Ex-male Model Says Minister In Cover-up (Press, 6 December 1978)

On 6 December 1978, former male model Norman Scott testified in court against British politician Jeremy Thorpe, the former leader of the Liberal Party, alleging they were once homosexual lovers. Scott, aged 38, accused Thorpe and three other men of conspiracy to murder him, a charge they all deny. Thorpe has specifically denied any homosexual relationship with Scott. During his testimony at the Minehead Magistrates' Court, Scott claimed there was a government cover-up involving a minister in connection to his relationship with Thorpe. He mentioned that Thorpe had a prior lover and pointed out letters from 1962 that indicated this. The court heard about Scott's struggles in securing national insurance benefits, which he attributed to Thorpe's failure to assist him in obtaining stamped contributions. This failure, Scott argued, severely impacted his life and led him to disclose his alleged seduction by Thorpe from 1961 onwards. Scott raised concerns about corruption in the House of Commons, referencing a woman with whom he had an affair who later committed suicide after seeking help from prominent Liberal politicians regarding the situation with Thorpe. He suggested that her death weighed heavily on his conscience and stated, "If he had paid the bloody cards, none of this would have happened." During cross-examination, Scott acknowledged his history of mental health issues, including nervous troubles and suicide attempts. He firmly stated that he was not on trial due to his homosexuality but rather because he believed someone had attempted to kill him. He argued that the financial instability resulting from not receiving welfare benefits contributed to the breakdown of his marriage in 1969, which he labelled a tragedy. Scott admitted to receiving payment for interviews with the media, including a significant amount from the "Daily Mirror," and mentioned he was also working on a book during the trial. He expressed frustration, questioning why he should not share his story, asserting that the public should know about the affair. Scott further revealed that Thorpe and a former Liberal Party member, Peter Bessell, had attempted to arrange for him to go to the United States, but they abandoned the plan due to concerns about security risks associated with Scott's potential disclosures about Thorpe. As the day concluded, the court proceeded to review a transcript of Scott's evidence, which marked a significant step in the ongoing legal proceedings against Thorpe and his co-defendants. The case highlights the intersection of politics, personal relationships, and issues of corruption within the context of late 20th-century British society.

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