Thorpe ‘tried To Fix Witnesses’ (Press, 14 May 1979)

On 14 May 1979, the Old Bailey in London heard allegations against Jeremy Thorpe, a former leader of the British Liberal Party, who was accused of conspiring to murder his former homosexual lover, Norman Scott. The prosecution, led by Mr Peter Taylor Q.C., outlined a detailed scenario where Thorpe was claimed to be the instigator of the plot. Taylor asserted that Thorpe's close associate, David Holmes, acted as the manager of the conspiracy, with two businessmen, John le Mesurier and George Deakin, assisting in hiring an airline pilot, Andrew Newton, to carry out the murder. During the trial, which marked its fourth day, Thorpe, alongside three co-defendants, pleaded not guilty to the charges. Taylor described how the conspirators exhibited signs of anxiety when police inquiries intensified in April 1977. He pointedly commented on Thorpe's public denial of the accusations, suggesting that beneath his bravado was a man deeply troubled about his involvement in the alleged conspiracy. Furthermore, Taylor accused Thorpe of attempting to tamper with witnesses as the criminal investigation closed in on him. It was claimed that Thorpe sought to convince Nadir Dinshaw, a businessman who acted as a guardian figure to Thorpe’s son, to provide false testimony regarding the financial connections between a benefactor, Jack Hayward, and the Liberal Party. The prosecution argued that money from Hayward was funneled to Holmes for the purpose of the murder plot rather than being set aside for election expenses as Thorpe had claimed. The prosecution contended that Thorpe was fully aware and involved in the conspiracy, while Holmes managed the operations, allowing Thorpe to maintain a level of detachment from the illicit activities. As the prosecution opened its case, they brought forth Mr Peter Bessell, identified as the Crown’s key witness. Bessell previously had a close relationship with Thorpe and was expected to provide critical testimony during the trial. In his testimony, Bessell recounted Thorpe confessing to his homosexuality and expressing concern over the issue of Scott, which he referred to as a "black cloud" over him. Bessell indicated that Thorpe had even suggested murdering Scott and disposing of the body in a mine shaft. The trial was adjourned, with the expectation that Bessell would continue to testify in the following session, potentially shedding more light on the intricate details of the alleged conspiracy. Throughout the proceedings, Thorpe remained composed, gazing straight ahead as the evidence unfolded before the jury, marking a significant moment in British legal history.

The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact

The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand