Wed, Jan 2, 1974
After suspecting that irregular betting patterns had taken place at a greyhound stadium, bookmaker Ronald Charles refused to pay out on a winning betting slip worth over £200,000. A group of men have subsequently been accused of having conspired to cheat the on-track Tote betting system, and Mr Charles, out of thousands of pounds. Barry Deeley leads the prosecution in what is a confusing case for those not familiar with betting procedures.
Wed, Jan 23, 1974
Pakistani housing landlord Muhammed Aslam is accused of demanding money with menaces from a number of illegal immigrants from Pakistan, who have found their way to Fulchester across Europe by train and boat. Mr Aslam insists that he was merely demanding his fees for arranging the immigrant's journey and for housing rent.
Wed, Feb 6, 1974
After surviving the crash of a light aircraft in which two passengers were killed, the pilot of the aircraft is suing a relative of one of the victims for libel. The relative claimed in a newspaper article that the pilot was medically unfit to fly the aircraft and may also have been attempting to commit suicide by deliberately crashing the plane. He denies the allegation.
Wed, Feb 20, 1974
Irene Rutland faces charges of theft, criminal damage and wounding a police officer. The officer was called to a restaurant after Mrs. Rutland was involved in an argument over what she considered an excessive bill. The prosecution argue that she was in a drunken rage and struck the officer while resisting arrest. She was also found in possession of a handbag belonging to another woman - Linda Brightson - and she is also charged with theft of this item and damage to the restaurant. The Defence accept there was a disagreement but argue Mrs. Rutland did not steal the handbag and that the officer was injured by accident.
Wed, Feb 27, 1974
Charles Oldbury died in the bathroom of the old people's home where he lived. Dr. Fulmer who attended the scene thought he had suffered a heart attack and then drowned in the bath; she tried to resuscitate him without success. However the owners of the home - Margaret and Kenneth Povey - are now on trial accused of his murder and of defrauding his estate of £30 000 with the aid of convicted solicitor's clerk Leonard Saxton. The prosecution claim that they fabricated a change to his will for their benefit and then killed him in the bath, trying to make his death appear to be one of drowning. Both defendants deny all charges. They insist the change to the will was genuine and Mr. Oldbury's death was a tragic accident.
Wed, Mar 6, 1974
Two mountaineers died in an unsuccessful attempt to scale the Choga Sar in the Himalayas. That ill-fated expedition is now the subject of a libel trial. Captain Piers Bowman who led the climb alleged in a TV documentary that the men died as a result of the cowardly and negligent behaviour of fellow climber Dennis Wainwright. Wainwright argues the allegations were false: he behaved completely properly in dreadful conditions and the men's deaths could not have been prevented. He suggests Bowman has made the claims because he is unable to cope with failure and is looking for a scapegoat.
Wed, Mar 13, 1974
James Mallard signed a confession admitting that he had stolen a car belonging to his doctor with whom he and his family have long been unhappy. He had hinted to the doctor just before the incident that he would do him some harm. Mallard has now retracted his confession and asserts his innocence. He argues that he was forced into a confession by Sergeant Attrass who has long victimised him because of his criminal past. The prosecution argue that the initial confession was absolutely correct. They have eye-witness testimony linking Mallard to the crime and insist the Sergeant has treated Mallard quite fairly.
Wed, Mar 20, 1974
Rock musician Lance Porter is suing his father Reverend Fortescue Porter in a civil case. He composed a rock opera called "Jesus, Baby!" about the nativity. He promised his father the copyright to the show on the understanding that if he fell on hard times he would receive part of the proceeds. However his father then spent all the considerable revenue on charitable causes even though he strongly disapproved of the content and style of the show. Reverend Fortescue says he did nothing wrong. At the time neither he nor his son expected the production to make money. In his view Lance has not fallen on hard times and has no need for any share.
Wed, Mar 27, 1974
Charles Holloway is charged with murdering two women - an aunt and her niece - who lived in the flat above. He does not deny shooting the women but pleads diminished responsibility, arguing that their extreme anti-social behaviour caused him to lose control. The Prosecution, however, insist the shootings were premeditated.
Wed, Apr 3, 1974
Long serving prison officer William Hogarth, a strict disciplinarian, is accused of wounding with intent Johnson, an unpopular inmate. Johnson was found injured in the toilets where he had gone in search of secreted drugs. Hogarth insists his innocence and argues that the assault was actually committed by another inmate who then tried to frame him for the offence.
Wed, Apr 10, 1974
Annie Robertson, a socialist and benefits rights campaigner, is suing social security officer Stephen Ash for libel. She alleges that he falsely and maliciously stated in a report that she was close to alcoholism, mentally unstable and cohabiting with Edward Rimmer and therefore ineligible for benefits. She denies all these claims and argues that Ash invented them when she resisted his sexual advances. By contrast Ash asserts that his comments were professional, honestly made and broadly true.
Wed, Apr 24, 1974
Lady Carvell received a telephone call from her son Sebastian telling her that he had been kidnapped by the KLF - a South African militant group - and that unless a ransom of $250,000 were paid, he would be killed. Sebastian later turned up at the family home but the ransom money was missing from the house safe. Sebastian is now on trial accused of faking the kidnapping as a pretext for stealing the ransom money. The prosecution claim that he was a KLF sympathiser and intended to direct the funds to them. They claim he was influenced by his then girlfriend Amarylis Roper who holds revolutionary views. However Sebastian insists the kidnapping was genuine, he did not support the KLF and had no part in the disappearance of the money.