Drama At Thorpe Hearing (Press, 25 November 1978)

British politician Jeremy Thorpe, aged 49, is at the centre of a serious legal case involving allegations of conspiracy to murder his former homosexual lover, Norman Scott. Thorpe, who led the Liberal Party from 1967 to 1976, along with three co-defendants, denies all charges, including an additional count of incitement to murder. The Crown's case highlights a homosexual affair that Thorpe allegedly had with Scott in the early 1960s, after which Thorpe purportedly feared the potential for a scandal. In 1975, a gunman was allegedly hired to kill Scott, but the attempt failed, with the gunman instead shooting Scott's dog. Scott, now 38 and a former male model, publicly revealed the details of their relationship in 1976, unleashing a series of legal proceedings and media scrutiny. During the court hearings, it was revealed that influential figures in the British establishment, including two former Home Secretaries and the current Speaker of the House of Commons, had knowledge of the allegations against Thorpe in the early 1970s. Peter Bessell, a former Liberal MP, provided significant testimony, indicating that Thorpe referred to the necessity of killing Scott during a secretive 1969 meeting, downplaying the act by comparing it to "shooting a sick dog." Bessell faced intense questioning about his actions and motivations during the cross-examination, which lasted seven hours. He acknowledged it was irresponsible not to take action against Thorpe at that time but claimed he wanted to protect Thorpe from scandal. A letter reading by the court revealed Bessell's conflicted feelings, where he expressed his shock at Thorpe's attack on Scott and wished to address what he described as "diabolical conduct." The questioning revealed Bessell’s intentions to write a book on the matter, which led the defence to suggest that he was motivated by personal gain rather than a sense of duty to the Liberal Party. Bessell, when pressed for details about a memorandum he promised to send Scott, struggled to recall specifics, leading to accusations from the defence that he was being evasive. The case, while unfolding in the courtroom, is marred by dramatic revelations and complex interpersonal relationships among high-profile political figures, highlighting the intersection of personal lives and public responsibility in a politically charged atmosphere. The magistrates will ultimately decide if the case warrants a trial by judge and jury, amidst the intense media scrutiny surrounding the political scandal.

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