00:48:50until the others,
00:48:50the doctor,
00:48:51pathologist,
00:48:52and photographers
00:48:52had finished,
00:48:53but I was there
00:48:54to see where
00:48:55they put their fingerprints.
00:48:56Well, that must
00:48:57have taken some time.
00:48:59And did you not
00:49:00leave the room at all?
00:49:01Well, I went out
00:49:02for a smoke
00:49:02and a breath of air.
00:49:04Well, who was
00:49:04watching then?
00:49:05My assistant,
00:49:06the forensic officer.
00:49:07And Superintendent
00:49:08Collins?
00:49:09Yes.
00:49:11Precisely.
00:49:13Look, before a fingerprint
00:49:14comes into court,
00:49:15it's checked
00:49:15and double-checked.
00:49:17An expert might
00:49:17get past that check.
00:49:19If a plant's
00:49:20to take place,
00:49:21it'd have to be
00:49:21a conspiracy
00:49:22involving nearly
00:49:23all the senior officers
00:49:24and all the civilians
00:49:25working in the division.
00:49:26Well, an expert
00:49:26might fool everyone.
00:49:28I'd put the odds
00:49:29against anyone
00:49:30getting away
00:49:30with planting a fingerprint
00:49:31at 10 million to one.
00:49:33Would you give those odds
00:49:34if our expert
00:49:35set up a test for you?
00:49:36No police officer
00:49:37is going to plant
00:49:38a fingerprint.
00:49:41Do you own that gun?
00:49:42I don't own any gun.
00:49:44Do you know
00:49:44who owns it?
00:49:45No, I don't.
00:49:46Have you ever
00:49:46seen it before?
00:49:47No.
00:49:49Now, did you have
00:49:50anything to do
00:49:50with the murder
00:49:51of Charles Robbins?
00:49:52No, sir, I didn't.
00:49:53I'm completely innocent.
00:49:54As I said,
00:49:54I'm willing to take
00:49:55any test,
00:49:56truth, drug,
00:49:57lie detector,
00:49:57anything.
00:49:58I've already told you
00:49:59we don't go in
00:49:59for that sort of thing.
00:50:01Were you at Charters Paddock
00:50:02on the night of the murder?
00:50:04No, sir,
00:50:04I've never been
00:50:05to Charters Paddock.
00:50:06Had you ever heard
00:50:06of Charles Robbins?
00:50:07Yes, sir,
00:50:08I've heard of him.
00:50:08In what connection?
00:50:09In connection
00:50:10with his bedding shops.
00:50:11Do you know him
00:50:12to talk to?
00:50:13Just to pass
00:50:13the time of day.
00:50:14Now, will you please
00:50:15tell us what happened
00:50:16on the evening
00:50:17of the 15th of April,
00:50:18the day after the murder?
00:50:20I was in the sitting room.
00:50:22Superintendent Collins
00:50:23comes in.
00:50:24He says he's arrested me
00:50:25for the Robbins business.
00:50:26I'd read about it
00:50:27in the morning papers,
00:50:27like, I said,
00:50:29go on,
00:50:30chance'll be a fine thing.
00:50:31I told him
00:50:32I'd spent the evening
00:50:33in with me mother,
00:50:34sick upstairs.
00:50:35You didn't say
00:50:36I've got an alibi
00:50:37for this as well?
00:50:38I'm hardly likely
00:50:38to say that, am I?
00:50:39I mean, I didn't have one.
00:50:40Like if I was out
00:50:41with people.
00:50:42Well, what did you say?
00:50:44I said,
00:50:45you've got it
00:50:46in for me.
00:50:47You'd like to send me
00:50:48away on a tasty one.
00:50:49And what did you mean
00:50:50by that?
00:50:51Well, at the time
00:50:52of the diamond robbery,
00:50:53you know,
00:50:53the one six months back.
00:50:55Well,
00:50:56he thought I'd done it.
00:50:57Even after it was proved,
00:50:58there was no chance.
00:51:00He said to me,
00:51:01at the time,
00:51:02you'll be back in here
00:51:03again one day, laddie,
00:51:04and I'll have you.
00:51:04I'll put you away
00:51:05for the duration.
00:51:07He had a vendetta
00:51:08against me.
00:51:09He even had a mugshot
00:51:10of me up on his wall
00:51:11months after it was all over.
00:51:14Copper told me that.
00:51:15He said,
00:51:15kick your nose clean
00:51:16or the big bad soup
00:51:17will come and gobble you up.
00:51:19The coppery had a
00:51:20sense of humour like.
00:51:23And what was
00:51:23Superintendent Collins' reply
00:51:25when you told him
00:51:25that you'd been home
00:51:26on the night of the murder?
00:51:27He wasn't interested.
00:51:28He was just writing
00:51:29in his book.
00:51:29I said,
00:51:30what are you doing,
00:51:30writing your life story
00:51:31or you're making
00:51:32a verbal up for me?
00:51:33That would be
00:51:33your verbal statement.
00:51:35Well,
00:51:36he said my card
00:51:37was dotted
00:51:37because of a set
00:51:38of dabs he'd planted.
00:51:40Meaning fingerprints?
00:51:41Yes.
00:51:42Are you sure
00:51:43he actually used
00:51:44the word planted?
00:51:45That's what he said.
00:51:47Then what happened?
00:51:49Well,
00:51:49he pinned me up
00:51:50against the wall.
00:51:50He said,
00:51:51where's your bruise,
00:51:52laddie?
00:51:53And then he took
00:51:53a swing at me left eye.
00:51:55And then he said,
00:51:57by the time you reach
00:51:57the station,
00:51:58you'll have the right bruise.
00:52:00And why did you exercise
00:52:01your right of silence
00:52:02at the police station?
00:52:03Well,
00:52:03Colin said my card
00:52:04was dotted.
00:52:04It didn't look so good.
00:52:06I just waited
00:52:06for a solicitor.
00:52:07And that was the only reason
00:52:08you stood by your
00:52:09right of silence?
00:52:10Yes, sir.
00:52:11It wasn't to give you
00:52:11time to concoct an alibi?
00:52:14No.
00:52:15Did you see your mother
00:52:17at all that evening?
00:52:19I went up at about
00:52:20eight and again
00:52:21about nine,
00:52:22but she was sleeping.
00:52:23So you were not
00:52:24in Charles Robbins
00:52:25that night?
00:52:26In his study,
00:52:27speaking in an Irish accent?
00:52:29No.
00:52:30Now,
00:52:30on the identification parade,
00:52:31Mr. Robbins Senior
00:52:32asked everyone to speak.
00:52:34Did you use an Irish accent
00:52:35on that occasion?
00:52:36I use my own voice.
00:52:38Yet after he heard you speak,
00:52:39he picked you out.
00:52:40Well,
00:52:40he was looking at me
00:52:41leather jacket
00:52:41rather than me face.
00:52:47You were suggesting
00:52:48that the murdered man's father
00:52:49identified a leather jacket
00:52:51and not you?
00:52:51Yes.
00:52:52Is that why you chose
00:52:53the leather jacket?
00:52:55What?
00:52:56Is that why you took
00:52:57your donkey jacket off
00:52:58and put on the leather one?
00:52:59I don't understand
00:53:00what you mean.
00:53:01Well,
00:53:01I'm suggesting
00:53:02that you expected
00:53:02Mr. Robbins
00:53:03to recognize you,
00:53:04and that is why
00:53:05you changed jackets
00:53:06in order to be able
00:53:07to claim later in court
00:53:08that Mr. Robbins
00:53:09picked you out
00:53:10purely on the strength
00:53:10of this leather jacket.
00:53:12I didn't know
00:53:12the murderer
00:53:12was wearing a leather jacket.
00:53:14But you've just told us
00:53:15that you read
00:53:15the morning papers.
00:53:16Yes.
00:53:16Yes,
00:53:16and in the morning editions
00:53:17there was a description
00:53:19of the murderer's clothing,
00:53:20was there not?
00:53:21I didn't remember.
00:53:23Anyway,
00:53:23I think Colin
00:53:23should have heard
00:53:24some others
00:53:24wearing leather jackets
00:53:25in that parade.
00:53:27Indeed.
00:53:28Now,
00:53:29you say that you've
00:53:30never been to Charters Paddock.
00:53:32No, never.
00:53:32But you did know
00:53:33Charles Robertson's.
00:53:34Well, not really.
00:53:36If I saw him,
00:53:36he'd nod,
00:53:37I'd nod.
00:53:38That was all.
00:53:39Where were you
00:53:40on the afternoon
00:53:40of the 14th of April,
00:53:42the day of the murder?
00:53:43I was at the
00:53:44Fortress of Races.
00:53:45Yes,
00:53:45and you saw
00:53:45Mr. Robbins there,
00:53:46didn't you?
00:53:47Yes.
00:53:48Yes,
00:53:48and you went into a bar
00:53:49and had a drink with him,
00:53:50didn't you?
00:53:51Yes.
00:53:53Just a quick one.
00:53:54Well,
00:53:54you were doing
00:53:55a bit more
00:53:55than merely nodding,
00:53:57weren't you?
00:53:58Well,
00:53:58I was wondering
00:53:59if he might have a tip.
00:54:01And over this drink,
00:54:02asking about tips,
00:54:04is that when you
00:54:04arranged to meet him
00:54:05later at his house?
00:54:06We never arranged
00:54:07no meeting.
00:54:08Well,
00:54:09what did you do
00:54:09on the Tuesday afternoon,
00:54:10the day after the murder?
00:54:11I went to the second day
00:54:12of the Fortress of Races.
00:54:13Yes,
00:54:14and you wore sunglasses
00:54:15all day,
00:54:16didn't you?
00:54:16I don't know,
00:54:17you know more than me.
00:54:18Oh,
00:54:18do you deny wearing sunglasses?
00:54:20No!
00:54:21I think I may have had them on.
00:54:23Yes,
00:54:23and were you wearing them
00:54:24to hide a bruise
00:54:24under your left eye?
00:54:26No.
00:54:26But it was an overcast day,
00:54:28Mr Stockwell.
00:54:29There were sunny spells.
00:54:32You went for a drink
00:54:33at the Falcon Public House
00:54:35at about six?
00:54:35Yes.
00:54:36Do you remember
00:54:37wearing your sunglasses
00:54:38whilst you were having
00:54:38that drink?
00:54:40I may have done.
00:54:42Why?
00:54:43Were they having sunny spells
00:54:45at the Falcon Public House?
00:54:46I just forgot
00:54:47to take them off.
00:54:48You just forgot
00:54:49to take them off.
00:54:49The reason was
00:54:50that you had a bruise
00:54:51to hide under those glasses,
00:54:52wasn't it?
00:54:53Look,
00:54:53if I'd have had a bruise
00:54:54I wouldn't have gone
00:54:54to the Fortress to Races.
00:54:55I wouldn't have gone
00:54:56to the pub.
00:54:57I would have stayed at home.
00:54:58I mean,
00:54:58Charlie Robbins.
00:54:59I'm not even in his class.
00:55:02Whoever knocked him off,
00:55:03it's a power game.
00:55:04Are you not yourself
00:55:05in this so-called
00:55:06power game,
00:55:07Stockwell?
00:55:08Robbins was holding
00:55:09something,
00:55:10wasn't he?
00:55:11And so you went
00:55:11to Charter's Paddy
00:55:12that night
00:55:13and said,
00:55:13give us the swag,
00:55:14and Robbins said,
00:55:15you'll have it one day,
00:55:16and you said,
00:55:16I wouldn't mind
00:55:17half of it now,
00:55:18and Robbins refused
00:55:19to give it to you,
00:55:19so you shot him
00:55:20through the head.
00:55:20I never,
00:55:21I swear it.
00:55:22Yes,
00:55:22I've no further questions,
00:55:23my lord,
00:55:23thank you.
00:55:23Do you wish
00:55:24to re-examine,
00:55:25Mr. Elliot?
00:55:26No,
00:55:26thank you,
00:55:27my lord.
00:55:27Very well,
00:55:27you may return
00:55:28to the dock.
00:55:34Mr. Elliot?
00:55:36I have no other
00:55:37witnesses,
00:55:37my lord,
00:55:37but I would like
00:55:38to make an application
00:55:39to your lordship
00:55:40that would best
00:55:40be made
00:55:40in the absence
00:55:41of the jury.
00:55:43Very well.
00:55:44Now,
00:55:44members of the jury,
00:55:45will you retire
00:55:46for a few moments?
00:55:47There is a matter
00:55:48of law
00:55:49that we must deal with.
00:55:56I'm sorry to have
00:55:57sent you out,
00:55:58but Mr. Elliot
00:55:58wanted to make
00:55:59an application
00:56:00to present
00:56:01some fresh material
00:56:02to you,
00:56:03and naturally
00:56:03I had to decide
00:56:04whether this was
00:56:05a proper thing
00:56:06to do.
00:56:07And so,
00:56:08you can see,
00:56:09I could not decide
00:56:10it while you were here.
00:56:12Now,
00:56:12Mr. Elliot's application
00:56:13was for Superintendent
00:56:14Collins to be recalled
00:56:16for further cross-examination,
00:56:17and under the circumstances
00:56:18I have decided
00:56:20to allow this.
00:56:21Of course,
00:56:22it is entirely
00:56:22for you to decide
00:56:23whether or not
00:56:24the additional evidence
00:56:25he may give
00:56:26carries this case
00:56:28any further
00:56:28one way
00:56:29or another.
00:56:32Do you recognize
00:56:33the people
00:56:34in that photograph?
00:56:35Yes, I do.
00:56:36Can you tell
00:56:37from the surroundings
00:56:37where it was taken?
00:56:39The Yellow Lantern
00:56:40Night Club.
00:56:40Yes,
00:56:41the club that belongs
00:56:41to our friend,
00:56:42Mr. Paul Matthews.
00:56:43Now,
00:56:43will you please identify
00:56:44the people seated
00:56:45around that table
00:56:46drinking champagne?
00:56:47Well,
00:56:48there's Mr. Paul Matthews
00:56:49and his wife,
00:56:50Mr. Robert Markham
00:56:51and his wife,
00:56:52and myself and my wife.
00:56:53When was this photograph taken?
00:56:55New Year's party
00:56:56last year.
00:56:57By the state of the table,
00:56:58you had a good dinner
00:56:59with your friends.
00:57:00We weren't having dinner
00:57:02with Mr. Markham
00:57:02and Mr. Matthews.
00:57:03My wife and I
00:57:04were called over
00:57:04to their table
00:57:05for a drink.
00:57:06Well,
00:57:06what about the dirty plates
00:57:07in front of you?
00:57:09They belonged to the people
00:57:09whose seats we were in.
00:57:11What happened to them?
00:57:12Gone home,
00:57:13had they?
00:57:14They were dancing.
00:57:15It's convenient.
00:57:18All right,
00:57:18Superintendent.
00:57:19You spent the evening
00:57:20of May the 3rd
00:57:21of this year
00:57:22at the Yellow Lantern
00:57:23nightclub,
00:57:23did you not?
00:57:24Yes.
00:57:25And you had dinner
00:57:26with the owner,
00:57:26Mr. Paul Matthews,
00:57:27did you not?
00:57:28Yes.
00:57:29You were his guest.
00:57:30That's right.
00:57:30And Robert Markham
00:57:31joined you for dinner,
00:57:32did he not?
00:57:32No.
00:57:34You deny seeing Markham
00:57:35that evening?
00:57:36Mr. Matthews
00:57:37called Markham
00:57:38over to his table
00:57:39for a drink.
00:57:40So Markham joined you
00:57:41for a quick drink?
00:57:42Yes.
00:57:43But he stayed
00:57:43through four bottles
00:57:44of champagne.
00:57:46There were six of us.
00:57:47How long was he
00:57:48at your table?
00:57:49An hour?
00:57:51Well, I don't remember.
00:57:53Well, enough time
00:57:53to get jolly.
00:57:54Not drunk.
00:57:55But you were not
00:57:56on business, were you?
00:57:57A detective
00:57:58is always on business.
00:58:00Did you discuss
00:58:00this case?
00:58:01No.
00:58:02All that champagne,
00:58:03you didn't talk
00:58:03about this case?
00:58:04We may have talked
00:58:05about it.
00:58:06You just said,
00:58:06Superintendent,
00:58:07that you had not.
00:58:08No, before you asked
00:58:09if we had discussed it.
00:58:11You make a distinction
00:58:12between talk
00:58:12and discuss?
00:58:14There's a great difference
00:58:15in talking about a thing
00:58:16and passing
00:58:16and discussing it.
00:58:18Superintendent,
00:58:19are you playing
00:58:19a game of semantics
00:58:20with me?
00:58:21I'm not playing
00:58:22any game.
00:58:23Don't know about you.
00:58:25Did you talk
00:58:25about what evidence
00:58:26he should give
00:58:27at this trial?
00:58:28Emphatically not.
00:58:29It was a chance meeting
00:58:29and most unfortunate.
00:58:31Most unfortunate.
00:58:33Did you tell your friend
00:58:33Markham what to say?
00:58:35I did not.
00:58:36Did you work it out
00:58:37with your other friend,
00:58:37Mr. Paul Matthews?
00:58:39Certainly not.
00:58:40Superintendent,
00:58:41do you habitually
00:58:42fraternize with criminals?
00:58:44Detection is a dirty business.
00:58:47It might upset some
00:58:48to know that a detective
00:58:49goes around with
00:58:50known criminals,
00:58:51but you've got to.
00:58:52You can't help him.
00:58:54Help?
00:58:54Help what?
00:58:55Upsetting a few people.
00:58:57I mean,
00:58:57if someone offers you
00:58:58a drink in a club.
00:58:59Yeah, but we're talking
00:58:59about dinner and champagne,
00:59:01Superintendent.
00:59:01Right,
00:59:02whatever it is.
00:59:03I mean,
00:59:03you use your loaf.
00:59:04You don't want to offend him.
00:59:06He may have useful information.
00:59:08Don't you feel
00:59:08that you're serving
00:59:09the community
00:59:10by wining and dining
00:59:10with known villains?
00:59:12Mostly,
00:59:13I'd rather stay home
00:59:14by the fire
00:59:14with my family.
00:59:16Yes,
00:59:16I'm serving the community.
00:59:17It's my duty
00:59:18to go drinking
00:59:19with criminals.
00:59:20Three quarters
00:59:21of the criminals
00:59:22I have brought to justice
00:59:23have been convicted
00:59:25because of the help
00:59:25I have had
00:59:26from criminal associates.
00:59:28Would the public
00:59:29rather those men
00:59:30were free?
00:59:30Well,
00:59:31whatever else,
00:59:31Superintendent,
00:59:32I suggest the public
00:59:33would feel a lot happier
00:59:34if you hadn't spent
00:59:35an evening drinking champagne
00:59:36with one of the prosecution's
00:59:38leading witnesses.
00:59:40I have no further questions,
00:59:42my lord.
00:59:44My members of the jury,
00:59:46each day we read
00:59:47in our newspapers
00:59:48of terrible things
00:59:49happening all over the world
00:59:50and we tend
00:59:51to become hardened
00:59:53by this,
00:59:53but I want to make it
00:59:54quite clear
00:59:55that whether the accused
00:59:56is a party
00:59:57to this crime
00:59:58or not,
00:59:59a man was attacked
01:00:00in his own home,
01:00:01a gun was pointed
01:00:03at his head
01:00:04and part of his head
01:00:05was blown away.
01:00:09So, members of the jury,
01:00:11the vital pieces
01:00:11of evidence
01:00:12are as follows.
01:00:13Firstly,
01:00:14the identification
01:00:14of the murderer
01:00:15by the deceased's father,
01:00:17Mr. Robbins.
01:00:18Now, you've seen
01:00:19his eyesight put to the test
01:00:20and as a result
01:00:22you may feel doubtful
01:00:23about that part
01:00:24of his evidence.
01:00:26Then, on the other hand,
01:00:27you have the positive
01:00:28identification
01:00:28of the taxi driver,
01:00:30Mr. Markham.
01:00:31Now, the defence suggest
01:00:32that he is lying
01:00:34out of self-interest,
01:00:36but would he perjure himself
01:00:37in a case of murder?
01:00:39Well, you've seen
01:00:40Mr. Markham give his evidence.
01:00:41It is for you to decide
01:00:42whether he is
01:00:43a reliable witness.
01:00:46Then, there is
01:00:47the fingerprint evidence.
01:00:48You will recall
01:00:49that the accused said
01:00:50that he had never
01:00:51entered the deceased's house.
01:00:53So, either the fingerprints
01:00:54were planted by someone
01:00:55or else the accused
01:00:57is lying.
01:00:58Now, remember
01:00:59that you have been told
01:01:01that it is very difficult
01:01:02for anyone
01:01:03other than a fingerprint expert
01:01:05to have done such a thing.
01:01:07However, of course,
01:01:08Superintendent Collins
01:01:10did have access
01:01:11to such expert knowledge.
01:01:13Now, he is not on trial
01:01:15here today, of course,
01:01:16but you must consider
01:01:18his behaviour in this case.
01:01:20A short time
01:01:21before this trial,
01:01:23he went to the
01:01:23Yellow Lantern
01:01:25nightclub
01:01:25and spent some time
01:01:26drinking with Mr. Markham,
01:01:28a leading prosecution witness.
01:01:30Now, that was
01:01:31a very dangerous meeting.
01:01:32Superintendent Collins
01:01:33describes it
01:01:34as a chance meeting
01:01:36and most unfortunate.
01:01:38But he did not attempt
01:01:39to leave
01:01:40the company of Markham.
01:01:42Now, you ask yourselves
01:01:43this question.
01:01:44Has Superintendent Collins
01:01:46behaved in a way
01:01:47as to leave
01:01:48his own evidence
01:01:49in doubt?
01:01:50Did he,
01:01:51with the aid of others
01:01:52or on his own,
01:01:54plant that fingerprint evidence?
01:01:56Now, you must remember,
01:01:57of course,
01:01:58that the police
01:01:58are vulnerable
01:01:59to accusations
01:02:00such as planting evidence
01:02:02by criminals
01:02:03trying to protect themselves.
01:02:05And you must also
01:02:06bear in mind
01:02:06that Superintendent Collins
01:02:07is a man
01:02:08with a long
01:02:08and untarnished record
01:02:10in the police force.
01:02:11You must weigh
01:02:13these things
01:02:14in your mind
01:02:14with great care
01:02:16because your decision
01:02:17on this last point
01:02:19will be vital
01:02:20in helping you
01:02:22to reach a verdict.
01:02:23Now, we don't know
01:02:25why Charles Robbins
01:02:26was murdered,
01:02:27but the Crown
01:02:28do not have to prove
01:02:29a motive.
01:02:29As usual,
01:02:30they have to prove
01:02:31their case
01:02:32beyond reasonable doubt.
01:02:34And if you are satisfied
01:02:35that they have done so,
01:02:37then you must find
01:02:38the accused guilty.
01:02:39But if you are
01:02:40not so satisfied
01:02:41and you feel
01:02:42there is a reasonable doubt,
01:02:44then you will find
01:02:45the accused
01:02:46not guilty.
01:02:48Now, members of the jury,
01:02:49will you kindly retire,
01:02:51elect a foreman
01:02:52and consider your verdict?
01:02:54All stand.
01:03:03Members of the jury,
01:03:04will your foreman
01:03:05please stand
01:03:06just to answer
01:03:07this question,
01:03:08yes or no?
01:03:09Have you reached a verdict
01:03:10upon which you are
01:03:10all agreed?
01:03:11Yes.
01:03:12Do you find the defendant,
01:03:13Alan Stockwell,
01:03:14guilty or not guilty
01:03:15of the charge of murder?
01:03:16Not guilty.
01:03:18What about him?
01:03:19What about Collins?
01:03:20Is he going on trial?
01:03:22He's lied his head off.
01:03:24Let him go through this lot.
01:03:51You can join another jury
01:03:53and assess the facts
01:03:54when our cameras return
01:03:55to bring you
01:03:56a leading case
01:03:56from the Crown Court.
01:04:09Thank you very much.
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