Mr Porter was a partner in the firm of solicitors where Cyril Turpin worked after leaving the police. After Cyril's death in 1974, Mr Porter called into the Corner Shop and told Maggie Clegg that Betty was with his wife at their home, looking for Cyril after being at the office and finding it closed. Maggie realised how ill her sister was.
Mr Porter later attended Cyril's funeral and was pleased to hear from Maggie that Betty was better. He then broached the subject of the odds and ends Cyril had left at the office, and asked Maggie if she would look through them and collect what Betty would want, noting that he didn't want to ask Betty in her state of mind.