03 June 1997

It’s the day of the hearing and Debbie and Shula are nervous wrecks.
Usha knows Simon’s counsel and, naming no names, talks to him and gets the impression that Simon will be pleading guilty with mitigation, using the interesting phrase “over-enthusiastic” in his summary.
In his mitigation plea, after pleading guilty to “Assault occasioning actual bodily harm”, counsel said such things as; “very unfortunate and regretable”, using his position in society as mitigation of good character, that Simon’s never been to court here before. He even goes as far as, while not using the word provocation, blaming extreme “circumstances”. A conclusion that doesn’t find favour with Debbie.
Apparently Ivy Horobin, currently Richard and Usha’s daily, is feeling under pressure regarding Clive’s release and was very teary with Richard.
Simon’s mitigation concludes by concentrating on his emotional state, Guy’s death and the estate difficulties combined with the intensity of his relationship with Debbie. His trauma at the lack of control has meant that he’s been seeing a counsellor about the anger.
Eventually, a furious Debbie and Shula reveal that he’s got off with a conditional discharge and ú200 compensation – without even considering Shula’s evidence,

Summarised by: Chris Harrison