Crown Court - In the Heat of the Moment (1978) - video Dailymotion

Jezza

Tessa Blackley, the "other woman" in a marital affair, is accused of arson. Richard Wilson, Ralph Bates and Caroline Blakiston star. Caroline will be known to fans of Joan Hickson's "Miss Marple" as Bess Sedgwick in "At Bertram's Hotel" and Star Wars fans as Mon Mothma in "Return of the Jedi".

Transcript

00:00:00The case you're about to see is a fictional one, but the procedure is legally accurate.

00:00:11The characters are played by actors, but the jury is selected from members of the general public.

00:00:17Tessa Joan Alexander Blackley, you stand charged for an indictment with arson contrary to section 13 of the Criminal Damage Act 1971.

00:00:25The particulars of this offence being that you, on the 23rd day of April 1978, without lawful excuse, damaged by fire a house belonging to Richard Hansen and Lynn Hansen,

00:00:36intending to damage property or being reckless as to whether property would be damaged,

00:00:40and intending by the said damage to endanger the life of Lynn Hansen or being reckless as to whether the life of Lynn Hansen would be thereby endangered.

00:00:48Do you plead guilty or not guilty?

00:00:51Not guilty.

00:00:55Oh, I brought the brochure for us to look at.

00:01:23I thought the Greek trip sounded nicest.

00:01:28Or the Paris excursion. You enjoyed that last time.

00:01:34Do you want to go, or don't you?

00:01:36Whatever you like.

00:01:38I'll tell you what I'd like. I'd just like to go away and forget about all this.

00:01:41When it's over, I don't just want to go home and have it all start up again.

00:01:46It isn't likely to start up again, is it?

00:01:48She'll be in prison.

00:01:49Now, Mr. Ford, would you describe to the court the damage done to Mr. Hansen's property, our mill house?

00:01:56The fire started in the kitchen.

00:02:00The extension on the south side of the main building was pretty well gutted, and so was the adjoining garage.

00:02:07The studio above was also destroyed.

00:02:09Fortunately, the fire was brought under control before it reached the main building.

00:02:13The fire burned itself out just before it reached the front door, which links the two wings.

00:02:19Yes, now, Mr. Ford, as a result of your investigation, were you able to conclude how the fire started?

00:02:25Yes, someone had done it deliberately.

00:02:27Now, how could you establish that?

00:02:28Some piles of old newspapers and magazines.

00:02:32They'd been piled against the wall under one of the windows.

00:02:35They hadn't all been destroyed because the wind had carried the fire away from there.

00:02:39There were some odds and ends left, and they were found to have paraffin on them.

00:02:43Did you find evidence that paraffin had been used elsewhere?

00:02:46Yes, sir, on the floor and walls of the covered way.

00:02:50Quite a lot of it. The place reeked of it, in fact.

00:02:52My Lord, we will be bringing evidence later to show that a paraffin can was found in Miss Blackley's possession after the fire.

00:03:00Now, were you able to establish, Mr. Ford, how entry had been effected?

00:03:04A narrow window in the garage wall. It appeared to have been broken before the fire started.

00:03:09How could you tell that?

00:03:12Well, sir, when glass is subjected to intense heat, it scorches before it breaks.

00:03:17Yes. We found some broken glass outside this garage window which hadn't any scorch marks. That's how.

00:03:24I see. And as we know, Mr. Ford, after the fire, Miss Blackley was found to have badly cut hands,

00:03:30which would have been consistent with someone breaking a window whilst forcing an entry.

00:03:35Yes, sir.

00:03:36Yes. How long would it take for someone to get in and start a fire like that?

00:03:40Probably only a few minutes.

00:03:41Yes, sir.

00:03:42Now, would a person of Miss Blackley's build be able to make the entry that you've just described?

00:03:49Oh, yes. No trouble.

00:03:52With respect to Mr. and Mrs. Hanson, they had made it very easy for someone to get in.

00:03:56A lovely big rain barrel outside the window, and on the inside, a trestle table for a comfortable landing.

00:04:02Mr. Ford, thank you very much.

00:04:04Thank you very much.

00:04:34Mrs. Hanson, what time did you go out in the afternoon of April 23rd this afternoon?

00:05:05About 2.30. I went to the shops.

00:05:07And what time did you return?

00:05:08Quarter to five.

00:05:10And at either of those times, did you notice any packs of children hanging about suspiciously?

00:05:16No, I saw no one at all.

00:05:18Was your house still burning when you returned?

00:05:20Oh, yes. I could see thick smoke as I drove into our lane.

00:05:24I just thought, oh, God, you know, I'd got there as fast as I could, but there wasn't much

00:05:29point. I mean, I couldn't have put it out.

00:05:32At what stage was the fire at by then?

00:05:34I don't think it couldn't have been burning for long, because there weren't any flames in

00:05:37the studio when I got there. The studio went up when I was running back to my car.

00:05:42Yes, sir. The fire hadn't been burning for long. There was definitely no children in the

00:05:46area.

00:05:46Perhaps we might infer from that that whoever started the fire made a quick getaway in a

00:05:53car.

00:05:53Oh, no, really. My lord.

00:05:55Yes, sir, Mrs. Bennet.

00:05:56The only inference that can be drawn is that the fire couldn't possibly have been started

00:06:00before 4.30, by which time Miss Blackley was well away from the area. The culprits could

00:06:05possibly have run away across the surrounding fields without Mrs. Hanson seeing them, as

00:06:10her attention would have been, of course, on the burning house.

00:06:12Yes. Mr. Parsons, I really don't think you can infer that the person responsible had a

00:06:17car solely from what Mrs. Hanson's told us.

00:06:21Very well, my lord.

00:06:22Mrs. Hanson, what did you do after you saw the fire?

00:06:28I drove to Mrs. Willoughby's. She's our nearest neighbour, and I phoned the fire brigade from

00:06:33there, and the police.

00:06:35Had something happened prior to the fire which caused you to call the police?

00:06:39Yes. Threats had been made.

00:06:41Threats? Who by?

00:06:43Tessa, Miss Blackley.

00:06:45The accused had threatened you?

00:06:47Yes.

00:06:48Yes. Of course, Miss Blackley is no stranger to you, is she?

00:06:52Well, you could put it that way. She's my husband's, his girlfriend.

00:06:58What sort of threats had Miss Blackley made to you?

00:07:01She talked about burning down the house. She was also violent with me a couple of times.

00:07:07Can you remember the first time she was violent to you? Can you remember the date?

00:07:10It was in March last year, the 14th, I think. She...

00:07:16Well, it was after I found a letter from her to Richard, and I opened it by accident. I wasn't

00:07:23going through his things or anything. Anyway, it all came out. Usual story. He'd been seeing

00:07:30this girl for about six months, and she was honoured him to move in with her and, you know,

00:07:35ditch me. I was pregnant at the time, about three months pregnant, but I hadn't told him

00:07:41up till then. I suppose that made this affair different.

00:07:46Different?

00:07:47Oh, she wasn't the first. Richard's had his flings before. I mean, he always comes back

00:07:54to me. Anyway, I got her address from her letter, and I went round to see her. It was

00:08:00just to... well, to talk to her. Our marriage was not unhappy. I didn't want it to break up

00:08:07just because of some other girl. I loved him, and I was going to have a baby.

00:08:12Yes. So, Mrs. Hanson, what happened when you went to Miss Blackley's flat?

00:08:17When she opened the door, I said who I was and asked if I could come in and talk it over.

00:08:22She just said, no, go away, or something like that, and she tried to push the door closed

00:08:26in my face. Well, that made me a bit angry, so I pushed back at her. Then she grabbed hold

00:08:34of me instead and started kicking and punching. It was... it was as if she really hated me.

00:08:40I really thought she wanted to kill me. Then I saw that Richard had come to the door.

00:08:47He'd been there with her. He dragged her away from me. Then I asked him to come home with

00:08:52me. Tessa started crying and begging him not to go, and... oh.

00:08:59Yes, please, go on, Mrs. Hanson. Well, when we got to her gate, she shouted at me. She said,

00:09:06if you ever come back here again, I promise I will kill you.

00:09:11So did you receive any injuries at the hands of Miss Blackley? Oh, a few bruises, nothing

00:09:17much, but a few weeks later, my pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. The doctor said the incident

00:09:23with Tessa might have caused it. I mean, please don't think... I've got a history of miscarriages,

00:09:30you see, otherwise it probably wouldn't have mattered, the fight. Yes, but as a result

00:09:34of your miscarriage, did your husband come to some decision about his relationship with

00:09:38Miss Blackley? He said he was going to end his relationship with her.

00:09:41Yes, and did he? No. I mean, he tried, but... oh, I suppose that made her hate me even

00:09:50more. I mean, she probably thought I had the miscarriage on purpose.

00:09:54Now, Mrs. Hanson, when was your next encounter with Miss Blackley?

00:10:14It was about three months after my miscarriage at the end of June last year.

00:10:18The end of June 1977. What happened then? She came round to our house during the afternoon.

00:10:24Yes, did she give any reason for her visit? She was crying and upset. It seems that she

00:10:30just found out she was pregnant. I don't think she'd come to triumph about it over me or anything

00:10:36like that. It was just... I don't know what nonsense Richard had been telling her, but she

00:10:44said she wanted to see the house. The house? The Y was there, did she say? She said she wanted

00:10:50to see why it had such a strong hold over Richard that he was prepared to stay with

00:10:54me when he much preferred her. I mean, she was absolutely convinced. Nothing I said

00:11:00to her had any effect. She was going to have an abortion, and it was all my fault and the

00:11:05fault of the house. She said that the house had a strong hold on Richard. How could the house

00:11:11ever hold on him? Well, it's true in a way. The house really does mean an awful lot to him.

00:11:18Well, he's an architect, you see, a very good one. He bought this house seven years ago when

00:11:24we got married. It was just a broken-down old barn thing then. He's put all his money

00:11:29and everything into it. Did Miss Blackley say what she meant about the house? That if it

00:11:34were not for the existence of this house and the fact that I'd be in it as the marital home

00:11:39in the event of a divorce, Richard would give me up. But she wouldn't see that it wasn't

00:11:45completely the house. I mean, it was me as well. I mean, Richard's feelings, they were

00:11:51for me too. He hadn't just stopped loving me or anything like that. Yes, did Miss Blackley

00:11:56make any threats to you when she came that afternoon last year? Well, it was a bit strange

00:12:02actually. I mean, I thought she was joking at first, but... Well, you know she's a journalist.

00:12:08Yes. Well, apparently she'd been writing this story about an IRA bomb factory. She kept going

00:12:15on about firebombs. She suddenly said, you know I've done this story. Well, they told me how

00:12:22you make them, firebombs. She said I wasn't to be surprised if something happened to the house.

00:12:27You weren't to be surprised if something happened to the house. Yes. And I thought she was joking,

00:12:36but she said, I'm... No, one day that's what I'll do. And when was the next time you came

00:12:43into contact with Miss Blackley? It was on March the 29th this year at a party.

00:12:51Well, I was talking to a group of friends when she came up to me. She was obviously drunk

00:12:56because she was swaying and her speech was slurred. Anyway, she started calling me a silly bitch

00:13:04and things. And eventually I reacted and I told her to go away. Then she slapped my face and pushed

00:13:11me against the wall and started going on about her and Richard in the house again, how it was the

00:13:16only reason Richard didn't leave me. Can you remember her exact words?

00:13:20She said you don't think he stays because of you, do you? He only stays because of that bloody house

00:13:27of his. He doesn't give a damn about you. It's the house. Tell you what, I think I'll burn the house

00:13:32down. Then you'll have nothing. Tell you what, I think I'll burn the house down. Excuse me,

00:13:39Mr. Parsons. Mrs. Hanson, what effect did Miss Blackley's intervention in your marriage have on

00:13:45you? Well, I was depressed, really. I mean, not just because of Tessa, not just because Richard

00:13:55was still seeing her. I mean, part of it was that I wanted to have a baby. Well, I didn't seem to be

00:14:02able to and she did, Tessa. She'd got herself pregnant again and then was I not even able to.

00:14:12So I was depressed and I was being treated by my doctor with tranquilizers.

00:14:16Did your husband know about this? Yes.

00:14:21Well, I wasn't going to tell him, but

00:14:26two days after the party, I tried to take an overdose. I mean, it was a stupid thing to do,

00:14:31I know that. It wasn't even as if I took enough to, you know, kill me. But Richard was terribly upset

00:14:38and he said he was going to see Tessa and break things off once and for all. That if she wanted

00:14:43to go ahead with her pregnancy, he would support the child, but that would be it. And did he break

00:14:48things off? He tried the night before the fire. I mean, I don't even know whether he has

00:14:57left her. Left her, I mean. He says he has, but then he said that before.

00:15:04Yes. Now, Mrs. Hanson, can we go back to the night before the fire? What did your husband say then?

00:15:10He said he was going to see Tessa and tell her that that was it. He was away for ages. I got worried.

00:15:18I sat by the window waiting for him to come back and I thought maybe he isn't going to come back.

00:15:22Anyway, around two in the morning, I heard a car come down our lane. I saw the headlights go past

00:15:29and it was raining so you could hear the tires. She often used to run him home. They'd park in a

00:15:37track beyond our house and whatever. Could you see them? No, no. There's lots of trees and undergrowth

00:15:46things. Anyway, about another half hour went by and then Richard came in. He was very upset. He was

00:15:52crying. And after that, did Miss Blackley's car leave? Yes. After Richard came in, I heard it start

00:15:59up and drive back down the lane. Yes. So Miss Blackley definitely left with her car that evening?

00:16:05Oh, yes. Yes. Now, I want us to raise one other matter, Mrs. Hanson. After the fire brigade had put the

00:16:11fire out on April the 23rd, you went back into the house? Yes. Did you notice anything? Yes. When

00:16:17I'd gone out earlier, I'd left the radio on. Yes. So someone calling at the house might have gained the

00:16:22impression you were listening to the radio when in fact you weren't there at all? Yes. Yes, thank you,

00:16:28Mrs. Hanson. Mrs. Hanson, let's go back to the night before the fire. You told us that Miss Blackley

00:16:37drove off after you're running your husband home, didn't you? Yes. Mrs. Fenton, I don't know why you

00:16:44attach importance to the question of why she was there with the car that night. Surely the question

00:16:49is, was she there with the car the next afternoon? And if so, what time? My lord, Miss Blackley does not

00:16:55deny being in the lane at some stage in the following afternoon. But it's an important part of her case

00:16:59that her car suffered a breakdown the night before. She wasn't able to drive it away. In consequence of

00:17:04that, she went back the next day to repair it and collect it. Oh yes, I see, of course. Thank you.

00:17:11Mrs. Hanson, how do you know it was Miss Blackley's car? I heard Richard's key in the door, then a car

00:17:18started up and drove back down the lane. When it started, were you watching it? I looked out of the

00:17:23window when I heard it and saw it go past. Your house is situated in a country lane. You've told us

00:17:29you couldn't see the car when it was parked because of the surrounding trees and the undergrowth.

00:17:34It was, it was the middle of the night. It was extremely dark. How do you know it was Miss Blackley's

00:17:39car? Well, because it couldn't have been anyone else's starting up and then going off. On the

00:17:44contrary, there's absolutely no reason why other motorists shouldn't have been using your lane.

00:17:47It was her. But from your house at that time of night, you couldn't possibly distinguish one car

00:17:52from another. Mrs. Hanson, you're under oath. Can you truthfully say that the car which drove down

00:17:58that lane was beyond doubt, Miss Blackley's? Well, all right. No, I can't. Not completely beyond doubt.

00:18:07Thank you. Now, you told us that on March the 14th last year, you went round to Miss Blackley's flat.

00:18:14Why was that? Well, I was pregnant and I was jolly well going to tell her I was. I thought maybe she'd

00:18:19think twice about poaching my husband. So what sort of mood were you in? A bit desperate and

00:18:24pretty angry. Yes, so angry in fact that you were prepared to use violence to force your way into

00:18:28the flat, weren't you? It wasn't me who was violent. But you told us yourself that when Miss Blackley

00:18:33quite understandably refused to let you in, you forced the door open. Would you not call that violent

00:18:38behaviour on your part? But she started the kicking and punching. But that was in self-defence,

00:18:42surely as a last resort, when you violently, hysterically forced your way into the flat. I only wanted to

00:18:48talk to her. But your husband was there. Can Miss Blackley really be blamed for doing

00:18:53everything in her power to prevent you going through an extremely embarrassing and painful

00:18:58encounter? Well, she can certainly be blamed for threatening to kill me. But you tried to

00:19:03force your way into the flat. You were leaving with a man she loved. At the time you recognised,

00:19:09did you not, that her threat to kill you was nothing more than a rather melodramatic parting shot?

00:19:13No, no, I didn't. She meant it. But you didn't go to the police then, did you? No. Well, really,

00:19:18Mrs. Hanson. Now, Miss Blackley's visit to your house in June last year, or your version of it,

00:19:25rather, has a highly melodramatic flavour, doesn't it? I don't know what you're getting at, sorry.

00:19:30In June of last year, Miss Blackley came to see you, in your own words, crying and upset because

00:19:34she was pregnant and about to face the trauma of an abortion. She made a request to you,

00:19:39didn't she? I don't think so. Don't you recall Miss Blackley asking you to let your husband

00:19:45support the child so that she wouldn't have to have her pregnancy terminated? That certainly

00:19:49wasn't the impression I got. What was the impression you got? That she'd already decided

00:19:53to have the abortion. Was that the impression you had then, or the impression you convinced

00:19:57yourself afterwards that you... I haven't convinced myself of anything. No. Then will you admit this,

00:20:03that Miss Blackley wasn't in an extremely unhappy state? Yes, of course, I've said she was upset,

00:20:08crying, that kind of thing. I'm going to be confused. And are you asking the court to believe

00:20:13that Miss Blackley underwent a sudden, most eccentric reversal of mood and proceeded coolly,

00:20:18calculatingly, quite unemotionally, to threaten to, what was it, throw a firebomb at the house?

00:20:23Yes. She said, I wasn't to be surprised if something happened to the house. Mrs. Hanson,

00:20:27can you be telling the court that an intelligent and articulate person like Miss Blackley suddenly

00:20:31started talking like a villainess in a third-rate gangster film? Well, look, she did say those things.

00:20:36I suggest to you that your imagination, your natural prejudice against Miss Blackley have

00:20:41pieced together a quite fantastic slice of melodrama. Look, I tell you, she did say all

00:20:45that. You may think it sounds melodramatic, but that is what she did say. As you wish.

00:20:52Now, you told us, did you not, that your next encounter with Miss Blackley was at a party on

00:20:56March the 29th this year? That's right, yes. Your version of the events was incomplete, though,

00:21:01wasn't it? I don't think so. I was talking to a group of friends when she came up to me. That

00:21:06wasn't the first time you'd spoken to Miss Blackley that evening, was it? Well, no, but... But what?

00:21:11Well, we'd said one or two things to each other before. I mean, we had to, talking in groups,

00:21:15that sort of thing. Social chat. Oh, really, Mrs. Hanson, do you define,

00:21:20there's that little tart of my husband's, a social chat? I didn't say that to her. Well,

00:21:25you may not have said it to her, but you said it knowing that she could hear it, didn't you?

00:21:29Well, I may have said it, though, frankly, I don't remember. I certainly wouldn't have meant

00:21:32it to hear. Ah, you don't remember saying it, but your memory of Miss Blackley's actions is so clear.

00:21:38Look, I remember what Miss Blackley said. I don't remember what I said, that's all. May I suggest to

00:21:42you, then, that your recollections appear to have been a little bit selective? Listen, it was a party.

00:21:47There was lots of noise, people drinking, that sort of thing. I mean, I can't remember everything,

00:21:51can I? Well... How much did you have to drink, Mrs. Hanson? Not much. Er, there are two people

00:21:59who were at that party, your husband and Miss Blackley, who can testify under oath that you'd

00:22:04been drinking pretty heavily. Well, I'm sorry, but I was not drunk. Well, as you have no recollection of

00:22:09what you said, I can only suggest that by the time your exchanges with Miss Blackley occurred,

00:22:13you had actually been drinking pretty heavily. You had only the haziest and most

00:22:17unreliable recollections of what was said. I can remember very well what happened.

00:22:24You behave violently when you're angry, don't you? What? No. No? Er, didn't you cut your

00:22:29husband's face by throwing a glass at him once during one of your quarrels about Miss Blackley?

00:22:34All right, look, that was one domestic quarrel. You're trying to make it seem as though I'm...

00:22:38As though what? As though I make a habit of that sort of thing.

00:22:41Isn't that the impression you've been trying very hard to create about Miss Blackley?

00:22:44Look, it's not an impression.

00:22:49You've told us that you were so distressed by your husband's relationship with Miss Blackley

00:22:53that you took an overdose of tranquilizers. Now, would you agree that when you took this

00:22:58action you were a very disturbed person?

00:23:00No. No, it was just stupid and silly. I didn't mean to kill myself.

00:23:06Oh, now, come on. You'd heard that Miss Blackley was pregnant for the second time. She intended to

00:23:09keep her child. You'd not be human, would you? With your most, most unfortunate history of

00:23:16miscarriages, you weren't disturbed, upset. Do you not agree that you were disturbed by it?

00:23:21All right, I was unhappy, but I certainly was not going around the twist about it. I was just being

00:23:26silly and dramatic. So you admit, do you, that you have a tendency to dramatize things?

00:23:30No, I don't admit that at all. No? Well, then how could you describe your

00:23:34action when, during another quarrel with your husband, you actually shattered a window in your

00:23:37house? Look, I don't know what you're getting at. Sorry. Your reactions and your feelings during a

00:23:43very disturbing situation were no different from those you want to convince us that Miss Blackley had.

00:23:50Are we not to infer from that that you are just as likely as she was to set fire to your house?

00:23:57No, because I'm not that kind of person. Miss Blackley is? Yes.

00:24:13The case of the Queen against Blackley will be resumed tomorrow in the Crown Court.

00:24:36Richard Hanson, please.

00:24:43Today's case in the Crown Court concerns a fire at the home of Richard and Lynn Hanson.

00:25:00As a result of police inquiries, Tessa Blackley, Richard's girlfriend, has been charged with damaging

00:25:06property with intent. Yesterday, evidence was given that paraffin had been used deliberately to start the

00:25:12fire and that Tessa had previously made threats to Lynn, Richard's wife.

00:25:19Now, Mr. Hanson, on the night before the fire, April the 22nd this year, did you see Miss Blackley?

00:25:24Yes, I told her that we had to end our relationship. Yes, and what was her reaction?

00:25:29Well, she was distraught. Well, what did she say in her distraught state? Well, in the heat of the moment, a lot of things got said.

00:25:41What sort of things? I mean, what exactly did Miss Blackley say, Mr. Hanson?

00:25:50Well, she said she'd like to get a hold of a gun and shoot the three of us. And that Lynn and I better watch out because she was going to throw bricks through our bedroom window. I mean, it was emotional nonsense.

00:26:03Yes. Was that how you regarded it at the time? I don't know. Well, yes, I suppose I did take it seriously, all of it. I mean, it was a very highly charged atmosphere.

00:26:12Yes. The sort of highly charged atmosphere, in fact, in which Miss Blackley might have carried out her threats.

00:26:20I don't know. Maybe, yes.

00:26:23Does Miss Blackley have a violent temper?

00:26:25Well, she's very easygoing on the surface, but she's the kind of person who bottles things up, and then something triggers her off, and suddenly she overreacts completely.

00:26:35Does she overreact in a violent way?

00:26:38Well, yes, like when my wife went to visit her and tried to get into her flat, suddenly she went completely wild and started hitting out. I mean, she's like that.

00:26:48But that doesn't mean that she'd do something like set fire to the house.

00:26:51Mmm.

00:26:52Mr. Hanson, can you remember what your first words were to her after you had seen the damage to your house?

00:27:03Well, I think I said something like, oh, Christ, what have you got undone now? I mean, well, it just seemed obvious at the time that Tessa had done it, but now it's...

00:27:14Look, I'm sorry. She says she hasn't done it, but I really...

00:27:16What did she say at that time when you said, my God, what have you done now?

00:27:20Well, nothing. Well, she wasn't saying very much anyway. It was when I went to visit her in the police station.

00:27:26Yes, but never mind the circumstances. At the time, before you had a chance, shall we say, to rationalise events,

00:27:33you made it clear to Miss Blackley that you thought she had carried out her threats, and she didn't deny it.

00:27:40Well, I don't know, no. It just... It just seemed obvious at the time, that's all.

00:27:46Yes, yes, yes. Thank you, Mr. Hanson.

00:27:48Mr. Hanson, during your relationship with Miss Blackley, what reasons did you give for remaining with your wife?

00:27:59Well, I told her that I still love my wife. Well, as well as her. I love both of them. I just... I couldn't choose.

00:28:07I didn't want to be made to choose.

00:28:08Indeed. And you discussed your dilemma frequently with Miss Blackley?

00:28:13Yes.

00:28:14So, far from believing that it was your house that kept the two of you apart, Miss Blackley was well aware of the real reason.

00:28:20I don't know. I told her. I don't know whether she'd believe me.

00:28:22Why should she not believe you?

00:28:24Well, it wasn't what she wanted to hear. I mean, it wouldn't be, would it?

00:28:28Well, the person you love is involved with someone else.

00:28:31I mean, if you love someone, the thought of them being with someone else is awful.

00:28:36I mean, the thought of them loving someone else.

00:28:39I mean, it's so unbearable that if you admitted the truth to yourself, you'd go round the bend.

00:28:43So, you tell yourself something else, like Tessa told herself that the reason that I wouldn't move in with her was because of the house.

00:28:51Uh, Mr. Hanson, are we to infer from this, um, very ingenious piece of psychoanalysis that Miss Blackley told you that herself?

00:29:02No, but it was obvious.

00:29:03Well, then, in that case, would you confine yourself to the facts?

00:29:06Which are that Miss Blackley knew full well because you'd told her that your decision to maintain the status quo had nothing to do with the house.

00:29:12Oh, no, please believe me. Tessa did have a thing about the house.

00:29:15Yes, but whenever we argued about it, about me staying with Lynn, it would always end up with her saying the reason that I wouldn't move in with her was because of, well, I wouldn't swap my beautiful, wonderful brainchild of a house for her shabby little flat.

00:29:29Yes, but, Mr. Hanson, what I really want...

00:29:31Look, I'm sorry. My wife is right. She did have a thing about the house.

00:29:35I think my wife has already told you that, and if she has, it's the truth.

00:29:39I presume you and your wife are now reconciled?

00:29:43Yes, we are.

00:29:45So, naturally, you wouldn't want to say anything that would prejudice that reconciliation?

00:29:49I just don't want the court to be told that my wife is a liar.

00:29:52Nobody has said your wife is a liar.

00:29:56From what you've told us, you've come to realise, after some calm reflection, that Miss Blackley is unlikely to be guilty.

00:30:03That's correct, is it not?

00:30:05I don't know. I've thought about it so much, I can't think clearly anymore.

00:30:08Well, one minute I think she must have done it, the next I think...

00:30:12I wish this bloody thing hadn't come to court in the first place.

00:30:14When was the last time before the fire occurred that you had any contact with Miss Blackley?

00:30:20Well, the evening before, when we said we had to finish.

00:30:24No, no, no. I don't mean when did you last see Miss Blackley. I mean, when was the last time before the fire that you actually spoke to her?

00:30:32Well, we had a bit of a phone conversation in the morning.

00:30:36You telephoned her, in fact, didn't you?

00:30:39Yes.

00:30:41Well, she'd been in such a state the night before, I thought I had to make sure she was okay.

00:30:44And you told her then? She told you, did she, that she'd had a car breakdown?

00:30:48No, I don't think so.

00:30:49Oh, come on, surely you remember her saying that she'd had trouble with the car?

00:30:52Well, she may have done. I just don't remember. I mean, she was always having trouble with that car of hers.

00:30:57She may have told me. It just went over my head.

00:31:00I mean, I was upset and worked up myself and I was phoning from home and everything.

00:31:06And your wife was around?

00:31:08Yes.

00:31:08But you did have time to make an arrangement to see each other again, didn't you?

00:31:12Sort of, yes.

00:31:13Sort of? You arranged to meet Miss Blackley for lunch the next day, didn't you?

00:31:16Yes.

00:31:17So that must have signified to Miss Blackley that far from ending your relationship, as you'd tried to on the previous night, you intended to continue it.

00:31:23But we were just going to have lunch together and talk things over when we were a bit calmer.

00:31:27You'd done that before, hadn't you?

00:31:30Well, how do you mean?

00:31:31Well, on several previous occasions you'd attempted to end your relationship with Miss Blackley and then telephoned her the next day,

00:31:37unable to keep to your decision and continue to see her. That's true, isn't it?

00:31:40I suppose so, yes.

00:31:42Well, what was there about this occasion that would signify to Miss Blackley that it was different?

00:31:46I don't know. Nothing.

00:31:49You'd agree then that she'd been in a fairly hopeful mood?

00:31:53Possibly.

00:31:54Yes, so if the prosecution are right, Miss Blackley, with the prospect of seeing you the next day,

00:31:58optimistic about the continuation of your relationship,

00:32:01decides to alienate you completely by attempting to destroy your house.

00:32:05Look, I'm sorry. I honestly can't say. As far as I was concerned on the phone, the relationship was over.

00:32:10As far as you were concerned, perhaps?

00:32:15Two weeks before the fire, when Miss Blackley dropped you off outside your home,

00:32:20you had some trouble with a group of local children, didn't you?

00:32:23Well, if you mean I had to tick a couple of them off, yes, I did.

00:32:25About what?

00:32:27Well, there were a couple of older kids. There were 13 or 14,

00:32:30and they were swinging on a gate that I'd just painted, so I told them to clear off, that's all.

00:32:34They threatened you, didn't they?

00:32:36Well, hardly. One of them said he was going to throw a brick through the window.

00:32:40Isn't that what you call a threat?

00:32:41Well, not really. I mean, it isn't the sort of thing I can take seriously.

00:32:44Did you mention the incident to the police after the fire?

00:32:47No, I didn't.

00:32:48Because you didn't take it seriously?

00:32:50Yes, that's right.

00:32:50Here were two youngsters, vandalizing your property,

00:32:55though perhaps in a very minor way, threatening to do greater damage.

00:32:58Don't you think your failure to tell the police was rather a serious omission?

00:33:03Well, I hardly think that had anything to do with the fire, that's what you mean.

00:33:05Well, we don't know what they did or didn't do.

00:33:08Do we, Mr. Hanson?

00:33:09Because you were so preoccupied with the upheavals in your emotional life,

00:33:11you blindly disregarded this quite important incident.

00:33:16It occurred so shortly before the fire at your own house,

00:33:19you failed to report it to the police and it's never been investigated.

00:33:21I swear by almighty God that the evidence I shall give

00:33:44should be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

00:33:47Detective Constable Noreen Banks, Fulcher to CID, Central Division.

00:33:51Now, Detective Constable Banks, on April the 23rd this year,

00:33:55were you called to the scene of a fire at a house at Hexham, Footestock?

00:33:58Yes.

00:33:59And as a result of your inquiries, did you visit Miss Blackley's flat later that same evening?

00:34:04Ma'am?

00:34:05Yes?

00:34:08Yes, I was accompanied by my colleague, Detective Constable Brian Wilkes.

00:34:12Miss Blackley answered the door,

00:34:13and I told her that we were making routine inquiries

00:34:16following an incident in the Hexham area,

00:34:18and would like to ask her a few questions.

00:34:19Now, what did Miss Blackley say?

00:34:21Miss Blackley replied,

00:34:23It can't be anything to do with me.

00:34:24I don't know anything about Hexham.

00:34:26Yes.

00:34:26Did you notice anything in particular about Miss Blackley's behaviour?

00:34:30Well, straight away I could tell that she was drunk,

00:34:31because she kept slurring her words,

00:34:33and you could smell alcohol very strongly on her breath.

00:34:35Yes.

00:34:36Did you notice anything in particular about her appearance?

00:34:38One of her hands was quite heavily bandaged,

00:34:41and the other had some strips of plaster on it,

00:34:42and some cuts that she hadn't covered up.

00:34:44And as we've heard,

00:34:46whoever started this fire broke a window

00:34:48to gain entry into the house.

00:34:50Did you ask Miss Blackley how she had come to cut her hands?

00:34:54Well, I said,

00:34:54Did she mind telling me how she'd cut them?

00:34:56And she replied,

00:34:58Yes, I bloody well would mind.

00:34:59It's none of your business.

00:35:01So then I told her she wasn't doing anyone any good

00:35:03by being so rude.

00:35:05And she replied,

00:35:06You're not doing yourself much good either

00:35:08by being such a self-important little cow.

00:35:11Were you able to get from her

00:35:13an account of her movements earlier that day?

00:35:16Well, I asked if she'd mind telling me

00:35:17where she'd been all day,

00:35:18and she said she'd been at work.

00:35:20I asked where that was,

00:35:21and she said in the centre of town.

00:35:23I then asked her if she'd been in the Hexham area at any point,

00:35:26and she denied this very strongly.

00:35:28I told her that her car had been seen parked

00:35:30in the area by Mrs. Eileen Willoughby,

00:35:32a neighbour of Mr. and Mrs. Hansen's, that is,

00:35:34and I asked her if I could search it.

00:35:36It was parked outside her house.

00:35:37And what did Miss Blackley say?

00:35:39She said I could help myself,

00:35:40but that if I used any petrol,

00:35:41to be sure and replace it.

00:35:44Yes, and did you search Miss Blackley's car?

00:35:46Yes.

00:35:47And what did you find?

00:35:48A large oil can.

00:35:50A four-and-a-half-litre can.

00:35:52Yes, may the witness be shown exhibit two, please.

00:35:57Is this the can you found, Detective Constable Banks?

00:36:00That was the one we found in her car, yes.

00:36:02Can you say what it contained?

00:36:03Yes, there was a small quantity of paraffin

00:36:05left at the bottom of the can.

00:36:07I then cautioned and arrested Miss Blackley

00:36:10and brought her down to the station for further questioning.

00:36:12Yes.

00:36:12Was Miss Blackley inclined to be more helpful by this time?

00:36:16No.

00:36:17She refused for some time

00:36:18to give an account of her movements that day,

00:36:20and when we tried to take a statement,

00:36:22she insisted that she didn't know where Hexham was

00:36:24and couldn't have been anywhere near it.

00:36:26She was still very drunk,

00:36:27so we had to leave her for an hour or so to sober up.

00:36:30Yes, and after Miss Blackley's enforced rest,

00:36:34was she more forthcoming?

00:36:36Not much, no.

00:36:37I told her that her car had been seen by Mrs. Willoughby,

00:36:40and then Miss Blackley said that perhaps

00:36:41she'd been driving through the area

00:36:43and not known what it was called.

00:36:45I told her that I was aware

00:36:46that she was accustomed to driving her boyfriend,

00:36:48Mr. Hanson,

00:36:49home to Hexham several times a week,

00:36:51and eventually she admitted

00:36:52that her car had been parked that afternoon

00:36:54in the lane where Mr. and Mrs. Hanson's house was situated,

00:36:57as Mrs. Willoughby had said.

00:36:59She said that it had been there all night

00:37:00because it had suffered a breakdown

00:37:02and that she'd returned to repair and move it.

00:37:04So eventually Miss Blackley did agree

00:37:06she had been near the Hanson's house

00:37:09on the afternoon of the fire,

00:37:10her car had been parked in a lane nearby.

00:37:12Yes.

00:37:13Did you ask her, Miss Blackley,

00:37:15then why she lied about this to the police earlier?

00:37:18Yes.

00:37:19She said she'd panicked

00:37:20because she was having an affair with Mr. Hanson

00:37:22and didn't want his wife to know that she'd been there.

00:37:24Oh, how very considerate of Miss Blackley.

00:37:28Suddenly.

00:37:30Did she say what time she arrived in the lane

00:37:33and what time she left it?

00:37:34Yes, according to her,

00:37:35she got there at around 2.30

00:37:37and had gone by 3.30.

00:37:39Yes.

00:37:40And did you check Mr. and Mrs. Hanson's home

00:37:42for our fingerprints?

00:37:44Oh, yes.

00:37:45We found fingerprints on the side door of the house,

00:37:47around the doorbell and letterbox mostly,

00:37:49as if someone had looked through

00:37:50to try and see if anybody was at home,

00:37:52that kind of thing.

00:37:54On the 24th of April,

00:37:55I asked Miss Blackley if she'd been to the house

00:37:57and she said she hadn't.

00:37:59We then took her fingerprints,

00:38:00which matched the ones found on the side door.

00:38:02I then put this to her on the 31st of April

00:38:05and we had the results with the tests.

00:38:06So what did Miss Blackley say?

00:38:08She said she now remembered

00:38:09that she had been to the house.

00:38:11She told us that once she'd got her car going,

00:38:13she'd decided on the spur of the moment

00:38:15to see if Mrs. Hanson was in.

00:38:17So she admitted she went to Mrs. Hanson's house

00:38:19to see if she was in.

00:38:20Did she say whether she thought, in fact,

00:38:23that she was in?

00:38:24No, she said Mrs. Hanson wasn't in.

00:38:25There was no answer.

00:38:26Yes, did you ask her if she heard a radio playing?

00:38:30Yes, she said she hadn't.

00:38:32Did she say what happened after that?

00:38:34She told us she returned to her car

00:38:35and drove back to work,

00:38:37arriving at around 10 to 4.

00:38:39Yes, did you ask Miss Blackley

00:38:40to furnish you with the names

00:38:41of some members of staff

00:38:42who might have seen her arrival?

00:38:44Yes, she said that when she got back

00:38:45there was no one around.

00:38:46But at 10 to 4 on a busy afternoon

00:38:48in the Fultester Chronicle...

00:38:49According to her,

00:38:50all her colleagues were at their local club.

00:38:52At 10 to 4?

00:38:55One wonders whether

00:38:56the Fultester Chronicle prints itself.

00:39:00And did she give an explanation

00:39:01as to how her hands came to be cut?

00:39:05Yes, she said she'd knocked over

00:39:06a row of milk bottles

00:39:07and some of them had broken.

00:39:09She said she'd cut her hands

00:39:10while clearing them up.

00:39:11Indeed.

00:39:12And did Miss Blackley say

00:39:14what she did with the remains

00:39:15of these depredations?

00:39:18First of all,

00:39:19she said she'd put them in her dustbin.

00:39:20And had she?

00:39:21Well, we accompanied

00:39:22at the back of her house to check

00:39:23but we couldn't find

00:39:24any broken glass in her dustbin.

00:39:26Ah, and did Miss Blackley

00:39:27explain this mysterious

00:39:28piece of refuse disposal?

00:39:30She said she'd made a mistake.

00:39:32She'd forgotten

00:39:33she'd dumped the broken glass

00:39:34in a skip down the road.

00:39:36And did the skip reveal

00:39:37these mysteriously disappearing bottles?

00:39:40It was impossible to tell

00:39:41because it was so full of rubbish.

00:39:43I mean, there certainly was broken glass.

00:39:45There are enormous amounts of it

00:39:46because someone was demolishing

00:39:47a house nearby.

00:39:48Yes.

00:39:49And so I'm correct in saying

00:39:50why not Detective Constable Banks.

00:39:52There was nothing

00:39:52in Miss Blackley's evidence

00:39:54to the police.

00:39:55It was not either

00:39:56impossible to substantiate

00:39:58or evasive

00:39:59or downright untruthful.

00:40:01She was certainly

00:40:02very obstructive

00:40:03and evasive.

00:40:04Thank you,

00:40:04Detective Constable Banks.

00:40:08Detective Constable Banks.

00:40:12Miss Banks, is it?

00:40:14How long have you been

00:40:14in the police force?

00:40:15Two years.

00:40:16You left straight

00:40:17from the university, I believe.

00:40:18That's right.

00:40:19I imagine that would make you

00:40:20in your early twenties

00:40:21who certainly don't look any older.

00:40:22Am I right?

00:40:23I'm 23.

00:40:25I take your work very seriously,

00:40:26I expect.

00:40:27Of course I do.

00:40:28Perhaps a little overzealously

00:40:29sometimes.

00:40:31What are you trying to suggest?

00:40:32What I am suggesting

00:40:34is this.

00:40:35That it's hardly surprising

00:40:36that Miss Blackley

00:40:37reacted the way she did

00:40:38in the face of

00:40:39officious behaviour

00:40:40from a girl

00:40:40roughly her own age.

00:40:42It was a perfectly

00:40:42normal inquiry.

00:40:44There was nothing

00:40:44about my behaviour

00:40:45that was officious.

00:40:46Oh, come on, Miss Banks.

00:40:48At the time,

00:40:48Miss Blackley

00:40:49was in a most anxious

00:40:50and unhappy state.

00:40:50She readily did admit

00:40:52she'd been drowning

00:40:53her sorrows with some gusto

00:40:54and the effects of the wine

00:40:55had rendered her

00:40:55more miserable,

00:40:56more confused,

00:40:58more vulnerable.

00:41:00Suddenly,

00:41:01she couldn't think why.

00:41:02A young policeman,

00:41:04scarcely out of her teens,

00:41:05not even in uniform,

00:41:06barges into her house

00:41:07and for some

00:41:09inexplicable reason

00:41:10starts bombarding her

00:41:11with questions,

00:41:12ordering her about.

00:41:13Isn't that what happened?

00:41:13I wasn't ordering her about.

00:41:16If it seemed that way to her,

00:41:17it could only have been

00:41:18because she was so drunk

00:41:19and confused.

00:41:20After you took Miss Blackley

00:41:23to the police station,

00:41:24how long did you give her

00:41:25to sober up?

00:41:26After an hour,

00:41:26she was judged

00:41:27to be fit for questioning.

00:41:28Judgment that was proved wrong,

00:41:29don't you think?

00:41:30No.

00:41:31We asked her

00:41:32if she felt able

00:41:33to answer questions

00:41:34and she consented.

00:41:35We certainly didn't want

00:41:36to question her

00:41:36while she was feeling unwell.

00:41:38No.

00:41:39Miss Banks,

00:41:40the fact that Miss Blackley

00:41:41gave you so many

00:41:41conflicting statements

00:41:43was, I suggest,

00:41:43due to the fact

00:41:44that she was still

00:41:44bewildered and confused

00:41:45and was in no fit state

00:41:47to be questioned.

00:41:47I don't think so.

00:41:51You told us,

00:41:52did you not,

00:41:52that Miss Blackley's

00:41:53fingerprints were found

00:41:54around the side door.

00:41:56Right.

00:41:57Were they found

00:41:57anywhere else?

00:41:58How do you mean?

00:41:59Well, for instance,

00:42:00around the frame

00:42:01of the window

00:42:01through which Miss Blackley

00:42:02has so bizarrely

00:42:04alleged to have entered

00:42:04the house.

00:42:05No.

00:42:06But it is quite easy

00:42:07not to leave fingerprints.

00:42:09By wearing gloves,

00:42:11for instance?

00:42:11Yes.

00:42:12Yes.

00:42:13I see.

00:42:14So Miss Blackley

00:42:15is meant to have

00:42:15walked up to the house

00:42:16in broad daylight,

00:42:17is she?

00:42:18Carrying a paraffin can,

00:42:19wearing gloves,

00:42:21which,

00:42:22in order to make life

00:42:24easier for the police,

00:42:25she removes

00:42:26in order to place

00:42:26liberal supplies

00:42:27of fingerprints

00:42:28around the door.

00:42:30I really couldn't say.

00:42:31Thank you,

00:42:32Miss Banks.

00:42:32I swear by almighty God

00:42:36that the evidence

00:42:37I shall give

00:42:38shall be the truth,

00:42:39the whole truth,

00:42:40and nothing but the truth.

00:42:42What is your full name

00:42:43and where do you live?

00:42:45Eileen Willoughby.

00:42:46I live at the old barns,

00:42:47Hexham, Fulchester.

00:42:49Now, Mrs. Willoughby,

00:42:50where were you

00:42:50in the afternoon

00:42:51of April 23rd this year

00:42:53at about four o'clock?

00:42:54I was on my way back

00:42:55from shopping

00:42:56in the village,

00:42:57coming via Mill Lane.

00:42:58Now, that's the lane

00:42:59where the Hansons' house

00:43:01and your house

00:43:02are situated.

00:43:03Yes.

00:43:04Did you see a car

00:43:05in the vicinity

00:43:06of the lane?

00:43:07Yes, at the top

00:43:08of the farm track,

00:43:09just beyond

00:43:10where the Hansons' live.

00:43:11Yes.

00:43:12May the witness

00:43:13be shown

00:43:13in the photograph,

00:43:14please exhibit three.

00:43:17Now, was that the car

00:43:18you saw parked there?

00:43:20Yes, that's it.

00:43:21I gave the number

00:43:22to the police.

00:43:23Yes.

00:43:23Now, when you saw the car,

00:43:24was there anyone

00:43:25standing by it

00:43:27as if repairing it,

00:43:28for example?

00:43:28No, not as so.

00:43:30And did the car

00:43:31look as if it had

00:43:32broken down?

00:43:34Was the bonnet up,

00:43:35for example?

00:43:35No, it was just parked.

00:43:37Yes, and you're quite sure

00:43:38about the time

00:43:39you saw it?

00:43:40Yes.

00:43:40Four o'clock.

00:43:41Yes, thank you,

00:43:42Mrs. Willoughby.

00:43:47Mrs. Willoughby,

00:43:47when did you report

00:43:48the presence

00:43:49of Miss Blackwell's car

00:43:49to the police?

00:43:51When they came round

00:43:51and questioned me

00:43:52after the fire,

00:43:54they asked me

00:43:54if I'd seen any

00:43:55suspicious vehicles

00:43:56in the locality.

00:43:58You thought the car

00:43:59was a suspicious vehicle.

00:44:00Why didn't you report it

00:44:01as soon as you saw it?

00:44:02Well, I didn't think

00:44:03it was suspicious then.

00:44:05Well, in that case,

00:44:06isn't it a little, um,

00:44:07remarkable that you were

00:44:08able to furnish the police

00:44:09with the description of it,

00:44:11its number,

00:44:12and the exact time

00:44:13that you saw it?

00:44:13What do you mean?

00:44:14Yes.

00:44:14You've told us,

00:44:16haven't you,

00:44:16that you were returning

00:44:17from the shops?

00:44:18Yes.

00:44:19You'd be fairly heavily

00:44:19laden with shopping then?

00:44:21I was carrying a few things.

00:44:22How, in a basket?

00:44:23In my arms.

00:44:24Oh, in your arms.

00:44:26And you saw a parked car

00:44:27and were not suspicious of it?

00:44:28Not then, no.

00:44:29No.

00:44:30Your arms were full of shopping.

00:44:33You saw a vehicle

00:44:34which hardly excited your notice.

00:44:37Aren't we going to find

00:44:38it a little difficult

00:44:39to believe that you then

00:44:40went through

00:44:41all the necessary contortions

00:44:42in order to get a glimpse

00:44:44of your watch,

00:44:45in order to ascertain

00:44:46the exact time

00:44:47that you saw the car?

00:44:48Well, I knew it was

00:44:49four o'clock

00:44:49because I'd left the shops

00:44:51round about 3.30

00:44:52and it takes me that long

00:44:54to walk back.

00:44:54Round about 3.30?

00:44:56So you really have no idea

00:44:57what time you left

00:44:57the shops either?

00:44:58Well, it was around then,

00:45:01around three o'clock.

00:45:02Come on, do you

00:45:02or do you not know

00:45:03the exact time?

00:45:04Oh, have it your own way.

00:45:06So you're really not clear

00:45:07about the time

00:45:07you saw the car after all?

00:45:09Well, I know I'm not certain,

00:45:11but that's not the same thing

00:45:12as I know more or less

00:45:15what time I left the shops

00:45:17and I know how long

00:45:19it takes me to walk back

00:45:20because I've done that walk

00:45:22twice a week

00:45:23for the past seven years.

00:45:24I'm not a fool.

00:45:27Could you see the Hanson's house

00:45:28from the road

00:45:28as you walked past?

00:45:30Bits of it,

00:45:31but it's mostly hidden

00:45:31by trees.

00:45:32Could you see the extension?

00:45:34Bits of it,

00:45:35but again,

00:45:35it's mostly hidden by trees.

00:45:37But you could see some of it.

00:45:38Could you tell if anyone

00:45:39was in the region

00:45:40of the extension?

00:45:42No,

00:45:42because the ground floor part

00:45:44is hidden.

00:45:46How far is it

00:45:47from the road?

00:45:48Oh,

00:45:49I've no idea.

00:45:51Forty or fifty yards,

00:45:53I suppose.

00:45:53Yes, quite near anyway.

00:45:55And you say

00:45:55there was no one

00:45:56with the car

00:45:57when you walked past.

00:45:58Let's suppose

00:45:58that was because

00:46:00Miss Blackley

00:46:00had already repaired the car

00:46:02and had gone to the front door

00:46:03of the house

00:46:03to speak to Mrs. Hanson.

00:46:05Don't you think

00:46:06if Miss Blackley

00:46:07had been committing

00:46:08the crime she's accused of,

00:46:10you would either

00:46:10have heard her activities

00:46:11or even, um,

00:46:13seen some smoke

00:46:14rising from the extension?

00:46:16Well,

00:46:16I really don't know.

00:46:17I mean,

00:46:18I wasn't suspicious

00:46:19of the car,

00:46:20so I wasn't looking

00:46:21for anything,

00:46:22was I?

00:46:22Yes,

00:46:23Mrs. Willoughby,

00:46:23you were not suspicious

00:46:24of the car at the time.

00:46:26So isn't it odd

00:46:27that you were later able

00:46:28to furnish the police

00:46:28with the exact registration

00:46:30number in the make?

00:46:31I had seen it before,

00:46:32hadn't I?

00:46:33Oh, yes,

00:46:33you had,

00:46:33hadn't you?

00:46:34And you knew

00:46:34who it belonged to, too.

00:46:35Well, yes,

00:46:36but I don't see

00:46:37what that's got to do

00:46:38with it.

00:46:39You're very close friends

00:46:40with Mrs. Hanson,

00:46:40aren't you?

00:46:41I know her quite well.

00:46:42Well enough for Mrs. Hanson

00:46:43to confide to you

00:46:44about her marital problem.

00:46:46Well,

00:46:46she's talked to me

00:46:47once or twice

00:46:47and I feel very sorry

00:46:49for her.

00:46:49So sorry for her,

00:46:50in fact,

00:46:50that you prepared

00:46:51at least once

00:46:52to take up the cudgels

00:46:53in her defence,

00:46:53weren't you?

00:46:54What do you mean?

00:46:55Well,

00:46:55there was an occasion,

00:46:56was there not,

00:46:57when you confronted

00:46:57Miss Blackley

00:46:58and Mr. Hanson

00:46:58when they were parked

00:46:59in that very spot

00:47:00and threatened

00:47:00to tell Mrs. Hanson

00:47:01that you'd seen them

00:47:02if you saw them

00:47:03there again?

00:47:03Well,

00:47:04I don't think

00:47:04you'd be very pleased

00:47:05if your road

00:47:06was turning into

00:47:06one of those

00:47:07lover's lanes

00:47:08and it was

00:47:09Mr. Hanson as well.

00:47:11I mean,

00:47:12would you like that

00:47:12going on in front

00:47:13of your front door?

00:47:15The point is

00:47:15that you didn't like it,

00:47:16Mrs. Willoughby

00:47:17and I suggest

00:47:17that your attitude

00:47:18makes you a very

00:47:19prejudiced witness.

00:47:20It most certainly

00:47:21does not.

00:47:21Can you seriously

00:47:22deny that your

00:47:23antipathy to Miss Blackley

00:47:24is not...

00:47:24I think she's

00:47:25a stupid little bitch

00:47:26but I hope

00:47:27that doesn't prevent

00:47:28me from speaking

00:47:29the truth.

00:47:29I'm sure we all

00:47:30hope that.

00:47:33Consider,

00:47:34you saw Miss Blackley's

00:47:35car in the lane

00:47:36and you thought

00:47:36nothing of it

00:47:37until Mrs. Hanson

00:47:38ran round to your house

00:47:39to telephone the fire brigade.

00:47:41Now,

00:47:42I suggest to you

00:47:42that until then

00:47:43you had no idea

00:47:44of the time

00:47:44you saw Miss Blackley's car

00:47:45and that it was a notion

00:47:47that was put into your head

00:47:47by your conversation

00:47:48with Mrs. Hanson.

00:47:50You can insult me

00:47:51all you like

00:47:52but that car

00:47:53was in that lane

00:47:54at four o'clock

00:47:55that afternoon.

00:47:56We only have your word

00:47:57for that,

00:47:58Mrs. Willoughby,

00:47:58the word of someone

00:47:59with such contempt

00:48:00and hostility

00:48:00for Miss Blackley

00:48:01that she's just described

00:48:02her as a stupid

00:48:03little bitch.

00:48:04Very well,

00:48:05but I have been

00:48:06speaking the truth.

00:48:08You'd twist anything

00:48:09round and make out

00:48:10it never happened.

00:48:12I just wish

00:48:13you could see

00:48:13what she's done to Lyn

00:48:14all along,

00:48:16just by being around.

00:48:21The case of the Queen

00:48:36against Blackley

00:48:37will be resumed

00:48:38tomorrow

00:48:39in the Crown Court.

00:48:40I call Tessa Blackley.

00:48:54Today's case in the Crown Court

00:49:13arises out of a fire

00:49:14at the home

00:49:15of Richard and Lynne Hanson.

00:49:17As a result of police inquiries,

00:49:19Tessa Blackley,

00:49:21with whom Richard Hanson

00:49:22was having an affair,

00:49:23is charged with

00:49:24destroying property

00:49:25with intent.

00:49:27Yesterday,

00:49:27evidence was given

00:49:28that a paraffin can

00:49:29was found in Tessa's car,

00:49:31that her car had been seen

00:49:32in the area

00:49:33shortly before the fire,

00:49:35and that Tessa

00:49:35had repeatedly lied

00:49:36to the police

00:49:37when interviewed by them.

00:49:40Miss Blackley,

00:49:42first of all,

00:49:43will you tell us

00:49:44what happened

00:49:44when you ran

00:49:45Mr. Hanson home

00:49:46the night before the fire?

00:49:48Well,

00:49:48he'd been very unhappy

00:49:49and withdrawn

00:49:50all evening,

00:49:51and it ended up

00:49:53with him telling me

00:49:54that we had to finish.

00:49:56I mean,

00:49:56this was when we were

00:49:57parked in the lane

00:49:58near his house.

00:49:59He said that was it

00:50:01and I started crying

00:50:03and begging him

00:50:05not to leave me

00:50:06and saying that I couldn't

00:50:07live without him

00:50:08and stuff like that.

00:50:09Do you recall saying

00:50:10anything that you might

00:50:11have taken as a threat?

00:50:13Oh, God,

00:50:14I mean,

00:50:15I really did say

00:50:16that I felt like

00:50:17getting a gun

00:50:17and shooting all three of us,

00:50:18stuff like that.

00:50:19really sordid

00:50:21and pathetic stuff,

00:50:22but that I was

00:50:23so miserable.

00:50:25And, well,

00:50:25you do say things

00:50:26like that

00:50:27and they never get

00:50:27carried out

00:50:28in the cold light of day.

00:50:29I mean,

00:50:29you wake up in the morning

00:50:30and you cringe

00:50:30at all the things

00:50:31you've said.

00:50:33And I didn't know,

00:50:34did I,

00:50:34that people were going

00:50:35to try and make

00:50:37so much out of it?

00:50:39Make out that

00:50:40it was so sordid.

00:50:40You were just indulging

00:50:41in a bout of melodrama?

00:50:43Yes, absolutely.

00:50:44And what happened

00:50:45after Mr. Hansen's

00:50:46attempt to break off

00:50:47your relationship?

00:50:49Oh, well,

00:50:49he got out of the car,

00:50:52slammed the door

00:50:53and went off.

00:50:54I sat there for a while.

00:50:56It was raining outside,

00:50:57it was really pouring down.

00:50:59I just sat there,

00:51:01the way you do,

00:51:01feeling how miserable

00:51:02everything is.

00:51:04And then,

00:51:05after a while,

00:51:05I felt that it was time

00:51:06I went home,

00:51:07so I put the key

00:51:08in the starter

00:51:08and nothing happened.

00:51:10I mean,

00:51:10the engine wouldn't start,

00:51:11so I knew what was wrong.

00:51:14The points were wet,

00:51:14but there was no sense

00:51:16in trying to dry them

00:51:16because it was still

00:51:17raining so hard.

00:51:17So I got out of the car

00:51:19and walked back down

00:51:20the lane towards town.

00:51:22After about a mile and a half,

00:51:23I hitched a lift home.

00:51:24When did you next hear

00:51:25from Mr. Hansen?

00:51:27He rang me the next morning.

00:51:28He said that he'd been

00:51:29worried about me

00:51:30and was I okay?

00:51:32Did you tell him

00:51:32about the car?

00:51:34Well,

00:51:34I started rabbiting on

00:51:36about it, yes,

00:51:37but then he said

00:51:37that he had to go

00:51:38because he was phoning

00:51:38from home

00:51:39and his wife

00:51:40was hovering.

00:51:42So I started up again

00:51:44and, you know,

00:51:45begging him not to leave me

00:51:46and in the end,

00:51:48he just said,

00:51:48I can't leave me,

00:51:51I mean.

00:51:52And it ended up

00:51:54we were going out

00:51:54for lunch the next day.

00:51:55Yes,

00:51:55were you sure in your mind

00:51:57that the relationship

00:51:58was still on?

00:51:58Well,

00:52:00it was a stay

00:52:02of execution,

00:52:03wasn't it?

00:52:03I mean,

00:52:04it was still pretty awful

00:52:06but it was hopeful

00:52:08as well.

00:52:08Let's move on a bit.

00:52:10When did you leave

00:52:11your office

00:52:11to collect your car?

00:52:122.15ish.

00:52:13I told Clifford

00:52:15Mr. Ruskin

00:52:16where I was going.

00:52:17He knew all about

00:52:19the trials and tribulations

00:52:20of my love life

00:52:21and I got back to Hexham

00:52:23by bus

00:52:24about 2.30,

00:52:25I suppose,

00:52:25but I didn't have

00:52:26much of an eye

00:52:26on the time.

00:52:27How long do you think

00:52:28you spent preparing

00:52:29your car?

00:52:30I'm not sure.

00:52:31Half an hour,

00:52:32three quarters of an hour.

00:52:33I had to take off

00:52:34the distributor cap

00:52:35and dry all the points.

00:52:36What did you do

00:52:37after that?

00:52:37Oh, God.

00:52:39Well,

00:52:40sorry.

00:52:44I felt so terrible.

00:52:46I just got it

00:52:47into my head

00:52:47that I had to go

00:52:48and talk to Lynn.

00:52:51I know it probably

00:52:52sounds amazingly stupid

00:52:53but anyway,

00:52:55that's what I felt

00:52:55I had to do.

00:52:56So I went up

00:52:56to the house.

00:52:58I lurked about

00:52:59for a bit,

00:53:01picking up courage

00:53:02and then I rang

00:53:03and there was no answer.

00:53:06Oh, yes.

00:53:06I looked in through

00:53:07the letterbox

00:53:07and then I sat down

00:53:11on the step

00:53:11for a bit

00:53:12and, I mean,

00:53:14you don't know

00:53:15what it was like

00:53:15at that time

00:53:16going around

00:53:16feeling like the end

00:53:17of the world had come.

00:53:18All of us, I suppose.

00:53:21Well, none of us

00:53:22was able to behave

00:53:23very well.

00:53:24Have you any idea

00:53:25what time you returned

00:53:26to your car?

00:53:28Well, not really, no.

00:53:30I thought it was

00:53:30around 3.30

00:53:31but, as I say,

00:53:32I didn't have much

00:53:33of an eye on the time.

00:53:34Maybe earlier,

00:53:35maybe later.

00:53:35I filled up

00:53:37with petrol

00:53:38on the way back

00:53:38and I got into

00:53:39the office

00:53:39about quarter to four.

00:53:40I'm pretty sure of that.

00:53:41As far as you've noticed,

00:53:41did anyone see your return?

00:53:43Well, no,

00:53:44no one who would

00:53:45really notice.

00:53:46You see,

00:53:46I work in the

00:53:46features department

00:53:47and that's actually

00:53:48a separate office

00:53:49so you don't get

00:53:50to see other people

00:53:50from other departments.

00:53:51There's been

00:53:51nothing unusual

00:53:52about the fact

00:53:52that you can't

00:53:53produce anybody

00:53:53where you saw

00:53:54your return.

00:53:54No.

00:53:55It's just unfortunate

00:53:56that Mr. Ruskin

00:53:57had gone to...

00:53:57Was taking an

00:53:58extended lunch?

00:53:59Well, yes.

00:54:01We'd got all our

00:54:01copy away for the

00:54:02next day,

00:54:02features works in advance

00:54:03and he'd gone off

00:54:05to his club.

00:54:06Did you meet up

00:54:07with Mr. Ruskin later?

00:54:08Yes, I called in

00:54:09at the club later

00:54:10and had a drink there.

00:54:12And then I started

00:54:13to get a bit

00:54:14maudling again

00:54:15and he felt sorry

00:54:16for me and very kindly

00:54:17offered to take me home

00:54:18and said I wouldn't

00:54:19sit there brooding

00:54:19on my own.

00:54:20You had some more

00:54:21to drink when you

00:54:21got home.

00:54:22Yes.

00:54:24Well, I hadn't

00:54:24had any lunch

00:54:25so that made it worse.

00:54:27I got through

00:54:28a bottle of wine,

00:54:30most of the bottle

00:54:30of vodka I suppose.

00:54:32I was pretty well

00:54:33legless.

00:54:34When did you cut

00:54:34your hands?

00:54:36After I'd said

00:54:36goodbye to Mr. Ruskin.

00:54:39There were about

00:54:40a dozen milk bottles

00:54:41outside my front door.

00:54:42I'd had a sort of

00:54:42purge on them

00:54:43in the morning

00:54:44and...

00:54:45Well, to be quite honest

00:54:47I'm not really very clear

00:54:48about what happened

00:54:48because I was so drunk

00:54:49but it must have been

00:54:50after I'd said

00:54:51goodbye to Mr. Ruskin

00:54:52I tripped or fell over

00:54:53or something

00:54:54and cannoned into them.

00:54:57Look, I...

00:54:58I know it sounds

00:54:59really terrible behaviour

00:55:00but...

00:55:02I was feeling so awful

00:55:03that drinking

00:55:04was the only thing

00:55:05that seemed to help.

00:55:06Anyway, I...

00:55:07I do remember

00:55:08that I...

00:55:09I lurched around

00:55:10with a dustpan and brush

00:55:11and I picked up

00:55:12bits of my fingers

00:55:13and brushed off

00:55:15the step with my hands.

00:55:16I...

00:55:16I mustn't have been able

00:55:16to feel anything.

00:55:18I must have thought

00:55:18I was a bionic woman

00:55:19or something

00:55:20impregnable to broken glass.

00:55:21Do you remember

00:55:22where you put the glass?

00:55:23Well, I must say

00:55:24I thought that I put it

00:55:25all in the dustbin

00:55:25but the policewoman

00:55:27said that she couldn't

00:55:27find any there.

00:55:28It was pretty full

00:55:29so...

00:55:31I assume I must have

00:55:32gone off down the road

00:55:32and put it all

00:55:33in the builder's tip

00:55:34and then forgotten about it.

00:55:35I...

00:55:36I can't remember.

00:55:37But then you don't

00:55:38remember everything,

00:55:39do you,

00:55:39when you're that drunk?

00:55:40Do you remember

00:55:40bandaging your hands?

00:55:42Well, yes,

00:55:43I do remember

00:55:44quite a while afterwards

00:55:45noticing that my hands

00:55:46were quite gory

00:55:47and I suppose

00:55:49that must have sobered

00:55:50me up enough

00:55:50to bandage them.

00:55:53After that,

00:55:53I got wired

00:55:55into some more vodka

00:55:56and that was it

00:55:57until the police came.

00:55:59Why did you tell

00:56:00the police

00:56:00you hadn't been

00:56:01anywhere near Hexham?

00:56:05Well...

00:56:05Oh, God,

00:56:06look,

00:56:06I was very drunk.

00:56:08Suddenly,

00:56:09here was this policewoman

00:56:10arriving on my doorstep,

00:56:12barging into my sitting room.

00:56:13I didn't even know

00:56:13that she was a policewoman.

00:56:15She had ordinary clothes on,

00:56:16no uniform or anything.

00:56:18And suddenly,

00:56:19I was being asked

00:56:19all these questions.

00:56:21And...

00:56:22Well,

00:56:23I don't know why.

00:56:23I got into my head

00:56:24that Lynn had sent her,

00:56:26that she was some sort

00:56:26of a private detective

00:56:28or something.

00:56:31And...

00:56:31If I'd been sober,

00:56:33I would have answered

00:56:34all her questions,

00:56:35I would have treated her politely,

00:56:36I wouldn't have behaved

00:56:37like an idiot.

00:56:38There was absolutely

00:56:39no reason for me

00:56:40to pretend

00:56:41that I hadn't been

00:56:41near Hexham.

00:56:43I had been.

00:56:44Perfectly innocently.

00:56:47But...

00:56:48Well, look,

00:56:48remember that for months

00:56:49I'd been having to conceal

00:56:50my relationship with Richard.

00:56:52And...

00:56:52And here was this woman,

00:56:54I mean,

00:56:54I was very drunk,

00:56:56terribly confused.

00:56:58Here was this woman

00:56:59who I didn't know

00:56:59who she was,

00:57:00what she wanted,

00:57:00and so I sort of

00:57:01reverted to habit.

00:57:03The habit of having

00:57:04to pretend

00:57:04that my relationship

00:57:05with Richard

00:57:06didn't exist.

00:57:06You know,

00:57:08Hexham,

00:57:09why should I go to Hexham?

00:57:11Who do I know

00:57:11lives in Hexham?

00:57:13And after that,

00:57:13of course,

00:57:14the police searched

00:57:14your car,

00:57:15they found a paraffin can.

00:57:17Why was that there?

00:57:19Well,

00:57:19the same reason

00:57:20a lot of other

00:57:21peculiar things

00:57:22are in my car.

00:57:22I happen to be very untidy.

00:57:24What the police

00:57:25didn't say

00:57:26was that they also

00:57:26found all sorts

00:57:27of other things

00:57:27in there.

00:57:29Jerseys,

00:57:29coat hangers,

00:57:30books,

00:57:31carrier bags.

00:57:32I mean,

00:57:33there were magazines

00:57:33in there

00:57:33dated way back

00:57:34in 1977.

00:57:36That's how long

00:57:37it is since

00:57:37I cleaned out my car.

00:57:39And the paraffin can

00:57:41was there

00:57:41because I happened

00:57:42to have a paraffin

00:57:42stove in my flat.

00:57:44It was more or less

00:57:45empty and I never

00:57:46got around to

00:57:46filling it up again.

00:57:48Constable Banks

00:57:48told us

00:57:49that when she

00:57:50took you down

00:57:50to the station

00:57:51they gave you

00:57:51an hour to sober up.

00:57:53Was that long enough?

00:57:54No,

00:57:54it wasn't.

00:57:56I felt terrible.

00:57:57It was all a nightmare.

00:57:59I was trying

00:58:00to pull myself together

00:58:02and answer their questions.

00:58:04Well,

00:58:05I mean,

00:58:05I should have asked

00:58:05for more time

00:58:06but when you're drunk

00:58:08it's a matter of pride.

00:58:09You do all you can

00:58:10to appear sober.

00:58:11So,

00:58:12I felt terrible

00:58:13and confused

00:58:15and sick

00:58:16and I let them

00:58:18go ahead

00:58:18and ask all those questions.

00:58:19So what may have

00:58:20appeared to be

00:58:21guilty evasions

00:58:22was simply because

00:58:22you were in a

00:58:23confused state.

00:58:23Yes.

00:58:25I mean,

00:58:25when I'd sobered up

00:58:26and come down to earth

00:58:27I told them

00:58:28exactly where I'd been

00:58:28and what I'd done

00:58:29as I told you.

00:58:31Now,

00:58:32the party

00:58:32marched the 29th.

00:58:36So you're Mrs. Hanson

00:58:37who started the quarrel.

00:58:40Well,

00:58:40put it this way.

00:58:42I was standing

00:58:43talking to some people

00:58:44and she was

00:58:45with another group

00:58:46who'd just moved over

00:58:47near me

00:58:48and suddenly

00:58:49this voice floated over

00:58:50very loudly.

00:58:52Oh,

00:58:52there's that little tart

00:58:53of my husband's.

00:58:55Was it said

00:58:56in such a way

00:58:56that you felt

00:58:57that you were intended

00:58:57to hear it?

00:58:58Oh,

00:58:58yes.

00:58:59And of course

00:59:00I gave her

00:59:01exactly what she wanted.

00:59:02I told her

00:59:03what I thought of her.

00:59:04Was Mrs. Hanson drunk?

00:59:06Yes,

00:59:07I think she was.

00:59:09Well,

00:59:09otherwise she'd never

00:59:10have dreamed

00:59:10of causing a scene

00:59:11at somebody's party.

00:59:13But it's like I said

00:59:14none of us three

00:59:16was able to behave

00:59:18very well

00:59:18at that time.

00:59:19Did Mrs. Hanson

00:59:20say anything else?

00:59:22Yes.

00:59:24She started taunting me.

00:59:25She said,

00:59:26do you really think

00:59:27he'd leave me

00:59:28for a little tart?

00:59:29And he's only after

00:59:31what he can get from you.

00:59:32He's only after

00:59:32a screw on the side

00:59:33and stuff like that.

00:59:35And of course

00:59:36I gave her,

00:59:36I answered back

00:59:37the only way

00:59:38that I could.

00:59:38I told her

00:59:39that he didn't really

00:59:39give a damn about her

00:59:40and he was only

00:59:41staying around

00:59:41because of the house.

00:59:43You know,

00:59:43because he didn't

00:59:44want to lose it.

00:59:46It was just lucky

00:59:47for her that she

00:59:47happened to be

00:59:48part of the

00:59:49furnishings and fittings.

00:59:50And when you said

00:59:51tell you what

00:59:52I think I'll burn

00:59:53the house down

00:59:53did you expect

00:59:54to be taken seriously?

00:59:55No,

00:59:55of course I didn't.

00:59:58And what's more

00:59:58I thought I'd have

00:59:59been credited

01:00:00with a little more sense

01:00:01than saying something

01:00:02like that in public

01:00:03and then actually

01:00:03going off and doing it.

01:00:04Exactly,

01:00:05Miss Blackley.

01:00:05You were aware

01:00:09that the house

01:00:09mattered a lot

01:00:10to Mr. Hanson?

01:00:11Oh, yes.

01:00:12And what did you think

01:00:12was the reason

01:00:13why he didn't leave

01:00:14his wife the house?

01:00:15No.

01:00:17No, I knew

01:00:18that he still loved Lynn.

01:00:20Was it ever

01:00:21at any stage

01:00:22in your mind

01:00:22that if the house

01:00:23didn't exist

01:00:23there would be

01:00:24no obstacle

01:00:25in the way

01:00:25of your relationship

01:00:26with Mr. Hanson?

01:00:26No, I never thought

01:00:27that at all.

01:00:29Although I did think

01:00:30that part of Lynn's

01:00:31attraction was

01:00:32that she was

01:00:33the established wife

01:00:34in the beautiful home

01:00:35that I didn't have

01:00:37very much to offer

01:00:38as an alternative.

01:00:39It wasn't the house

01:00:39alone that stood

01:00:40in your way?

01:00:40No.

01:00:42No, I knew

01:00:43it wasn't.

01:00:45Anyway, even if

01:00:45it had been the house

01:00:46I couldn't in a million

01:00:47years have done

01:00:48anything to destroy

01:00:49or vandalize it.

01:00:50It was Richard's.

01:00:52It was his work

01:00:53of art.

01:00:55I mean, it would have

01:00:56been like ripping

01:00:56up a painting.

01:00:57Thank you very much

01:00:59indeed, Miss Blackley.

01:01:04Now, Miss Blackley

01:01:11this rather involved

01:01:13tale of yours

01:01:14about your car

01:01:15I take it you remember

01:01:16the RAC or the AA

01:01:18or some such like?

01:01:19Yes, I am.

01:01:21And you are saying

01:01:21that on a rainy

01:01:22and miserable night

01:01:23you chose

01:01:24instead of calling

01:01:25them out

01:01:25to take a wet

01:01:26uncomfortable walk

01:01:27and then hitch

01:01:28a lift home.

01:01:30Well, I would have

01:01:31had that wet walk

01:01:32anyway, wouldn't I

01:01:33to find a phone?

01:01:34Yes, but are you

01:01:35really saying

01:01:36Miss Blackley

01:01:36that you chose

01:01:37that alternative

01:01:38in a very arduous

01:01:39bus journey

01:01:40back there

01:01:41the following day?

01:01:42That's what I did.

01:01:45Well, Miss Blackley

01:01:46unless you've got

01:01:46a very good reason

01:01:47for this eccentric

01:01:48course of behaviour

01:01:49I can only suggest

01:01:51that anyone's

01:01:52going to find it

01:01:53very difficult

01:01:53not to believe

01:01:54it's a figment

01:01:54of your imagination.

01:01:55I ask you again

01:01:56why did you go

01:01:57to all this

01:01:58unnecessary trouble?

01:01:59All right,

01:01:59if you must know

01:02:00Richard and I

01:02:02had been drinking

01:02:02that night

01:02:03and I did not

01:02:03want to be seen

01:02:04in charge of a car

01:02:05Ah, you'd been

01:02:06drinking

01:02:07Really, Miss Blackley

01:02:09you do fall back

01:02:10in that excuse

01:02:10rather a lot

01:02:11and of course

01:02:13conveniently

01:02:14there was no one

01:02:15there to corroborate

01:02:16your story again

01:02:16Now, Miss Blackley

01:02:19you've already proved

01:02:20that you're a ready

01:02:21liar here in court

01:02:22I'm sorry

01:02:23I don't think

01:02:23I've proved that

01:02:24at all

01:02:24Your statements

01:02:26to the police

01:02:26were false

01:02:27from beginning to end

01:02:28I've explained why

01:02:29Ah, yes

01:02:30that old demon

01:02:31of yours

01:02:32drink

01:02:32but come now

01:02:33Miss Blackley

01:02:33your lies

01:02:34have been quite apparent

01:02:35They are not lies

01:02:37I don't tell lies

01:02:40I may do a lot of things

01:02:44that people don't approve of

01:02:45but I don't tell lies

01:02:46But your relationship

01:02:47with Mr. Hanson

01:02:49was based on lies

01:02:50and concealment

01:02:51was it not?

01:02:51Well, not my lies

01:02:52they were his lies

01:02:53Well, Mr. Hanson's

01:02:55quite natural wish

01:02:56to keep his marriage

01:02:56going with no doubt

01:02:57natural a wish

01:02:58why in the hell

01:02:58do you keep seeing me?

01:02:59Why, Miss Blackley?

01:03:01Because I put it to you

01:03:01that you wouldn't

01:03:02let him go

01:03:03You're a calculating

01:03:04and ruthless young woman

01:03:06who is so determined

01:03:06to break up this marriage

01:03:08Oh, this is ridiculous

01:03:09What, Miss Blackley?

01:03:13Are you saying

01:03:14that you don't want

01:03:15this marriage

01:03:15to break up?

01:03:16Oh, look, I...

01:03:17Yes, yes

01:03:22I do want the marriage

01:03:23to break up

01:03:23of course I do

01:03:24I'd be a hypocrite

01:03:25if I said that I didn't

01:03:26but you seem to be

01:03:28making out

01:03:28that I would do anything

01:03:30if I'd go to any lengths

01:03:32well, I wouldn't

01:03:33No, Miss Blackley

01:03:35Now, you are pregnant

01:03:38for the second time

01:03:39I believe

01:03:40Yes

01:03:41And the father, you tell us

01:03:42is Richard Hanson

01:03:43Richard is the father, yes

01:03:45Yes

01:03:45And you had the first

01:03:46pregnancy terminated

01:03:48Look, what is this?

01:03:49What has my pregnancy

01:03:50got to do with this?

01:03:51Well, perhaps

01:03:51it's got a lot

01:03:52to do with it, Miss Blackley

01:03:53Why did you have

01:03:54an abortion the first time?

01:03:59Because I felt

01:04:01that I could not

01:04:01bring a child

01:04:02into the world

01:04:03with the situation

01:04:03as it was then

01:04:04Very noble, Miss Blackley

01:04:06And what's so very different

01:04:08about the situation now?

01:04:11What do you mean?

01:04:12Well, nothing's changed

01:04:12since your first pregnancy, has it?

01:04:14In fact, if anything

01:04:15I would say

01:04:15matters were worse

01:04:16Nothing has changed, no

01:04:17No

01:04:18In fact, Miss Blackley

01:04:20I suggest to you

01:04:21that you would go to any lengths

01:04:22to break up this marriage

01:04:23In the face of impossible difficulties

01:04:26you are determined

01:04:27to have this baby

01:04:28to increase your hold

01:04:29in Richard Hanson

01:04:30Oh, thank you very much

01:04:31Look, might I remind you

01:04:32that I'm not on trial

01:04:33for being pregnant?

01:04:35No, but you are on trial

01:04:36for destruction of property

01:04:37with intent to endanger life

01:04:38Miss Blackley

01:04:39and I put it to you

01:04:40that just as you're prepared

01:04:41to have this unwanted pregnancy

01:04:42you are also prepared

01:04:44to set fire

01:04:45to Richard Hanson's house

01:04:46and endanger the life

01:04:48of his wife

01:04:48to do anything

01:04:49in fact

01:04:49to get what you want

01:04:50No

01:04:51Even when it becomes

01:04:52quite apparent

01:04:52that Richard Hanson

01:04:53no longer wants you

01:04:54He does

01:04:56He does

01:05:00Oh, God, Richard

01:05:04tell them

01:05:05He does

01:05:07Oh

01:05:08So when you saw Miss Blackley

01:05:14on the afternoon of the fire

01:05:15it was about half past five?

01:05:16That's right

01:05:17Were her hands bandaged

01:05:19or cut at that time?

01:05:20Certainly not

01:05:21What about her clothes?

01:05:23Were they grimy or torn?

01:05:25No

01:05:25Quite clean

01:05:26You would have noticed too

01:05:28if her manner

01:05:28had been strange in any way

01:05:30if her manner

01:05:31had suggested

01:05:31that she had been involved

01:05:32in the crime

01:05:33of which she's accused

01:05:34My dear lady

01:05:35Miss Blackley's manner

01:05:36is always a little strange

01:05:37Her batterness

01:05:39can be quite tiresome at times

01:05:40No, when I saw it

01:05:42half past five

01:05:43that afternoon

01:05:44she was a normal self

01:05:45though she was

01:05:46extremely unhappy

01:05:47about the undeserving

01:05:49young man

01:05:49that she'd

01:05:50been foolish enough

01:05:52to get entangled with

01:05:53She certainly didn't look

01:05:55as though she'd been

01:05:55vandalizing a house

01:05:56Knowing Miss Blackley

01:05:58she'd have probably

01:05:58told us about it

01:05:59as she had done so

01:06:00Mr. Ruskin

01:06:01did she confide at all

01:06:03I may also add

01:06:05that

01:06:06though Miss Blackley

01:06:08can be a nuisance

01:06:09at times

01:06:09I like her very much

01:06:10She's got

01:06:12many excellent qualities

01:06:13She's got some bad ones too

01:06:15but

01:06:15having known her

01:06:17for seven years

01:06:18I'm prepared to state

01:06:19quite categorically

01:06:20that

01:06:20a compulsion

01:06:21to burn down

01:06:22other people's houses

01:06:23is not one of her faults

01:06:24Indeed, Mr. Ruskin

01:06:25thank you very much indeed

01:06:26Mr. Ruskin

01:06:30what time did you go

01:06:32to your club?

01:06:33I imagine it was

01:06:34around two o'clock

01:06:35Yes, and when did you leave?

01:06:38No idea

01:06:39Six

01:06:40During that time

01:06:42were you drinking?

01:06:44There's very little else

01:06:45to do that

01:06:46to do that

01:06:46So, by the time

01:06:47you saw Miss Blackley

01:06:48you had been drinking

01:06:50for about

01:06:50three and a half hours

01:06:52More than that

01:06:54I'd been drinking

01:06:54during lunch as well

01:06:55Really?

01:06:57Well, in that case

01:06:58I suggest to you

01:06:59Mr. Ruskin

01:07:00that by the time

01:07:00you saw Miss Blackley

01:07:02you were in no fit state

01:07:03to tell what sort of mood

01:07:04she was in

01:07:04Indeed

01:07:05you were hardly able

01:07:06to tell whether

01:07:07her hands had been bandaged

01:07:08or her clothes were grimy

01:07:10I'm afraid you're rather

01:07:11jumping to conclusions

01:07:12I didn't say

01:07:14what I'd been drinking

01:07:15or how much

01:07:16As a matter of fact

01:07:17before Miss Blackley arrived

01:07:19I'd consumed vast quantities

01:07:20of rather unpleasant

01:07:21fizzy drink

01:07:22the sole virtue of which

01:07:24it was non-alcoholic

01:07:25I won't go as fast

01:07:27as to say

01:07:28I was stone cold sober

01:07:28but neither was I

01:07:29as you have attempted

01:07:30to imply

01:07:31in the throes

01:07:32of advanced drunkenness

01:07:33For a while

01:07:38you may well

01:07:39have been impressed

01:07:39by Miss Blackley's

01:07:40apparent frankness

01:07:41and confident manner

01:07:42in the witness box

01:07:43and there is no doubt

01:07:45she's a very clever

01:07:46indeed charming young lady

01:07:47but you must also remember

01:07:48she's a young lady

01:07:50of violent moods

01:07:51and tempers

01:07:52who has

01:07:53in front of witnesses

01:07:54threatened to kill

01:07:55Mrs. Hanson

01:07:56and to set fire

01:07:58to the house

01:07:58she lives in

01:07:59She has

01:08:01physically attacked

01:08:02Mrs. Hanson

01:08:03with a quite unwarranted

01:08:04savagery

01:08:05and she has

01:08:06determinedly

01:08:07pursued her affair

01:08:08with Richard Hanson

01:08:09and fully aware

01:08:10of the heartache

01:08:11that has caused

01:08:12his wife

01:08:13Now

01:08:14she's certainly

01:08:15had the motive

01:08:16to commit this crime

01:08:18She has publicly

01:08:19stated

01:08:20her belief

01:08:21that it was this house

01:08:22that was standing

01:08:24between her

01:08:24and her happiness

01:08:25It was the house

01:08:26if you like

01:08:27that was her enemy

01:08:28Now she may deny it now

01:08:30but remember

01:08:31just before the house

01:08:32burnt down

01:08:33what she said

01:08:34at that party

01:08:34you don't think

01:08:36he stays

01:08:37because of you

01:08:37do you

01:08:38he only stays

01:08:39because of that

01:08:39bloody house of his

01:08:41Tell you what

01:08:42I think I'll burn

01:08:44the house down

01:08:45then you'll have nothing

01:08:46Now

01:08:48Miss Blackley

01:08:49also had the means

01:08:51A paraffin can

01:08:52was found

01:08:53in her car

01:08:53and she could only

01:08:54produce a vague

01:08:56and uncorroborated

01:08:57reason for its being there

01:08:58Her fingerprints

01:09:00were found

01:09:01at the house

01:09:02although she had denied

01:09:03she was ever there

01:09:04Her car was seen nearby

01:09:07at the time of the fire

01:09:08and Miss Blackley

01:09:11has of course

01:09:11offered an innocent

01:09:12explanation for this

01:09:14But remember this

01:09:16she can produce no one

01:09:19to corroborate

01:09:20any part of her story

01:09:22The whole case

01:09:26against Miss Blackley

01:09:27is based on

01:09:29circumstantial evidence

01:09:30She's given valid reasons

01:09:32for why she lied

01:09:33to the police at first

01:09:35and valid explanations

01:09:37for the evidence

01:09:37alleged to have linked

01:09:38her to the crime

01:09:39And most important of all

01:09:42bear in mind

01:09:43that this case

01:09:44revolves around

01:09:45Miss Blackley's

01:09:46alleged motive

01:09:47that the house

01:09:49was an obstacle

01:09:50to her relationship

01:09:51with Mr. Hanson

01:09:52And I suggest

01:09:53you'll be unable

01:09:54to give that

01:09:54very much credence

01:09:55We know that Miss Blackley

01:09:58was well aware

01:09:58that it wasn't the house

01:09:59that was the obstacle

01:10:00to her relationship

01:10:01with Mr. Hanson

01:10:02She had no motive

01:10:04for destroying the house

01:10:06And what's more

01:10:08we've heard Miss Blackley

01:10:09say that even if it had

01:10:10been the house

01:10:11which was the obstacle

01:10:12she could never have

01:10:12countenanced

01:10:13such an act of vandalism

01:10:14Do you remember

01:10:15what she said?

01:10:17It would have been like

01:10:18ripping up a painting

01:10:18And you may find it

01:10:22highly significant too

01:10:23that the most important

01:10:25witness for the prosecution

01:10:26the person on whose

01:10:27evidence

01:10:28this whole case

01:10:29stands or falls

01:10:31is the person

01:10:32who would have

01:10:33most to gain

01:10:33from Miss Blackley's

01:10:34disgrace and downfall

01:10:35Mrs. Hanson

01:10:36The charge members

01:10:40of the jury

01:10:40is that Miss Blackley

01:10:41without lawful excuse

01:10:43damaged by fire

01:10:45the house

01:10:46intending to damage

01:10:48the property

01:10:48or being reckless

01:10:51as to whether or not

01:10:52the property

01:10:53would be damaged

01:10:54and intending to endanger

01:10:56the life of Lynne Hanson

01:10:58or being reckless

01:11:01as to whether or not

01:11:02her life would be

01:11:03so endangered

01:11:04and so members

01:11:06of the jury

01:11:06your first question

01:11:07must be

01:11:08did the accused

01:11:10set light

01:11:11to the house

01:11:11if your answer

01:11:14to this question

01:11:15is no

01:11:15you will find

01:11:17the defendant

01:11:17not guilty

01:11:18but if on the

01:11:21balance of probability

01:11:22you say that she

01:11:24did set light

01:11:24to the house

01:11:25then you must go on

01:11:27and ask yourselves

01:11:28the question

01:11:28did she do so

01:11:30intentionally

01:11:30and if she did

01:11:32did she intend

01:11:33to endanger

01:11:34Mrs. Hanson's life

01:11:36or did she foresee

01:11:38that Mrs. Hanson's life

01:11:39might be so endangered

01:11:41but not care

01:11:43whether it was

01:11:44remember that

01:11:46if there is reasonable doubt

01:11:47the accused

01:11:49must be acquitted

01:11:50will your foreman please stand

01:12:11just answer this question

01:12:14yes or no

01:12:15have you reached a verdict

01:12:16upon which you are all agreed

01:12:18yes

01:12:19do you find the accused

01:12:20guilty or not guilty

01:12:22not guilty

01:12:23Tessa Blackley

01:12:26you are free

01:12:27to leave this court

01:12:29hold on

01:12:30hold on

Crown Court - In the Heat of the Moment (1978)

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