70 guests at the ‘Third Time Lucky’ Rotary in Uppingham Past President’s Dinner held at The Falcon Hotel in Uppingham on Friday November 26th were given a tour de force analysis of the facts behind the first (1997) of Uppingham’s two famous unsolved murders and the accused ‘s acquittal.
Guest speaker at the event was defending Queens Counsel John Cartwright (pictured), who not only succeeded in securing a ‘not guilty’ verdict for his client at the murder trial, a resident of Branston Road, but also identified during cross examination who he believed to be the killer; a man who was a witness for the prosecution. The man has never been charged by the police.
Keeping his audience in suspense with his presentation style, John revealed in turn a number of key facts that undermined the prosecution case against his client including the significance of a thermometer bought from Boots the Chemist.
Discussion after the presentation centered on why no further action was taken by the authorities to resolve the crime after the not guilty verdict. All guests agreed. This was a night to remember in more ways than one!