Verbal by Peter Murphy

Author:Peter Murphy
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Oldcastle Books
Published: 2020-05-27T10:03:18+00:00

36

‘Now, Superintendent,’ Norris began, once court had reassembled after the break, ‘I want to move on. You’ve told us already that, when you returned to Hampstead Police Station, everyone had what I’m sure was a welcome rest and some refreshments, after which you and DI Beech interviewed Damian Lester: is that right?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘And at the conclusion of that interview, did Damian make a written statement under caution?’

‘He did, sir.’

‘Look at this, please, Superintendent.’ Norris reached behind him to the young man from the prosecuting solicitor’s office, who handed him a document with a number of copies. ‘May this be Exhibit three, my Lord? I understand there’s no objection…’

‘No objection,’ Ben confirmed.

‘Yes, very well,’ Andrew Pilkington said.

‘I’m obliged. There are copies for your Lordship and the jury.’

Norris waited for Mary to distribute them.

‘Superintendent, I’m not going to read it out now. The jury will have the chance to read it themselves at their leisure. In essence, did he say that he had met a man who called himself Sean at his local pub?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘That he had run up some debts because of his personal drug use?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘And that Sean offered to pay him to store drugs at the Lester family home in Willow Road, including the consignment you found in the basement, for which he was paid £200?’

‘That’s correct, sir.’

‘And did he also tell you that Sean had introduced him to the word “innkeeper” to describe what he was doing, and had written the Serbo-Croat word for innkeeper, “gostioničar”, down for him on a beer mat?’

‘He did say that, sir, yes.’

‘Pausing there, Superintendent, I see that you asked Damian a number of questions about this man, Sean, and that Damian gave you a description of him.’

‘Yes, sir. Obviously, if this man Sean existed and was a link in the chain of supply of these drugs, we were anxious to identify and question him.’

‘Were you able to find him?’

‘No, sir. We made extensive inquiries in the area, but we had no luck at all. Unfortunately, we have no idea who he is, or where he might be.’

‘Thank you. Now, returning to the statement: in fairness to Imogen Lester, did Damian tell you in the clearest terms that his sister was not involved with the supply of drugs in any way, and knew nothing about the arrangements he had made with Sean?’

‘He did, sir. He was very emphatic on that point.’

‘Not only that: did he tell you that she was a young woman of excellent character? And, in fact, did he say this: “What, Imogen? Imogen, deal in drugs? God, no. No way. My sister is pathetically, depressingly law abiding. She picks up litter on the street; she stops her bike at red lights. She went to Cambridge, for God’s sake.” Is that what Damian said about her?’

‘Yes, sir. That’s correct.’

‘Thank you. Now, the statement indicates that it was completed at three o’clock that afternoon: is that right?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘What did you do then?’

‘I told Damian Lester that he would be charged with knowingly permitting premises to be used for the supply of drugs, and cautioned him.

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