Chief Inspector Stanley

Chief Inspector Stanley was the prosecutor when Elsie Tanner appeared in the Magistrates’ Court on a charge of stealing from her employers, Miami Modes, in November 1969. The true culprit, who had confessed her guilt to Elsie just before leaving for the court, was her friend of many years Dot Greenhalgh. Supposedly off work ill, she had rung Elsie and asked her to collect two bags for her, one of which contained two stolen dresses. He first questioned Dot, who lied on oath, and then Elsie who admitted that Dot’s request to bring the bags home was an unusual request. He tried to raise a doubt that Elsie hadn’t checked the contents of the bags before trying to take them out of the court. Mr Palmer was Elsie’s solicitor and his tactics were to create doubt in the mind of the magistrates by questioning as to exactly what she had said and to express doubts about her clarity as she had been ill. Similarly, his questioning of Elsie elicited the fact that she had been in a rush when she had taken the call and could have been confused. This also put some of the suspicion onto Dot and the Magistrates had no choice but to declare that there was insufficient evidence to pass a clear sentence of guilty on Elsie. The case was dismissed.

1969

 * Mon 10th Nov
 * Wed 12th Nov