Against the Law Page #3

of lavish hospitality of

these three men so infinitely

their social superiors,

they were willing parties to

unnatural acts.

It would be dangerous to convict

any of the defendants

purely on the evidence of men

such as McNally and Reynolds.

We hope to satisfy you by letters,

and other documents, that there

is copious confirmation that

the story these men, Reynolds

and McNally, are telling is true.

And on that date in December,

when you attended his property,

did you see Wildeblood?

He came to the door.

Where did you go with him?

To the living room.

Did you suggest to him that he

write a statement?

No, sir.

Did you promise him that if he write

a statement he'd just be bound over?

I did not.

And the letters you showed him,

he recognised these as letters

written by himself and McNally?

Indeed he did, sir.

I didn't think this could

happen in Britain.

I didn't think the police...

Well, now you know.

The rotten apples aren't

the odd ones out, Peter.

They're bastards. Jesus.

Try to stay calm.

You're next, McNally.

Call Edward McNally.

You are Edward McNally?

Yes.

Do you know the accused,

Peter Wildeblood? Yes.

Look at the accused and confirm

that he is the man known to you.

When you spent the night

at his flat, where did you sleep?

In the bedroom with Wildeblood.

Did anything occur between you?

We committed buggery with

each other.

Did you write this letter to him,

exhibit 44?

Yes.

"Dearest Peter, I've really got

it bad, sweetheart.

"In fact, I haven't felt

so happy for a long time.

"Just to let you know,

I haven't forgotten you

"and I never will."

Did you mean those words?

I thought I did, sir.

Were you what you would describe as

"in love" with Peter Wildeblood?

Yes, sir.

Did you receive this letter from

him, exhibit 45?

Yes.

"You are so much a part of my life

that I do not think

"I could ever do without you.

"I love you as much now as I did

"when we spent our lovely

holiday together.

"The happiest time..."

Did you believe those words?

I suppose so, sir.

Did you believe Peter Wildeblood to

be in love with you?

Yes, sir.

Why did he do this to me?

Why did Eddie do this?

You know why he did it.

To save his own skin.

Forget him.

I joined the Navy ten days

before my 17th birthday.

It was on HMS Reggio that I was,

um, er, to put it...crudely...

caught in the act.

I was, er, court martialled,

charged with

buggery and gross indecency,

then I was asked to give

the names of the people with whom

I had slept

or had anything to do with, and was

told, "If you tell us their names,

"you're looking at 12 months.

"If you don't tell us their names,

you're looking at five years."

I gave them the name of an Army

officer with whom

I had spent a night ashore.

They found him, and one day

the warder, screw,

came in and said,

"The chap's blown his brains out."

And that is something which I've

had to live with...

..for over 60 years.

Erm, it is still...

I hate myself for it...

..but it was just one of those

things.

Call Peter Wildeblood.

DOOR OPENS:

Place your right hand on the Bible,

take the card in your other hand

and read the statement.

"I swear to tell the truth,

"the whole truth and nothing

but the truth."

Counsel for the defence.

Is your name Peter Wildeblood?

Yes.

Are you a homosexual, Mr Wildeblood?

Yes, I am.

Thinking back to July 1952,

how would you describe your

relationship with Edward McNally?

I'd become fond of him.

He is not educated but he is

intelligent.

My work made me live in a kind

of way I didn't much enjoy

and I liked to be able to relax with

someone who is quite simple,

unpretentious and fond of me.

What kind of letters was

he writing to you?

They were emotional letters.

They contained endearments

of an unusual kind

for two men to exchange.

And you wrote similar

letters to him?

I was extremely lonely at that time.

You are familiar with what

happened to Oscar Wilde?

Oscar Wilde was

accused of gross indecency.

I have never committed gross

indecency nor buggery with anybody.

You never committed these offences

with Edward McNally? No.

Mr Wildeblood,

when you went into this box,

you took the oath in solemn form,

you realise that? Yes.

To tell the truth, the whole truth

and nothing but the truth?

Yes.

You know that we've heard McNally,

your friend of some 21 months,

describe in detail

what took place between you and him.

You've heard the letters

sent by you to him during this

time read out in this court.

Do you still say you've told

the whole truth? I do.

Have you any suggestion, then, as to

why McNally would tell such

wicked lies about you?

Well, I should have thought

his motive was perfectly obvious.

He did it to save his own skin.

Were you attracted to McNally?

I was not physically

attracted to him.

How do you say you were

attracted to him, then?

Emotionally. Emotionally?

This McNally was very much your

social inferior. Why then...

During the war, I fought alongside

men from many different backgrounds.

I don't recall anyone

objecting then.

Before God, I entirely commend that

sentiment, Mr Wildeblood,

but what the jury may wish to know

is this.

Why would you, a highly intelligent

man, a beautiful writer,

want to spend 21 months

of his life with an uneducated RAF

corporal from the pits of Glasgow?

That night in Piccadilly when you

met, did you smile at each other?

I cannot remember.

When you got into conversation,

did a smile pass between you?

I should think possibly, yes.

And you took him back to your flat?

He had nowhere to go.

Resisted all temptation? Yes.

Didn't even kiss him?

No, I did not.

You never felt the need for physical

expression of a healthy,

emotional young man?

I was incapable of sexual

expression.

Incapable?

Have you consulted a doctor? No.

"Dearest Peter, I've really got it

bad, sweetheart."

What had he got bad?

Love, was it not?

I don't accept for a moment...

"In fact, I haven't felt

so happy for a long time."

Because of his friendship with

you, yes?

Because of his friendship with you?

Yes?

Yes.

"This is being written in bed.

"Wish you were here. But the RAF

have definite views on such things."

Would a young man write

those words to you if you

and he had not been intimate?

Well, this young man would.

"My dearest, darling Eddie,

"oh, how relieved

I was to hear from you at last.

"You are so much a part of my life

that I do not think

"I could ever do without you."

Is that right?

He was a part of my life.

"I love you as much now as I did

"when we spent our lovely holiday

together."

On this holiday, you spent that

whole time resisting temptation?

Yes. What, then, made it so happy

for you?

The friendship, you know, the...

the conversation, the...

..the bathing.

The weather?

"All the love I've ever known, P."

That was all the love

I have ever known.

The arrest must have placed

a considerable burden on you?

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