The Accused

Kersley (rises slightly) No, thank you, My Lord.

Judge Thank you, Chief Inspector. You may leave the witness box. (The Chief Inspector leaves the witness box and the courtroom.) Perhaps you’d like to call your next witness, Mr Kersley.

Kersley Yes, My Lord. I call Mr Albert Webster.

Usher Call Mr Albert Webster.

Guard Mr Albert Webster.

Webster is a man aged between forty-five and fifty. He is wearing a T-shirt and a well-worn suit. He enters the courtroom, baking lost, and the Usher has to guide him to the witness box.

Usher This way, sir. Please take the testament in you right hand and read from the card.

Webster I never bothered with the reading.

Usher Then repeat after me, I swear by Almighty God.

Webster I swears by Almigh’y God.

Usher That the evidence I shall give.

Webster That the evidence I shall give.

Usher Shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Webster Shall be the truth, the ’ole truth and nothin’ but the truth. (He stares at the Judge.)

Judge Mr Webster, there’s no need to address your remarks to me. It is the jury who will want to hear all your evidence.

Kersley Is your name Albert Philip Webster?

Webster You got it, mate.

Kersley And where do you live?

Webster Arcadia Mansions, Arcadia Road, Wimbledon.

Kersley And what is your occupation?

Webster I’m the resident porter - ‘ave been for the past twelve years, ‘aven’t I, ever since I came out of the army.

Kersley Mr Webster, can you tell the court why the late evening of March twenty-first 1999 is etched on your memory?

Webster I dunno if it’s etched on me memory, but I won’t never forge’ it.

Kersley So please tell the court what happened that night, Mr Webster.

Webster It must ’ave been around ’alf past ten, ’cos that’s when I goes on me night round ’fore turnin’ in. Always starts at the top of the building and works down to the bottom, where I live. It’s only logic, innit? When I reached the landin’ of the sixth that night, I ’eard noises comin’ from the floor below.

Kersley Can you describe those noises?

Webster Yes, it was as if someone was ’avin a row, and then I ’eard a crash - like a chair turnin’ over.

Kersley A row? Could it have been a quarrel between a man and his wife?

Barrington (rises) My Lord, how can Mr Webster possibly know the answer to that question?

Webster Cos I ’eard voices.