Melford Stevenson
Encyclopedia
Sir Aubrey Melford Steed Stevenson PC (17 October 1902 – 26 December 1987) was a British
lawyer
and High Court
judge
who served in many high-profile cases. He defended Ruth Ellis
and prosecuted suspected serial killer
John Bodkin Adams
, both unsuccessfully.
. He became a barrister
in 1925. From 1940–1945 he served as a Deputy Judge Advocate with the rank of major. He was appointed King's Counsel in 1943. In 1945 he served at the Nuremberg trials
as Judge Advocate at the "Peleus Affair" trial. Heinz-Wilhelm Eck
and two other officers of the German submarine U852 were sentenced to death by firing squad. A year later in 1946, back in Britain, he sentenced Theodore Schurch
to hang for spying. He unsuccessfully stood as the Conservative Party
candidate in the United Kingdom general election, 1945
, for the Maldon division.
In 1952 Stevenson was appointed Recorder of Cambridge
(a part time judge). In 1954 he represented the British Government in Kenya
during Jomo Kenyatta
's unsuccessful appeal against his conviction for involvement in Mau Mau activities.
and Peter Rawlinson, he defended Ruth Ellis
. His conduct of the defence has been severely criticised by writer Monica Weller for giving the "prosecution an easy time, subjecting prosecution witnesses to a minimum of cross-examination". He opened by saying: "Let me make this abundantly plain: there is no question here but this woman shot this man [...] You will not hear one word from me – or from the lady herself – questioning that." The jury took 23 minutes to find Ellis guilty. She was hanged.
Stevenson was Sir Reginald Manningham-Buller's number 2 during the failed prosecution of suspected serial killer
John Bodkin Adams
in 1957. The prosecution's conduct has been heavily criticised, and its decision to drop a second murder charge via a nolle prosequi
was later deemed by the presiding judge, Patrick Devlin
, "an abuse of process". It has been said that the prosecution might have had a better chance of success if Stevenson had been allowed to lead. Later, talking to journalist Rodney Hallworth
, Stevenson said in regards to Adams' decision not to give evidence in court: "I firmly believe justice is not served by the present law. It should be possible for the prosecution to directly examine an accused [...] It was a clear example of the privilege of silence having enabled a guilty man to escape." In his opinion Adams "was so incredibly lucky to have literally got away with murder".
judge on 1 October 1957, and (as is traditional) knighted
a few days later. For the first four years he was assigned to the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division, and it was only after his transfer to the Queen's Bench Division, that he began to attract press attention.
In 1969, as a judge, he sentenced the Kray brothers, saying "In my view, society has earned a rest from your activities." Then in 1970 he controversially gave long sentences to Cambridge University students for taking part in the 'Garden House riot
' demonstration against the military government in Greece
.
he became a Privy Counsellor, and retired in 1979. In 1975 he presided over a trial of eight Irishmen accused of conspiracy to cause explosions in the UK. Found guilty, they were sentenced to 20 years each.
Stevenson's home on the Sussex coast was called 'Truncheons': although this was sometimes taken to reflect his authoritarian views the site had in truth been known by that name for many years before Stevenson lived there. He died in 1987 of a heart attack.
, head of the French section of the Special Operations Executive
.
When presiding over a rape
case, he described it as a "pretty anaemic kind of rape" because the accused's ex-girlfriend was the victim.
Stevenson once said of a husband in a divorce case, “He chose to live in Manchester
, a wholly incomprehensible choice for any free man to make“.
To a man acquitted of rape he commented, “I see you come from Slough
. It is a terrible place. You can go back there“.
Of the Krays, he once said that they had only told the truth twice during the trial - when Reggie referred to a barrister as "a fat slob" and later when Ronnie accused the judge of being biased.
In 1978 Stevenson was reprimanded by the Lord Chancellor
Elwyn Jones for calling the Sexual Offences Act 1967
a "bugger
s' charter".
In the 1994 memoirs, Sword and Wig, of retired Court of Appeal
judge, Sir Robin Dunn, Stevenson was described as, "the worst judge since the war". This prompted a number of high profile legal figures to defend Stevenson.
in the Lucky, Lucky Thirteen! episode in season one of "Lady Killers", 1980.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and High Court
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
who served in many high-profile cases. He defended Ruth Ellis
Ruth Ellis
Ruth Ellis , née Neilson, was the last woman to be executed in the United Kingdom. She was convicted of the murder of her lover, David Blakely, and hanged at Holloway Prison, London, by Albert Pierrepoint.-Biography:...
and prosecuted suspected serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
John Bodkin Adams
John Bodkin Adams
John Bodkin Adams was an Irish-born British general practitioner, convicted fraudster and suspected serial killer. Between the years 1946 and 1956, more than 160 of his patients died in suspicious circumstances. Of these, 132 left him money or items in their will. He was tried and acquitted for...
, both unsuccessfully.
Career
Stevenson was educated at Dulwich CollegeDulwich College
Dulwich College is an independent school for boys in Dulwich, southeast London, England. The college was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, a successful Elizabethan actor, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars as the foundation of "God's Gift". It currently has about 1,600 boys,...
. He became a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
in 1925. From 1940–1945 he served as a Deputy Judge Advocate with the rank of major. He was appointed King's Counsel in 1943. In 1945 he served at the Nuremberg trials
Nuremberg Trials
The Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals, held by the victorious Allied forces of World War II, most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of the defeated Nazi Germany....
as Judge Advocate at the "Peleus Affair" trial. Heinz-Wilhelm Eck
Heinz-Wilhelm Eck
Heinz-Wilhelm Eck was a German U-Boat commander of the Second World War, who was tried, convicted, condemned and executed postwar for ordering his crew to shoot the survivors of a Greek merchantman sunk by .-Service history:...
and two other officers of the German submarine U852 were sentenced to death by firing squad. A year later in 1946, back in Britain, he sentenced Theodore Schurch
Theodore Schurch
Theodore William John Schurch was an Anglo-Swiss soldier who was executed for treachery following the end of the Second World War. He was the last person to be executed in Britain for an offence other than murder.-Early life:...
to hang for spying. He unsuccessfully stood as the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
candidate in the United Kingdom general election, 1945
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
, for the Maldon division.
In 1952 Stevenson was appointed Recorder of Cambridge
Recorder (judge)
A Recorder is a judicial officer in England and Wales. It now refers to two quite different appointments. The ancient Recorderships of England and Wales now form part of a system of Honorary Recorderships which are filled by the most senior full-time circuit judges...
(a part time judge). In 1954 he represented the British Government in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
during Jomo Kenyatta
Jomo Kenyatta
Jomo Kenyattapron.] served as the first Prime Minister and President of Kenya. He is considered the founding father of the Kenyan nation....
's unsuccessful appeal against his conviction for involvement in Mau Mau activities.
Notable cases
In 1955, aided by junior counsel Sebag ShawSebag Shaw
Sir Sebag Shaw PC was a British barrister and judge.Shaw served from 1958 to 1968 as Honorary Recorder of Ipswich, succeeding Sir Stephen Gerald Howard, QC, MP . Shaw was succeeded by the Hon...
and Peter Rawlinson, he defended Ruth Ellis
Ruth Ellis
Ruth Ellis , née Neilson, was the last woman to be executed in the United Kingdom. She was convicted of the murder of her lover, David Blakely, and hanged at Holloway Prison, London, by Albert Pierrepoint.-Biography:...
. His conduct of the defence has been severely criticised by writer Monica Weller for giving the "prosecution an easy time, subjecting prosecution witnesses to a minimum of cross-examination". He opened by saying: "Let me make this abundantly plain: there is no question here but this woman shot this man [...] You will not hear one word from me – or from the lady herself – questioning that." The jury took 23 minutes to find Ellis guilty. She was hanged.
Stevenson was Sir Reginald Manningham-Buller's number 2 during the failed prosecution of suspected serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
John Bodkin Adams
John Bodkin Adams
John Bodkin Adams was an Irish-born British general practitioner, convicted fraudster and suspected serial killer. Between the years 1946 and 1956, more than 160 of his patients died in suspicious circumstances. Of these, 132 left him money or items in their will. He was tried and acquitted for...
in 1957. The prosecution's conduct has been heavily criticised, and its decision to drop a second murder charge via a nolle prosequi
Nolle prosequi
Nolle prosequi is legal term of art and a Latin legal phrase meaning "to be unwilling to pursue", a phrase amounting to "please do not prosecute". It is a phrase used in many common law criminal prosecution contexts to describe a prosecutor's decision to voluntarily discontinue criminal charges...
was later deemed by the presiding judge, Patrick Devlin
Patrick Devlin, Baron Devlin
Patrick Arthur Devlin, Baron Devlin, PC was a British lawyer, judge and jurist. He wrote a report on Britain's involvement in Nyasaland in 1959...
, "an abuse of process". It has been said that the prosecution might have had a better chance of success if Stevenson had been allowed to lead. Later, talking to journalist Rodney Hallworth
Rodney Hallworth
-Journalism:Hallworth worked as a crime reporter for the Daily Mail. He reported on many cases but most famously on that of suspected serial killer Dr John Bodkin Adams in 1956...
, Stevenson said in regards to Adams' decision not to give evidence in court: "I firmly believe justice is not served by the present law. It should be possible for the prosecution to directly examine an accused [...] It was a clear example of the privilege of silence having enabled a guilty man to escape." In his opinion Adams "was so incredibly lucky to have literally got away with murder".
Judgeship
He was appointed a High CourtHigh Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
judge on 1 October 1957, and (as is traditional) knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
a few days later. For the first four years he was assigned to the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division, and it was only after his transfer to the Queen's Bench Division, that he began to attract press attention.
In 1969, as a judge, he sentenced the Kray brothers, saying "In my view, society has earned a rest from your activities." Then in 1970 he controversially gave long sentences to Cambridge University students for taking part in the 'Garden House riot
Garden House riot
The Garden House riot was a civil disturbance at the Garden House Hotel in Cambridge on Friday 13 February 1970. It was the only serious disturbance in Cambridge in the period around the widespread 1968 student protests...
' demonstration against the military government in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
Later career
In the 1973 New Year HonoursNew Year Honours
The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the New Year annually in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen Elizabeth II...
he became a Privy Counsellor, and retired in 1979. In 1975 he presided over a trial of eight Irishmen accused of conspiracy to cause explosions in the UK. Found guilty, they were sentenced to 20 years each.
Stevenson's home on the Sussex coast was called 'Truncheons': although this was sometimes taken to reflect his authoritarian views the site had in truth been known by that name for many years before Stevenson lived there. He died in 1987 of a heart attack.
Family
He married twice and had three children. He threw out his first wife for having an affair with Colonel Maurice BuckmasterMaurice Buckmaster
Colonel Maurice James Buckmaster OBE was the leader of the French section of Special Operations Executive and was awarded the Croix de Guerre. He was a corporate manager with the French branch of the Ford Motor Company, in the postwar years serving in Dagenham...
, head of the French section of the Special Operations Executive
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
.
Quotes
As a judge Stevenson was known for being outspoken:When presiding over a rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
case, he described it as a "pretty anaemic kind of rape" because the accused's ex-girlfriend was the victim.
Stevenson once said of a husband in a divorce case, “He chose to live in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, a wholly incomprehensible choice for any free man to make“.
To a man acquitted of rape he commented, “I see you come from Slough
Slough
Slough is a borough and unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Royal Berkshire, England. The town straddles the A4 Bath Road and the Great Western Main Line, west of central London...
. It is a terrible place. You can go back there“.
Of the Krays, he once said that they had only told the truth twice during the trial - when Reggie referred to a barrister as "a fat slob" and later when Ronnie accused the judge of being biased.
In 1978 Stevenson was reprimanded by the Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
Elwyn Jones for calling the Sexual Offences Act 1967
Sexual Offences Act 1967
The Sexual Offences Act 1967 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom . It decriminalised homosexual acts in private between two men, both of whom had to have attained the age of 21. The Act applied only to England and Wales and did not cover the Merchant Navy or the Armed Forces...
a "bugger
Bugger
Bugger is a slang word used in the vernacular British English, Australian English, Canadian English, New Zealand English, South African English, Caribbean English, Sri Lankan English and occasionally also in Malaysian English and Singaporean English, and rarely American English...
s' charter".
In the 1994 memoirs, Sword and Wig, of retired Court of Appeal
Court of Appeal of England and Wales
The Court of Appeal of England and Wales is the second most senior court in the English legal system, with only the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom above it...
judge, Sir Robin Dunn, Stevenson was described as, "the worst judge since the war". This prompted a number of high profile legal figures to defend Stevenson.
In popular culture
Stevenson was played by Bernard HorsfallBernard Horsfall
Bernard Horsfall is a British actor.Horsfall was born in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire. He has appeared in many television and film roles including: Guns at Batasi , On Her Majesty's Secret Service , Enemy at the Door , Gandhi , The Jewel in the Crown , The Hound of the Baskervilles Bernard...
in the Lucky, Lucky Thirteen! episode in season one of "Lady Killers", 1980.