Page 45 of Traitors Gate

‘Yes,’ said Ross. ‘But I still had to take her home.’

‘So you ended up writing your report the following day,giving you more than enough time to go over your story with Ms Clarke.’

‘Mr Booth Watson!’ said the judge.

‘I apologize, m’Lud. I should have said had enough time to think it over.’

‘Equally damning, I would suggest,’ said Sir Julian, rising to his feet.

‘Then allow me to withdraw the question altogether and simply ask the witness to confirm that he wrote his report some twenty-four hours after the arrest had taken place.’

‘More like eighteen hours.’

‘Once you’d slept on it.’

Ross nodded reluctantly.

‘With that in mind, Inspector, can I confirm that despite having some considerable time to consider the contents of your hindsight report, you decided to omit one vital piece of evidence that would have undoubtedly helped my client’s defence and possibly made the CPS think twice about pressing drug-dealing charges?’

‘Like what?’ said Ross, unable to remain calm any longer.

‘Correct me if I’m wrong, Inspector, but when you searched Mr Simpson on arriving at the police station, all you found on him was a packet of Bassetts Liquorice Allsorts, which I don’t think you’ll find are classified as a class A drug in the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act.’

One or two members of the jury smiled, and not at Ross.

‘Along with three methamphetamine pills,’ Ross reminded him.

‘Well, let’s also be clear on that point, Inspector,’ came back Booth Watson, ‘you did not find my client in possession of those three pills, because it was Ms Clarke who confirmed,during my cross-examination of her yesterday, that she picked them up from the gutter, wrapped them in her handkerchief and handed them to you.’

‘That’s correct,’ said Ross.

‘So you have absolutely no proof those pills ever belonged to my client?’

‘As I’ve said, and also wrote in my report,’ countered Ross, ‘I witnessed Simpson dropping several more pills down a drain that was conveniently nearby.’

‘You did indeed, Inspector, but are you familiar with the case law set out in the Crown v Turnbull?’

‘Yes, I am.’

‘Then you won’t be surprised when I ask you how far away you were when you witnessed the incident you have described, remembering you were crossing an extremely busy road during rush hour?’ Before Ross could respond, Booth Watson added, ‘Because I am bound to ask if you are seriously suggesting to the court that you had a clear and unobstructed view of my client at all times?’

‘I saw what I saw.’

‘Or perhaps what you wanted to see, Inspector. So allow me to move on and ask an obvious question. Why didn’t you lift up the drain and retrieve the pills you thought you saw?’

‘At the time,’ replied Ross defiantly, ‘my immediate concern was Ms Clarke’s safety, as well as my daughter’s.’

‘But your daughter wasn’t there at the time and didn’t appear until after you’d arrested my client and marched him off to the nearest police station.’

‘She came out of school a few moments later.’

‘How can you possibly know that, Inspector, when you’d already left? Perhaps you have eyes in the back of your headwhich would explain your twenty-twenty vision.’ Booth Watson extracted another sheet of paper from his file before he continued.

‘Inspector, would you describe yourself as a seeker after the truth when it comes to writing a report—’ he paused ‘—the following day?’ Ross didn’t respond, despite Booth Watson waiting for some considerable time. ‘Did you by any chance,’ he continued, ‘ask my client why he was outside the school at that time of day?’

‘I didn’t need to. That’s the time when the kids come out of the school and are most vulnerable to being approached by a stranger.’

‘And being offered a Liquorice Allsort?’ Booth Watson suggested. Ross scowled but couldn’t come up with a suitable reply. ‘So you didn’t realize at the time, that my client was waiting to pick up his nephew, Kevin, when he came out of St Luke’s so they would walk home together?’

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