‘Tragedy Of Thorpe’ (Press, 13 June 1979)

On 13 June 1979, the Old Bailey, London's Central Criminal Court, heard the closing arguments in the high-profile murder-conspiracy trial of Jeremy Thorpe, the former leader of the British Liberal Party. The prosecution, led by Crown counsel Mr Peter Taylor, presented a narrative depicting Thorpe’s life as one marked by tragic contradictions, akin to themes found in Greek or Shakespearian tragedies. Mr Taylor asserted that the essence of Thorpe's downfall was rooted in his status as a bachelor with homosexual tendencies, juxtaposed with his ambition to rise to the top of British politics. This internal conflict, he argued, catalysed the events surrounding the infamous Norman Scott affair, which ultimately blighted Thorpe’s political career. Taylor noted that the case illustrated the destructive nature of Thorpe's alleged attempts to conceal his homosexuality, exacerbated by the pressures of political life. The trial focused on the alleged conspiracy to murder Norman Scott, a former male model whose claims of a homosexual relationship with Thorpe threatened to expose the politician's private life and jeopardise his career. Thorpe, along with his close friend David Holmes and two businessmen, John le Mesurier and George Deakin, has pleaded not guilty to conspiring to murder Scott. Additionally, Thorpe has denied attempting to persuade Holmes to kill Scott. Throughout his five-hour closing speech, Mr Taylor argued that the evidence demonstrated a clear involvement of all accused parties in hiring an alleged hit-man, Andrew Newton, in an effort to silence Scott. The motive for this purported conspiracy, according to the prosecution, stemmed from the gay relationship claims and Thorpe’s desperation to eliminate the threat posed by Scott. Taylor highlighted the irony and tragic nature of the situation, suggesting it was the "slow but inevitable destruction" of a man gripped by a singular defect. Furthermore, the prosecution challenged Thorpe's denials, pointing to contradictions in his account. They presented evidence, including Thorpe's act of gifting Scott a book about a homosexual relationship, questioning why such a gesture would be made unless there was a genuine interest. Taylor characterised Thorpe as "devious," stating that the former politician had been scheming to manipulate his public narrative. He said the evidence showed a consistent pattern of Thorpe attempting to fix records regarding his interactions with press and police. As the jury listened to Mr Taylor's exhaustive closing arguments, it became clear that the trial had transcended legal matters, entering the realm of personal and political tragedy, woven with themes of love, ambition, and downfall, resonating with profound implications for Thorpe’s legacy.

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