‘It’s very simple,’ Gready said with poker-faced confidence. ‘Because everyone knows I’m the best.’
There were some smiles around the court. Only the judge sat stony-faced.
‘Let us now address the issue of the safety deposit box in your name, Mr Gready. As we heard from evidence given by DS Alexander, a key was discovered very cleverly concealed in the false bottom of a spray canister in the garden shed of your home in Onslow Road, Hove. This key was for a private safety deposit box, in your name, on the premises of a company, Safe Box Co, on the Hollingbury Industrial Estate. It was opened under warrant and found to contain foreign currency totalling £392,000, along with six USB memory sticks. You accept that, don’t you?’
‘I believe that is what they say.’
‘Well then, where did this substantial sum come from?’
Gready shook his head. ‘I’m afraid it must have been all part of Mr Starr’s clever plot to frame me. I can only assume he planted the key in the shed and the money in the deposit box. If I had that substantial sum I can assure you I would have treated my wife and family to something considerably more exotic than our annual fortnight’s holiday in a timeshare cottage in Appledore in Devon.’
Cork paused, frowned and said, ‘Do I have this right? You are suggesting Mr Starr opened a safety deposit box in your name, hid a huge sum of cash, together with damning evidence against you, inside it, then placed the key in an aerosol inside a shed on your property, on the off-chance that if caught he could point the finger at you?’
‘Yes, he must have,’ Gready replied.
‘Are there fairies at the bottom of your garden as well?’ Cork challenged.
Jupp immediately instructed the court to disregard the previous comment and said, ‘Mr Cork, you should know better than that.’
‘Of course, I’m sorry, Your Honour.’ The prosecuting counsel paused and then continued. ‘You refused to answer questions from the police about the details of the information found?’
‘I was under no obligation to answer any questions. They have nothing to do with me.’
‘Interestingly, that content showed details of four further importations through Newhaven Port using classic cars involving large quantities of drugs. These runs coincided with large deposits being made through LH Classics into the overseas bank accounts.’
‘They are nothing to do with me. You should be asking Michael Starr. He’s the drug baron, not me. He’s admitted it to this court!’
Cork persevered. ‘I suggest to you, Mr Gready, you refused to answer any questions because you had no plausible reason for having this damning evidence which shows your criminality, and this is something for the jury to take into account.’
‘I knew I was being set up so decided to keep quiet at that stage. I have explained to the court this morning that I am innocent and had nothing to do with any of this.’
Stephen Cork continued to question him at length, but the defendant steadfastly maintained his innocence.
‘Finally, Mr Gready,’ Cork said pointedly, ‘I put it to you that you are a thoroughly dishonest drug-dealing criminal and have made millions of pounds from the misery you inflict. You have been careful to hide your involvement but of course you didn’t consider that your loyal colleague, Michael Starr, would turn against you.’
‘The jury know I’m telling the truth,’ Gready said, confidently and directly.
Primrose Brown stood up, adjusting her gown. ‘My learned friend, Mr Cork, asked you about a key to the deposit box in your name and you denied owning it, is that correct?’
‘Yes, nothing to do with me. The key was found in my garden shed and it would be easy for anyone to access it.’
‘I would like you to look at the prosecutions exhibit JA/17, the form that was completed at the time the safety deposit box was rented back in 2004. I have copied the document for the benefit of the court.’ She then handed a bundle of copies to the court usher, David Rowland, for distribution.
‘Mr Gready, is that your signature on the document?’
‘It looks like mine and it is signed Terence Gready, but it is definitely not my signature. As I have said before, I know nothing about the deposit box.’
Brown then addressed the court. ‘No more questions, Your Honour, thank you.’
Terence Gready was escorted back to the dock.
Brown proceeded to hand a document to the prosecution counsel. ‘You have heard evidence from the defendant that he believes he has been framed by Mr Starr. My next witness will be a person recognized as the UK’s leading forensic handwriting expert, Professor Geoff Shaw of Magdalene College, Cambridge.’
Cork jumped up. ‘Your Honour, this is the first time I have heard about this witness, I must object.’
Jupp considered this for some moments before turning to Brown. ‘Why was this not passed to the prosecution before now?’
‘I apologize, Your Honour, but this evidence was only obtained this week when Starr unexpectedly gave evidence for the prosecution.’
‘Court is adjourned for twenty minutes,’ Jupp announced. Then he looked, irascibly, at the two lead counsels. ‘Come to my chambers immediately.’
85
Thursday 23 May
In the jury room, Harold Trout, seated, said, ‘What the defendant is saying is utterly preposterous. The man is cornered in the last chance saloon and is clearly lying through his teeth. Are we really expected to swallow such arrant nonsense?’
Mike Roberts, spooning coffee into a mug by the kettle, said, ‘Well, during my last two years with the police I’m afraid I saw some quite astonishing cases involving falsified documents and records created by cyber criminals. I think he is making a valid point about what we can and can’t trust these days.’
‘My nan was swindled out of £12,000 by online fraudsters just two months ago,’ Toby DeWinter concurred. ‘They are extremely clever and sophisticated. She showed me the email purportedly from her bank and it really did look genuine.’
‘We’ve had to engage a computer expert full-time in my business to protect us and our clients against cyber fraud,’ Hugo Pink added. ‘What the defendant says is completely plausible.’
‘Would he lie under oath?’ Maisy Waller questioned.
‘With respect, Maisy, when someone’s back is to the wall, they will say anything,’ Trout said, dismissively.
‘I wasn’t sure earlier, despite all the evidence against Mr Gready,’ Maisy Waller persisted. ‘But after listening to him, I have to say I really don’t like him — and I don’t trust him.’
‘I’m with you, Maisy, and with you, Harold,’ Mark Adams said. He looked around at his fellow jurors, all now seated at the table. ‘Do we really need to run into a third week just to hear a bunch more lies? I’ve got to earn money for my family and for the mortgage, and it’s tough enough losing two weeks as it is. Surely we’ve heard enough — do we need to hear any more?’
‘Any more what, exactly?’ Meg said, sternly rounding on him. ‘That we don’t need to hear any more from the defence? Is that your idea of justice? You’d like to see a kangaroo court convict this man regardless of the facts so you can get back behind the wheel of your Uber?’
He glared back at her. ‘I don’t know if you and I have been sitting in the same court, but it’s blatantly clear to me that, as Harold has just said, the defendant is in the last chance saloon. He’s guilty as hell. A child of three could see through the baloney he’s just spouted at us. Does he think we’re a bunch of idiots sitting around playing pass the brain cell?’