Guildford Four man 'made no complaint': Trial told of 'amenable interview' with police
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.PATRICK ARMSTRONG, one of the Guildford Four released by the Court of Appeal in 1989, made no allegations of ill-treatment by Surrey detectives when interviewed by senior members of the Metropolitan Police, the Old Bailey was told yesterday.
Robert Huntley, then Commander of the Metropolitan Police Bomb Squad investigating IRA attacks in London, told the jury Mr Armstrong made 'confession after admission after confession' during a 'very amenable' interview several days after his arrest in December 1974.
Mr Huntley was giving evidence for the prosecution on the third day of the trial of Thomas Style, 59, a former detective chief inspector; John Donaldson, 57, a former detective sergeant; and Vernon Attwell, 52, a former detective constable. They deny conspiring to pervert the course of justice by manufacturing the notes of interviews with Mr Armstrong and falsely claiming they were contemporaneous to bolster their evidence.
Mr Armstrong was seen by Mr Huntley, Jim Nevill, then a detective chief superintendent, and Peter Imbert, then a detective superintendent and later Metropolitan Commissioner.
According to notes of the interview read to the court, Mr Armstrong admitted IRA membership, confessed to planting the Guildford public house bomb which killed five people, but rejected suggestions he committed the Woolwich bombing; he named the other three members of the Guildford Four.
Mr Huntley said: 'He never hesitated and at no time did he make any complaint about any of my officers or any other officers.' At his trial, Mr Armstrong's lawyers alleged he was badly treated by the Surrey officers, who had written out his statements, and that he been too scared to complain.
The trial continues.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments