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| Jeremy Thorpe scandal: Suspect might not be dead, police say | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A probe into a scandal involving former Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe will be reopened after police may have wrongly assumed one of the suspects was dead. | A probe into a scandal involving former Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe will be reopened after police may have wrongly assumed one of the suspects was dead. |
| A 2015 investigation into the alleged attempted murder of his lover - Norman Scott - was closed in 2017. | A 2015 investigation into the alleged attempted murder of his lover - Norman Scott - was closed in 2017. |
| Gwent Police assumed Andrew Newton - who shot Mr Scott's dog and claimed he was paid to kill Mr Scott - had died. But they now say he may still be alive. | Gwent Police assumed Andrew Newton - who shot Mr Scott's dog and claimed he was paid to kill Mr Scott - had died. But they now say he may still be alive. |
| Mr Scott said he thought police were "continuing the cover up". | Mr Scott said he thought police were "continuing the cover up". |
| The revelations have been unearthed in the BBC Four documentary The Jeremy Thorpe Scandal. | The revelations have been unearthed in the BBC Four documentary The Jeremy Thorpe Scandal. |
| BBC Panorama journalist Tom Mangold, who has investigated the case since the 1970s, said the investigation had ended because police claimed Newton was dead. | BBC Panorama journalist Tom Mangold, who has investigated the case since the 1970s, said the investigation had ended because police claimed Newton was dead. |
| Mr Mangold said it "must start again" and he "wouldn't be surprised at all" if Newton was alive, adding: "When I knew Newton he was a fit, young man." | Mr Mangold said it "must start again" and he "wouldn't be surprised at all" if Newton was alive, adding: "When I knew Newton he was a fit, young man." |
| What was the Jeremy Thorpe scandal? | What was the Jeremy Thorpe scandal? |
| Claims that police altered the evidence of another person being hired to kill Mr Scott before Newton, a small-time air pilot, were unearthed by Mr Mangold in 2014, the year Mr Thorpe died. | Claims that police altered the evidence of another person being hired to kill Mr Scott before Newton, a small-time air pilot, were unearthed by Mr Mangold in 2014, the year Mr Thorpe died. |
| Dennis Meighan said he was approached by associates of Mr Thorpe, and Newton, to carry out the murder. | Dennis Meighan said he was approached by associates of Mr Thorpe, and Newton, to carry out the murder. |
| This led to Gwent Police reopening the investigation, but after they concluded Newton was dead, the Crown Prosecution Service told Mr Scott no further action would be taken. | This led to Gwent Police reopening the investigation, but after they concluded Newton was dead, the Crown Prosecution Service told Mr Scott no further action would be taken. |
| Mr Scott, 78, said: "I just don't think anyone's tried hard enough to look for him. I really don't. | Mr Scott, 78, said: "I just don't think anyone's tried hard enough to look for him. I really don't. |
| "I thought [Gwent Police] were doing something at last and soon found out that absolutely they weren't, they were continuing the cover up as far as I can see." | "I thought [Gwent Police] were doing something at last and soon found out that absolutely they weren't, they were continuing the cover up as far as I can see." |
| Gwent Police said after revisiting some enquiries, investigators "identified information, which indicates that Newton may still be alive". | Gwent Police said after revisiting some enquiries, investigators "identified information, which indicates that Newton may still be alive". |
| "As a result, further enquiries will be conducted to trace Newton to assess if he is able to assist the investigation." | "As a result, further enquiries will be conducted to trace Newton to assess if he is able to assist the investigation." |
| The programme includes unearthed footage from a Panorama programme from 1979 that was never broadcast for legal reasons, after Mr Thorpe and his three co-defendants were acquitted of conspiracy to murder. | The programme includes unearthed footage from a Panorama programme from 1979 that was never broadcast for legal reasons, after Mr Thorpe and his three co-defendants were acquitted of conspiracy to murder. |
| The director general at the time kept a master copy of the programme but ordered all other copies to be destroyed. But veteran reporter Tom Mangold kept his copy of the report. | The director general at the time kept a master copy of the programme but ordered all other copies to be destroyed. But veteran reporter Tom Mangold kept his copy of the report. |
| The programme will air after the end of the dramatisation A Very British Scandal, which stars Hugh Grant as Jeremy Thorpe and Ben Whishaw as Norman Scott. | The programme will air after the end of the dramatisation A Very British Scandal, which stars Hugh Grant as Jeremy Thorpe and Ben Whishaw as Norman Scott. |
| The Jeremy Thorpe Scandal will be broadcast on Sunday at 22:00 BST. | The Jeremy Thorpe Scandal will be broadcast on Sunday at 22:00 BST. |