Word: murders
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...politician his party leadership, his seat in Parliament and one of the most promising careers in British politics. In the most bizarre sexual-political scandal since War Minister John Profumo's dalliance with Girl-About-Town Christine Keeler in 1963, Thorpe had been accused of plotting to murder Norman Scott, a former male model, because Scott's allegations of a homosexual affair between them threatened Thorpe's career...
...night; Scott was not harmed, but Newton shot his Great Dane, Rinka. Newton was sentenced to two years for possession of a firearm and intent to endanger life. There the matter might have ended, except that after his release from prison Newton began talking of a "contract" to murder Scott. An investigation was launched, which led to a trial...
Also tried were David Holmes, 49, formerly deputy treasurer of the Liberal Party, whom Thorpe was charged with inciting to murder Scott; John Le Mesurier, 49, director of a carpet discount firm, charged with recruiting Newton to kill Scott and paying him off; and George Deakin, 39, a nightclub owner, who allegedly introduced Newton to Le Mesurier and Holmes. Deakin was the only one of the four defendants to take the stand. He testified that Le Mesurier and Holmes only wanted Newton to frighten, rather than kill, someone who Deakin believed was blackmailing Holmes' wife...
Another prosecution witness was Peter Bessell, who claimed that Thorpe had confessed his homosexuality to him at a meeting in the House of Commons dining room and later said he wanted to murder Scott for blackmailing him. Bessell, the judge noted, was "a lay preacher who at the same time was sexually promiscuous and, therefore, a humbug...
...Newton, Cantley described him as "that awful man" and a "conceited bungler" who "might have been inspired to take a little more care" if he had, in fact, been intent on murder...