‘There was some light,’ protested Ravenscroft, feeling his neck becoming hot under his collar, and beginning to wish he was elsewhere.
‘Ah, but according to you, Inspector, you stated that only light visible that night was from the lamp behind you. I put it to you that it was so dark, you could not make a positive identification that the man climbing into the property was my client. It could, in fact, have been anyone!’
‘I am sure it was the accused.’
‘Really, did you see his face?’ asked Rawlinson, a note of sarcasm in his voice.
‘No, but I knew it to be him.’
‘How can you have been so sure?’
‘I have known the accused for the past ten years and have arrested him on a number of occasions during that-’
‘Ah, now we have it. Because you had arrested my client in the past, you assumed that it was him whom you saw on that night entering and leaving the house?’
‘I knew it was Makepeace,’ protested Ravenscroft.
‘Even though you were unable to see my client clearly in the darkness? I think not. Now let us turn to what happened next. You say that after you saw the thief leaving the premises you and two of your constables gave chase.’
‘That is so,’ replied Ravenscroft coughing and shuffling uneasily in the witness stand.
‘How long were you chasing this thief?’
‘For some time.’
‘For some time,’ sneered Rawlinson. ‘Can we be more precise? Was it a few seconds?’
‘No, it was longer than that,’ replied Ravenscroft conscious that he was falling into the trap and aware that he could do little to prevent it.
‘Was it a minute, perhaps ten minutes, maybe an hour — or possibly even the next day?’ joked his adversary.
Laughter broke out from several parts of the court.
‘Silence!’ bellowed the judge.
‘It was probably about three minutes,’ muttered Ravenscroft.
‘What was that?’ asked the judge.
‘I think the inspector said three minutes, your honour,’ smiled Rawlinson.
‘Proceed, Mr Rawlinson,’ sighed Winslow.
‘Thank you, your honour. Now, Inspector, I would like you to think very hard before you answer this next question, as the innocence of my client will depend upon the accuracy of your reply. During those three minutes whilst you and your colleagues were chasing the thief, did you have him in your sights all of the time?’
‘Not all the time-’ began Ravenscroft, coughing again.
‘I see. So there were times during this supposed chase when you lost all sight of the man you were following?’
‘I suppose that was quite possible,’ he answered, feeling his confidence slowly ebbing away.
‘Would you speak up, Inspector? I’m sure your reply could not be heard by certain sections of this court.’
‘I said that it was quite possible,’ replied Ravenscroft, after clearing his throat.
‘Quite possible! I put it to you, that it certainly was, very possible. You and your officers lost sight of the person you were following. You could have been pursuing anyone for all this court knows. Inspector, it may come as a surprise to you to learn that my client was going about his lawful business when the real thief collided with him, dropping the two watches from his hands as he did so before running off into the crowd. Mr Makepeace then picked up the watches and, being a law-abiding citizen was about to hand them into the authorities when he was suddenly apprehended by you and your officers!’
Ravenscroft looked down at his feet, as the laughter reverberated around the court.
‘Silence! I will not tolerate such frivolity in this court. I will remove the public if such an outbreak occurs again,’ said the judge, beginning to look increasingly bored by the proceedings.
Ravenscroft let out a deep sigh. To have been allocated both Mr Justice Winslow and Mr Sefton Rawlinson on the same day, was a double misfortune indeed.
‘Let us turn to another matter. Did you not say to my client when you apprehended him, for a crime which he had not committed: “got you again, Nigel. You won’t escape justice this time. You are going down for a very long time, my old friend, and you will never see daylight again.” Do you remember saying those words, Inspector?’
Ravenscroft knew that Rawlinson was enjoying himself at his expense and wished that he could get the wretched business over with as soon as possible. He looked across at Makepeace, who was grinning up at the gallery. ‘I cannot remember exactly what I said.’
‘Come now, Inspector, did you, or did you not say, “Got you again Nigel. You are going down for a very long time and will never see daylight again”?’
‘I don’t remember saying he was going down for a very long time-’
‘I put it to you, Inspector, that you had already made up your mind that my client was guilty of the crime you had just witnessed, and that your judgement in this case was severely flawed,’ glared Rawlinson.
‘That is not so,’ protested Ravenscroft, coughing once more.
‘In fact, you wanted to put my client away for a very long time and you did not care how you did it!’ shouted Rawlinson.
‘That is incorrect-’
‘This so called information, that you say you received and acted upon,’ said the barrister, suddenly changing his line of questioning, ‘what information was that?’
‘I cannot say.’
‘Cannot say — or won’t say?’
‘The information was given to us in confidence. I cannot divulge my source,’ protested Ravenscroft.
‘Come now, Inspector. Are you trying to make us believe that you had inside knowledge that this offence was about to take place? I think the court will conclude that this is all nonsense. I put it to you that there never was any inside information, and that you were so anxious to send my client to prison for a very long time, that you did not care how you achieved that objective?’
‘That is just not so,’ said Ravenscroft, shaking his head, and feeling as though he had just fallen down a large well and was unable to see any daylight that might aid his escape.
‘Your honour,’ said Rawlinson, drawing himself up to his full height and addressing the judge, ‘Your honour, I put it to you, that there is simply no case for my client to answer. Inspector Ravenscroft has stated that he could neither see who entered or left the premises where the burglary took place, and that he and his men lost sight of the thief during the following chase. In fact, he has admitted that the man he arrested may not have been the real thief at all! Furthermore, he is clearly prejudiced against my client and is prepared to go to any lengths to ensure an unsafe conviction. I would submit to your honour that there is only one action that you should-’
‘Yes, yes, Mr Rawlinson. You have made your point,’ said Mr Justice Winslow, with annoyance, ‘Case dismissed! The prisoner is free to go.’
Cries broke out from the gallery, as a smiling Makepeace shook hands with his brief.
A dejected Ravenscroft stepped out of the witness box.
‘Next case!’ ordered the judge.
‘Crown versus Norrice!’ shouted the usher.
As Ravenscroft began to leave the court, he made way for a small boy who was being escorted towards the dock.
‘George Norrice you are charged with having a silver crown in your possession. How do you plead?’ yelled the usher above the ensuing noise.
‘I ain’t guilty, sir. It were the lady who gave it me….’
Ravenscroft closed the door of the court behind him and, avoiding the collection of criminals, barristers and onlookers who thronged the corridors of the Old Bailey, stepped out into the bright sunshine, and sought to distance himself from the events of the morning as quickly as possible, striding forth into the streets of London.
Later that afternoon, Ravenscroft made his way slowly up the old creaking staircase that lead to his superior’s office. A note had arrived at lunchtime stating that he was to present himself there at 3.30 precisely. No doubt the Yard had heard about the events of the morning. He was not looking forward to the next few minutes.