The Trial

On 10th June 1993 the trial commenced. The prosecution case was that Eddie had pretended to Paula and others that he was on a suicide course at work and had asked his wife to write suicide letters at his dictation for the purposes of his course. (Eddie worked as a Theatre Technician, cleaning the instruments at the local hospital and had discussed the possibility of an NVQ course, but not a suicide course). The police alleged he then coaxed his wife into the garage and persuaded her to take part in a suicide experiment. Whilst standing on the ground she felt secure enough to agree to place her neck into a noose hanging from the garage beam. When she was comfortable with that, he then took her by surprise and pulled her legs from underneath her. He then held her there until she was dead. He then dressed the scene to look like suicide by adding a stepladder and the previously dictated suicide letter.

The issue regarding the Nigel Letter not being a suicide letter and how Eddie had persuaded Paula to write it was avoided by the prosecution during the trial. The prosecution simply told the Jury that Eddie had dictated it and then concentrated their case around the evolvement of Paulas other letters.

The evidence from Paulas three friends was excluded from the trial. This was because that what they alleged Paula had said breached the Hearsay Rule on evidence. Also excluded from the trial was the opinion of psychologist Professor David Canter. He had concluded in a report for the police that the Suicide Letter and other letters found by the police were a joint enterprise. He said the letters consisted of a mixture of words used by Eddie and words used by Paula and suggested that Paula may not have committed suicide. From that, the police concluded that Eddie had dictated the letters to Paula and that Paula was a most unlikely candidate for suicide. Although Canters evidence was excluded from the trial, on the grounds that it was unreliable, his findings formed the basis of the Crowns case. The prosecution put it to the Jury that Eddie had dictated the letters and that Paula had not committed suicide. In an effort to prove this, the Crown called a host of witnesses to give evidence that Paula was happily looking forward to the birth of her child and in their opinion she would not have committed suicide. This evidence they said was supported by the alleged 'practice rope' the police found in a drawer in the garage. Despite the Forensic Scientist finding no trace of fibres from this rope elsewhere in the garage, the 'practice rope' was dramatically produced in the court room and consequently featured strongly in the trial.

Unfortunately, preparation for the trial by Eddies defence team was woefully inadequate. This is illustrated in an advice note sent to Eddies solicitors by his barrister, David Turner QC just three weeks before the trial was due to commence.

The defence at the conclusion of the prosecution case made an application to the Judge that there was no case to answer. The defence told the Judge that the prosecution had not proved that a murder had taken place. The Judge dismissed the defence application. The defence then, without calling any witnesses to argue against the prosecution case, offered no evidence to the court and they left the case to the Jury to decide whether this was a case of murder or suicide.

During the trial no account was taken of Paulas diary and her medical history was misrepresented.

The Jury deliberated over their verdict for three days and returned with their verdict on the Saturday morning the 3rd July 1993. Eddie was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommendation that he serve at least seventeen years.