Reluctant Consent

by Margaret Barnes

  She would object to the first interview being given in evidence because of the officer’s line of questions. The officer had tried to mislead Sadler about Emma Gilbrook’s age and he should not have done so. Judge Tyte had refused that application so the interview had been before the jury.

  The second interview was longer and this time Lee Shaw had been present. In her instructions Lee referred to what she thought was a deliberate attempt by the officer to mislead her. Before the interview began, DI Crawford had provided Lee with a brief outline of the evidence against Sadler but he had failed to mention they had discovered Paul Sadler had placed more than one notice in the Rush Hour Crush column.

  DI Crawford had asked Sadler again about how he had met Emma Gilbrook and their subsequent meetings. Sadler had given a very full account of the three occasions he and Emma had met. Then DI Crawford had produced copies of the notices in the Metro without saying anything to Lee about them.

  Miss Shaw. What are these? I’ve not been shown these. I don’t think…

  Sadler. I didn’t place those notices.’

  Miss Shaw. I need some time with my client if you are going to persist in asking him questions about these notices.

  DI Crawford. Do you want to speak to your solicitor?

  Sadler. They’re not mine.

  DI Sadler. I have here a statement from an employee of the newspaper confirming the contact number is the same as your mobile?

  Sadler. No comment.

  In her instructions Lee had described how they had left the interview room and immediately Paul Sadler had admitted he had placed the other notices.

  ‘Why didn’t you say so? It’s not a crime wanting to meet young women,’ she had said.

  ‘I felt embarrassed in front of the officer. I was…well, like a dating agency,’ Sadler had said

  Lee had advised her client that they should go back into the interview and he should admit the lie and explain to the officers why he had denied the notices.

  The transcript continued with Sadler giving his explanation, then DI Crawford started to ask questions about the notices. Over a three-year period, Sadler had placed six different requests in the newspaper.

  DI Crawford. Let’s start at the beginning, shall we? First one, the girl in the Burberry raincoat at Hammersmith. Do you remember that one?

  Sadler. Not sure. I think so.

  Miss Shaw. Is there anything else? Burberry raincoats are fairly generic. No other description?

  DI Crawford. Miss Shaw, I’ll ask the questions the way I want.

  Lee had scribbled a note in the margin of the transcript. ‘Oops in trouble again!!’

  DI Crawford. Dark haired, got off at Chiswick Park.

  Sadler. Right. Yes. I don’t think she responded.

  DI Crawford. Why did you pick on her?

  Sadler. She looked nice. Well dressed. I like women who go for good clothes.

  DI Crawford. Next one. Again Hammersmith.

  Sadler. Piccadilly line. The one I use to get to work.

  DI Crawford. Ok. Description refers to reading a Kindle with a bright pink cover?

  Sadler. I remember her. I think she was called Karen something. Can’t remember the surname.

  DI Crawford. Chambers, Karen Chambers. Did you meet her?

  Sadler. Yes. We went for a coffee on King Street. She was good looking but no sense of humour.

  DI Crawford. Do I take it from that you didn’t see her again?

  Sadler. That’s right.

  DI Crawford. A woman with a cherry red briefcase?

  Sadler. Yes. She phoned me and we had quite a long conversation. She said she’d been flattered that someone wanted to meet her, but she told me she was living with someone. I think we chatted on the phone a couple of times, but it never went any further.

  DS Pomfrey. Why did you keep doing this Rush Hour Crush? You weren’t getting anywhere with it?

  Sadler. Element of surprise. Would there be any response and what would they be like.

  DI Crawford. Would they be vulnerable enough so that you could rape them, that’s why you kept on. Looking for women to sexually assault?

  Sadler. No. No. Nothing like that.

  DI Crawford. Next one. Dark trouser suit with a floral scarf.

  Sadler. Angie Williams. I did meet her a couple of times. Met for coffee once and then at The Dove on the river. She worked for an employment business in Hammersmith. We got on well but there was no chemistry and so I didn’t answer her calls after that. Rather rude of me, but I just wasn’t keen enough.

  DI Crawford. The one before Emma was at Earl’s Court. Green eyes and red hair.

  Sadler. I don’t think she responded.

  DS Pomfrey. Why Earl’s Court?

  Sadler. Not sure. I might have been on my way to Gatwick.

  DI Crawford. We’ve looked at the text messages on your mobile and in addition to the texts arranging to meet Emma, there’s one call to her home address on the morning after you raped her.

  Sadler. I didn’t rape her.

  DI Crawford. But you did ring her the next morning?

  Sadler. I rang her mobile and her mother answered.

  DI Crawford. You wanted to persuade her not to complain about the rape, didn’t you?

  Sadler. No. I wanted to tell her I wouldn’t be in touch for about a week because I was working a late shift.

  DI Crawford. That’s not what her mother says.

  Miss Shaw. Is that a question?

  Sadler. Mrs Gilbrook was going on at me. How dare I phone her daughter? Who did I think I was? I didn’t know what to say.

  Cassie shook her head and poured another glass of wine for herself. The trial had been straightforward. The facts were largely agreed. The only issue was whether Emma Gilbrook had consented to having sexual intercourse with Sadler. If she had, why was she alleging he had raped her? She couldn’t imagine what the emails were about or who might want to contact her other than one of the Old Bailey groupies, but the man, she assumed it was a man, was getting persistent.

  Chapter 10

  Despite the imminence of the Montgomery case, Cassie continued working on other cases, going to court every day. The opportunity to speak to Roger Hales came a few days later, when she finished a trial in the early afternoon. She dashed back to 3 Burke Court hoping she would get back first. To her relief her shared room was empty. She took a deep breath and using the internal telephone asked if Roger could run an errand for her. She was a terrible liar and felt herself blushing as she made her request. She had hardly put the phone down when she heard Roger’s heavy footsteps pounding up the stairs and along the hall to the door.

  ‘Come in,’ she said. Roger walked to the front of her desk. ‘Roger, can you sit down please.’ He towered over her and she felt uncomfortable enough as it was. ‘I understand you were arrested a few weeks ago and some cocaine was found in your pocket. Is that right?’

  His eyes widened. ‘How did …Yes, Miss Hardman. Will I get the sack?’

  ‘I haven’t told anybody yet. Where did you get the drugs?’

  Roger hung his head, ‘I’m not sure I want to say. I don’t think you’ll believe me.’

  ‘Let’s take it one step at a time. You were stopped and searched?’

  ‘I don’t know why they stopped me. There were hundreds of us queuing to get in the nightclub. They were pulling over all the black males. It’s always happening.’

  ‘Did you have the drugs on you?’ Cassie wondered if the drugs had been planted on him by the police. It wouldn’t be the first time that had happened. Too many officers applied the three Bs: big, black and bad.

  ‘They were in the pocket of my jeans.’

  ‘Had you bought them?’

  Roger didn’t reply but shook his head.

  ‘Roger, I understand the cocaine was cut with another drug. A drug that is dangerous and can cause cancer. So it’s important for the police to find the dealer who’s doing this. If you help them they’ll just give you a caution.
I can guarantee that.’ Alex’s promise was a clear inducement and could be used if any officer tried to pursue a charge of possession.

  ‘Can you tell me who your supplier was?’

  ‘I found the wrap.’

  ‘Where?’

  Roger Hales pursed his lips and looked down. ‘Here.’

  ‘Here. What do you mean here?’

  ‘Here. In the toilet on the first floor.’

  ‘In the toilet here – in chambers.’ Cassie was well aware cocaine was the drug of choice for many high fliers. It kept them going, working long hours and enabled them to party just as hard. But one of her colleagues? And bringing them into chambers. Usually it was alcohol. Sometimes, she thought, she was too ready to go for a drink after work or to open a bottle of wine with her evening meal. But never drugs.

  ‘It was nearly time for going home. I went to the toilet and saw this white paper on the floor. I picked it up. Opened it and saw … I didn’t know what it was.’

  ‘Didn’t you realise it was cocaine, some drug at least?’

  ‘I did think so. I was tempted to try it … I didn’t – too scared. I put it into my pocket and forgot about it until the police stopped me. I should have got rid of it.’

  ‘Yes, you should.’

  Roger’s face crumpled and his eyes filled. Cassie could feel his distress. She believed him, but she wasn’t sure Alex Seymour would.

  ‘Will I get the sack?’ Roger swallowed and looked up at the ceiling.

  ‘Roger, I am not going to do anything at once. I think you are telling me the truth, but the police may not. Now go back downstairs and try to get on with your work.’

  When he had left, Cassie picked up her mobile with the intention of contacting Alex and telling her what she had learnt. She scrolled through the contact list and then put the phone down. Would Alex believe Roger’s account of finding the wrap? If it was true, then someone else in chambers had bought the drugs. Cassie had no idea who that might be. Was it one of the clerks? One of her colleagues? A conviction for possession of a Class A drug would result in that person being disbarred. She found it hard to believe anyone would be so foolish as to bring drugs into chambers. Of course it might have been a client. That must be the answer – it was a client.

  She hesitated. Whoever it was, if Alex wanted to continue her enquiries, she or other police officers would want to question members of chambers, the clerks and the clients who had come for conferences. She couldn’t let that happen. She would have to tell someone, the Head of Chambers, Richard Jago, the senior clerk, Jack, or someone else. Not now though; it was Friday night and Ben was coming for supper.

  She picked up her bag and ran down the stairs, but as she got level with the door to the clerk’s room, Eleanor came out onto the landing. Eleanor. Of course – Eleanor was the best person to tell about Roger. Eleanor didn’t have the responsibilities of being Head of Chambers, nor was she in charge of the clerks’ office. She looked at Eleanor’s face. Would now be a good time? She wanted some input quickly, before Roger was due back at the police station, or Alex started to want answers. She had already decided she would accompany him when he answered to his bail and see if she could persuade Alex to caution him. She hoped Eleanor would approve of that course.

  Eleanor wasn’t in the best of moods, but Cassie decided it was possible this would be the only opportunity to ask for advice.

  ‘Eleanor, can I ask you about something?’

  ‘Sure, some difficulty with your case?’

  ‘No, it’s something else. Can we discuss it in your room?’

  ‘Sure, but …’

  Eleanor led the way up the stairs. Cassie closed the door behind her as Eleanor sat behind her desk. ‘It’s Roger. He was arrested in possession of a small quantity of cocaine. A police officer I know rang me and told me the drug was cut with a dangerous chemical. They are anxious to know who supplied him. He’d refused to answer questions in interview …’

  ‘At least he’s learnt something while he was here.’

  ‘But if he helps them, she’s promised he’ll get a caution rather than be charged.’

  ‘So, what’s the problem?’

  ‘He told me he found the wrap in one of the toilets here.’

  ‘Difficult …’ Eleanor sucked at her teeth, clasped her hands and then put a thumb to her mouth. ‘Is he telling the truth?’

  ‘I think he is. He thought he might experiment with it but wasn’t sure what it was so he just stuck it in a pocket.’

  ‘He should have thrown it away.’

  ‘That’s what I told him. He’s due back at the police station next week and I thought I’d go with him. Make sure my friend keeps to her promise. But what if she wants to start interviewing us? No one’s going to admit they take drugs.’

  ‘You’ll just have to persuade her she won’t get anywhere. I’m sure you can do that. Now, I have other things to do.’

  ‘What about Roger?’

  ‘He’s got us over a barrel, hasn’t he? If we sack him he’ll blow the whistle and there will be an investigation by the Bar Standards Board. No – we need to keep this in chambers. Let me know how the interview goes. We might have a better idea about what’s going on.’

  Cassie arrived back at her flat minutes before Ben. She heard him tear up the three flights of stairs without getting out of breath. Cassie was surprised – she had never known him do any exercise. Not that she did very much, but a lifetime of walking in the hills around her home town of Lancaster, and using stairs rather than the lifts, even at the Bailey, kept her relatively fit.

  ‘Have you got a bottle open yet?’

  ‘In the fridge.’ Cassie smiled up at him. She liked his face. He wasn’t traditionally handsome but his eyes were warm and intelligent and his mouth was usually curved into a smile. She reached up and traced the outline of his lips with her little finger. He put his arm round her as they went inside her flat.

  It was a warm evening and she had put a bottle of Chablis to chill. Once their glasses were filled they exchanged their news. Ben was in a good mood; his research was going well, and he was excited by an invitation to attend a scientific conference in Washington. Cassie was less pleased with the week despite the leading brief. Montgomery’s racism had upset her. She was struggling with managing a man whose views she found unacceptable but who she was bound to represent. The arrest of Roger Hales and the emails from the unknown Delaney had added to her stress. Ben frowned when she told him she had received a third communication about the Sadler case. ‘Shouldn’t you report it to the police?’

  ‘I’ve thought about it, but …’

  ‘You still don’t think it’s serious, and you haven’t got the time.’

  ‘There aren’t any threats. Just he’ll be watching me. Could just be a guy in the public gallery. And you’re right – I haven’t got the time. Anyway, I gather the police aren’t very good with stalking cases.’

  He pursed his lips; the smile had gone.

  ‘Let’s forget about it. It’s Friday night. I’ll order a pizza, make a salad and then there’s strawberries and home-made ice cream. We can watch a film or whatever,’ she said.

  Ben pulled her to him.

  Chapter 11

  Cassie met Roger outside Holland Park Tube station. His eyes betrayed his anxiety and although he tried to smile at her, he couldn’t. It was a short walk to Ladbroke Grove.

  ‘Now let me talk to the officer. I know DC Seymour and I trust her. But they’ll want you to tell them where you found the wrap, and you must tell them the truth. I do believe you and I hope the police will as well.’

  ‘It is the truth, Miss Hardman.’

  Inside the police station Cassie asked for DC Alex Seymour and explained who they were. While they waited she looked round at the posters, warning of pickpockets, car thieves and burglars, peeling from the wall. After a few minutes they were escorted into the custody area, where Roger surrendered to his bail. The custody sergeant was completing the forms whe
n Alex came into the room and on seeing Cassie raised her eyebrows.

  ‘Miss Hardman, you’ve come with Mr Hales. Are you acting as his legal representative?

  Cassie said she was.

  ‘Perhaps you’d like to come this way and I’ll tell you the details of the offence,’ Alex said to Cassie. ‘Perhaps Mr Hales would wait here.’

  Cassie wasn’t surprised by her friend’s reaction. It wasn’t normal for a barrister to turn up at the police station with a client. She assumed Alex was expecting a solicitor to attend the interview and she knew her presence would raise questions.

  Once inside one of the interview rooms, Alex said, ‘You know the details of the offence. He was stopped and searched outside Peaches nightclub …’

  ‘Probably illegally.’

  ‘No comment, but the wrap was discovered and when it was analysed it was found to be twenty-five per cent pure. As I told you, the cocaine was cut with a drug called Phenacetin. It enhances the effects of cocaine but can have serious consequences with long-term use.’

  ‘I understand, and I know you want Roger to tell you where he got the drugs. If he does he’ll be cautioned rather than charged. Is that right?’

  Alex nodded.

  ‘Right. I’ll tell you what he told me, but I don’t think it will help you very much. He says he found it in one of the toilets at Three Burke Court.’

  ‘How convenient. I guess he doesn’t know who left it there. I’m not sure I can swallow that.’

  ‘Alex, I think he’s telling the truth. He could have played the race card, an illegal stop and search, a wrap planted. It’s been known. He hasn’t done that. Have you got the notes the officer made at the time? The record of the stop? The grounds for it?’ Alex didn’t reply. ‘The whole thing would be concocted after he was charged. Let me guess – I saw Hales turn away from me as if trying to conceal something. I went up to him and asked him to show me what was in his pockets and he refused. I took hold of him and he struggled etcetera, etcetera. Sound familiar?’

  ‘Ok. I could start an investigation into the tenants in your chambers.’