Nothing Ventured

‘I believe I will, m’lud, but, like you, I am willing to stretch the legal boundaries a little if it means there’s the slightest chance that an innocent man will finally be granted justice.’

Lord Justice Arnott didn’t look pleased, but satisfied himself with a frown as the courtroom door opened and a stocky man in his early fifties, with a crew cut, wearing jeans and a leather jacket, appeared. Stern took his place in the witness box and delivered the oath without once looking at the card the clerk held up. He then glared across at defence counsel like a boxer waiting for the bell to ring.

‘How many years were you a serving police officer, Mr Stern?’

‘Twenty-eight. Best years of my life.’

‘Is that right?’ said Sir Julian. ‘So why did you take early retirement, when you would have been entitled to a full pension after just another two years’ service?’

‘Wanted to go out at the top, didn’t I?’

‘By ending your career with a murder conviction? But before I come to that, I have to ask you, during the best years of your life, Mr Stern, how many times were you suspended?’

‘Is this line of questioning relevant, Sir Julian?’ asked Lord Justice Arnott.

‘It goes to the heart of the case, m’lud,’ said Sir Julian as he picked up the first of the two personnel files that William had come across. He ostentatiously opened the first to a page marked with a large red tab. ‘How many times?’ he repeated.

‘Three,’ said Stern, not looking quite as confident.

‘And was the first offence for being drunk on duty?’

‘I might have occasionally downed a couple of pints on a Friday night,’ admitted Stern.

‘While you were on duty?’

‘Only after we’d banged up a villain.’

‘And exactly how many times were you disciplined for being drunk on duty, having banged up a villain on a Friday night?’

‘I think it was twice.’

‘Think again, Mr Stern,’ said Sir Julian, giving the witness time to reconsider.

‘It might have been three times.’

‘I think you’ll find it was four, Mr Stern. And how many other times were you drunk on duty, but not disciplined?’

‘Never,’ said Stern, his voice rising. ‘Just those four times in twenty-eight years.’

‘And always on a Friday night?’

Stern looked puzzled.

‘And the second time you were disciplined, could you tell the court what you were charged with on that occasion?’

‘I don’t recall. It was such a long time ago.’

‘Then let me remind you, Mr Stern. You were caught having sexual intercourse with a prostitute while she was in a cell. Now do you remember?’

‘I do. But she was—’

‘She was what, Mr Stern?’

Stern didn’t respond.

‘Then perhaps I should remind you what you said on that occasion.’ Sir Julian looked down at the file, while Stern remained silent. ‘“She was a right little scrubber, who got no more and certainly no less than she deserved.”’

A sudden burst of chattering followed, and Lord Justice Arnott waited for it to subside before asking, ‘Is that not hearsay, Sir Julian?’