Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Jennifer Ripley pulled up outside Pauline Winstanley’s house on Crescent Avenue in her silver Volvo.
She turned off the engine and remained seated.
She did not have good news. After meeting Pauline that morning, she recognised that she was a woman enduring enormous emotional stress and was under the illusion Jennifer would be able to sort everything out and bring Anthony home to her that night, all charges dropped.
The reality couldn’t be further from the truth.
It was a little after five o’clock and already pitch-dark.
The sky was clearing, and an infinite number of stars were shining.
Jennifer shivered as she climbed out of the car.
She lifted the collar on her knee-length coat and grabbed her briefcase from the front passenger seat.
She didn’t need it, but it gave her extra confidence.
She knocked on Pauline’s front door and stood back. She felt the eyes of every neighbour in the street watching her and could almost hear the rustle of curtains as people were eager for the latest gossip.
Leo Mulligan opened the door and beckoned Jennifer inside. He looked around outside before closing it.
‘Anthony not with you?’ he asked, quietly.
‘I’m afraid not.’
‘Ah. Pauline’s in the living room. Through there,’ he directed her. ‘Can I get you a cup of tea or something?’
‘No. I’m fine. Thank you.’
Jennifer walked into the neat and tidy living room.
There was a strong smell of furniture polish.
Jennifer guessed Pauline was the kind of woman who, when nervous or stressed, cleaned.
In those situations, Jennifer ate. She had a feeling she’d be stopping off at Tesco for several big bars of Fruit and Nut on the way home.
Pauline jumped up from the sofa. She looked beyond Jennifer, obviously expecting to see Anthony follow her in.
Her expectant smile dropped when he didn’t.
‘Where’s Anthony?’ she asked.
‘Pauline, sit down. There’s something I need to tell you.’
‘Why haven’t you brought him home?’ Her tone was almost accusatory.
‘Pauline, please.’
Leo swept around Jennifer and practically pushed Pauline down onto the sofa. He sat next to her and held her hand while Jennifer took the armchair.
‘I’ve read Anthony’s statement he gave to the police, and I’ve spoken to Anthony as well.’
‘How is he?’ Pauline interrupted. There were tears in her eyes.
‘He’s bearing up well,’ Jennifer said with a forced smile.
‘Now, in Anthony’s statement he claimed that…
’ she hesitated. ‘There’s no easy way for me to say this, Pauline, so I’m just going to come straight out with it.
Anthony has stated that he likes to watch prostitutes having sex on Canal Street. ’
Pauline almost collapsed in on herself. Leo gripped her tightly.
‘He said that on the night of the storm, the night of Alice’s murder, he watched the … erm, women and he came across Alice sheltering from the bad weather. One thing led to another and … he raped … and he strangled her.’
‘No. No. No,’ Pauline cried into Leo’s shoulders. ‘No. Not my Anthony. That’s not my Anthony,’ she said, getting angry.
‘Pauline, I’m just telling you what’s in his statement. The statement he’s signed. From the point of view of the police, they’ve got their man. However, having spoken to Anthony, and gleaned the conditions of the interview from him, I’m one hundred per cent certain his statement was coerced.’
‘What do you mean?’ Pauline snatched a tissue from the box on the coffee table and began wiping her eyes.
‘Anthony says he kept asking to see you during the interview and saying he was hungry. Apparently, he was told that he could talk to you and have a meal if he admitted killing Alice. He just followed their instructions.’
‘He’s always been so trusting. He doesn’t realise…’ Pauline tapered off.
‘Isn’t that illegal?’ Leo asked.
Jennifer nodded. ‘At no point in the interview was Anthony asked if he’d like a solicitor present.
He was also told about being given something to eat and seeing you when the tape recorder was switched off.
Now, I’ve listened to the tape recording and there are a lot of pauses, and the questioning is very erratic.
I think, and this is only my opinion, but I think the tape recorder kept being switched on and off.
What happened when it was switched off is anyone’s guess. However, I really do believe Anthony.’
‘So, if the police coerced him, then surely his statement shouldn’t be taken as proof of guilt.’
Jennifer composed herself. ‘The police have statements from a number of these prostitutes who say that Anthony watches them, that he sometimes … plays with himself while watching them and … I’m really sorry, Pauline, some of them have said he scares them.’
‘Scares them in what way?’ Leo asked. ‘He wouldn’t harm anyone. He’s not like that.’
‘It’s the way he looks at them. Apparently.’ Jennifer was finding this conversation more awkward than she expected.
‘This is wrong. This is all wrong,’ Pauline cried again and blew her nose into the soggy tissue.
‘So, what happens now?’ Leo asked.
‘I’ve been speaking to an appeal judge all afternoon.
I’ve managed to get him to see that the way the confession was taken from Anthony borders on unlawful, and I tried so hard for Anthony to be released on bail, at least pending further enquiries.
However, given the statements from the …
working women, the judge believes there is enough evidence for the police to go ahead with a prosecution. ’
‘What?’ Pauline asked, her face red with rage. ‘They’re taking the word of a bunch of … slags over a law-abiding citizen?’
‘Pauline, please, calm down,’ Jennifer said. ‘The appeal judge is in agreement with me that Anthony’s confession was coerced out of him, so he’s sending the case to crown court for a full trial.’
‘What does that mean?’ Leo asked. He plucked another tissue from the box and handed it to Pauline.
‘It means this will go before a jury and I believe, with the lack of evidence the police have, coupled with the unsound testimony from the prostitutes, we have a clear chance of winning and Anthony walking away free.’ Jennifer tried to smile but it wouldn’t come.
‘When will that happen?’ Pauline asked, wiping her eyes.
‘The trial will be several months away while both sides prepare their cases.’
‘So, why haven’t you brought Anthony home with you this evening?’
Jennifer swallowed hard. This was the difficult part. ‘Anthony has been charged with rape and murder. In these cases, bail is nearly always refused. I’m afraid Anthony is to be kept on remand until the trial.’
Leo’s mouth fell open. Pauline remained still, trying to take it all in.
‘You mean … Anthony is to go to prison until the trial?’
‘It’s a remand centre, but, yes, I’m afraid so.’
‘But you said the trial could be months away.’
‘Yes.’
‘I … I can’t … No. I’m sorry, no. That can’t happen.
It’s Christmas soon. Anthony won’t cope in a remand centre.
No. No. I need you to bring him home,’ Pauline said, growing agitated.
She stood up and went over to the window, turning her back on the closed curtains.
‘You need to bring him home right now,’ she stated firmly.
‘Pauline, believe me, I tried my hardest to get Anthony released on bail. The judge refused.’
‘Can’t you go to another judge?’
‘It doesn’t work like that.’
‘Why not? Anthony is innocent. The police lied. You know the police lied to get him to make a false statement. Surely that should tell the judge that the police have the wrong man.’
Jennifer couldn’t say anything.
The room fell silent. The atmosphere darkened.
Leo cleared his throat. ‘Will Pauline be able to see Anthony while he’s at the remand centre?’
‘Yes,’ Jennifer answered quickly. She turned to Pauline.
‘I’m going to try my hardest to bring Anthony home to you, Pauline.
I believe him when he says he’s innocent.
I believe the police have no idea who killed Alice Patterson and have chosen Anthony merely because they have the pressure of the media on their shoulders.
This is going to be a difficult few months for you …
for you all, but I promise, I will fight hard to get him released. ’
Leo turned to Pauline, but the blank look on her face told him she hadn’t heard a word Jennifer had said.
‘Thank you,’ Leo said.
‘I’ll leave you both to it.’ Jennifer stood up and picked up her briefcase. ‘I really am sorry I couldn’t bring Anthony home this evening.’
Leo smiled. ‘I’ll show you out.’
‘I’ll call in the morning with the details of the remand centre.’
‘Thank you.’
Jennifer left the house and blew out her cheeks.
She felt ill. She had failed. She knew the judge’s decision was swayed by the media’s coverage of the rape and murder of a vulnerable young woman.
The nation was outraged by the crime. They wanted to put a face to the evil.
They wanted someone to hate. North East Police had delivered, and tomorrow morning Anthony Winstanley’s photograph would be on the front cover of every newspaper throughout the country.
And it was Jennifer’s job to defend him. She needed a drink.
Jennifer pulled up on the drive next to her home on Upgang Lane.
She felt like crying on the drive as she remembered Anthony’s face when she left him that afternoon.
It was a look of fear of the unknown. Pauline had worn the same look when she said goodbye less than fifteen minutes ago.
They were putting their hope, their future, into Jennifer’s hands.
She’d only defended one murder case before and lost. She couldn’t lose a second time.