FREE STEPHEN WARD WAS INNOCENT, OK: THE CASE FOR OVERTURNING HIS CONVICTION PDF Geoffrey Robertson | 208 pages | 29 Nov 2013 | Biteback Publishing | 9781849546904 | English | London, United Kingdom Stephen Ward - Wikipedia W hat must be the most elegantly written application ever to have been sent to the Criminal Cases Review Commission CCRC has been delivered this month. It is Geoffrey Robertson QC's plea on behalf of Stephen Ward, the society osteopath involved in the Profumo affair in who killed himself just as his trial for living off the earnings of a prostitute was ending. The book presents a compelling case for overturning the guilty verdict even although 50 years have now passed since Ward was effectively hounded OK: The Case for Overturning his Conviction death by the establishment. The application and book come just as the eponymous Andrew Lloyd-Webber OK: The Case for Overturning his Conviction opens in London. Ward introduced Christine Keeler to the then war minister John Profumoan event that led to the latter's disgrace and was partly responsible for the eventual fall of OK: The Case for Overturning his Conviction discredited Conservative government. As Robertson explains, the police were encouraged to mount a case against Ward on whatever charge they felt might stick. It is, as he puts, "a matter of scandal and concern". All Ward's friends deserted him which was used, wrongly by the court, as a sign of his guilt. This is how the prosecuting counsel Mervyn Griffith-Jones ended his closing speech to the jury: "You may think that the defendant is a thoroughly immoral man for no other reason than he was getting girls for himself and his friends. If you think that this is proved, members of the jury, Stephen Ward Was Innocent may think it is in the highest public interest to do your duty and return a verdict of guilty on this indictment. In his suicide note, Ward makes it clear what he thought of the trial judge, Mr Justice Marshall's, misleading and heavily loaded speech to the jury: "After Marshall's summing-up, I've given up all hope. Should the CCRC spend their time on such an old case when there are so many urgent others before them involving people serving long sentences? Robertson argues that the work required for the CCRC to refer the case back to the court of appeal would be OK: The Case for Overturning his Conviction — indeed he appears to have done it all for them — and that it meets the criteria of there being a "real possibility" of success and there are indeed "exceptional circumstances". The CCRC have confirmed that they have received the application, possibly the first ever with its own musical attached. Justice on trial Criminal Cases Review Commission. This article is more than 6 years old. Duncan Campbell. Society osteopath in Profumo affair in killed himself just as his trial for living off the earnings of a prostitute was ending. Ward introduced Christine Keeler to the then war minister John Profumo. Tue 31 Dec Stephen Ward Was Innocent, OK | Biteback Publishing Stephen Thomas Ward 19 October — 3 August was an English osteopath and artist who was one of the central figures in the Profumo affaira British political scandal which brought about the resignation of John Profumothe Secretary of State for Warand contributed to the defeat of the Conservative government a year later. InWard began practising osteopathy in London, and rapidly became OK: The Case for Overturning his Conviction prominent and fashionable, with many distinguished clients. In his spare time he also studied at the Slade School and developed a talent for sketching portraits which provided a profitable sideline. His practice and his art brought considerable social success, and he made many important friends. Among these was Lord Astorat whose country house, Stephen Ward Was Innocentin the summer ofWard introduced Profumo to a year-old showgirl and night-club model, Christine Keeler. Profumo, who was married to the actress Valerie Hobsonembarked on a brief affair with Keeler. Most of their assignations took place in Ward's home in Wimpole Mews. The matter became complicated when, through Ward, Ivanov met Keeler, raising the possibility of a Profumo—Keeler —Ivanov triangle. Profumo ended his relationship with Keeler, OK: The Case for Overturning his Conviction remained largely unsuspected until early inwhen the disintegration of Keeler's private life brought matters to public and press attention. Stephen Ward Was Innocent denied any impropriety in a statement to the House of Commons but a few weeks later admitted his affair. He resigned from his ministerial office, parliamentary seat and membership in the Privy Council. Amid a range of rumours of widespread sex scandals in Stephen Ward Was Innocent and high society, the police began to investigate Ward. In Junehe was charged with immorality offences and committed to trial. In the trial, in JulyWard was abandoned by his society friends and exposed to the contempt and hostility of the prosecuting counsel and judge. Despite the relative paucity of evidence and the dismissal of most of the charges against him, he was convicted on two counts of living off immoral earnings. Before the verdict was announced, Ward took an overdose of sleeping pills and died three days later. Inthe trial verdict was put under review by the Stephen Ward Was Innocent Cases Review Commissionbut inthe commission decided not to refer the case to the Court of Appeal. The Ward family had a military and clerical background; [3] the Vigors family were of Anglo-Irish stock. Ward was educated at Canford Schoolin the village of Canford Magna near the market town of Wimborne Minster in Dorsetas a boarder, where he was punished for an assault on a fellow-pupil after refusing to name the real culprit. This experience left a longstanding mark. Somewhat lazy and a regular underachiever, he had few realistic career choices when he left Canford in Ward moved to London, where he worked for a few months as a carpet salesman in Houndsditch before an uncle found him a job in Hamburg as a translator in the German branch of Shell Oil. Inhe returned briefly to Torquay, before moving again to London where he worked as a tea salesman. Inhe was persuaded by his mother to seek qualification as an osteopathby studying at the Kirksville College of Osteopathy and Surgery in MissouriUSA. Ward was greatly impressed by the United States. He later commented: "I loved America and Americans, a warm-hearted, open and dynamic people. Their kindness and hospitality made me feel ashamed of the standoffish way the British treat people. On his return from the United States, Ward set up as an osteopath in Torquay. Inhe was conscripted as a private into the Royal Armoured Corpsbased at Bovington. His osteopathic skills became known, and, for much of his time at Bovington, he was relieved from general duties and permitted to practise his profession. However, in view of his evident talents, he was recommended for a commission in the RAMC within the new category of "stretcher-bearer". In Stephen Ward Was InnocentWard was posted to India. The army still found it difficult to accommodate him, and he spent much time canvassing for the proper recognition of osteopathy while being officially assigned to non-medical duties. However, he found opportunities to practise his skills; among those whom he treated was Mahatma Gandhiwho impressed Ward: "Although much of his policy was opposed to that of my own country. I knew that when I was with him I was in the presence of greatness, and my encounter with him was certainly the most important meeting of my life". While there, he had opportunities to treat well-known public figures, the first of whom was the American ambassador, W. Averell Harriman. Ward now had sufficient status and recommendations to set up his own private practice, in Cavendish Square just off Harley Street. Ward's polished manners and conversational skills assured him social success. He Stephen Ward Was Innocent the cartoonist and socialite Arthur Ferrierwhose parties Ward attended regularly and where he mixed with, among others, Prince Philip of Greecelater the Duke of Edinburgh but then a junior officer in the Royal Navy. Ward enjoyed the company of beautiful women, but his relationships were often platonic. Throughout the s Ward's practice grew. Among his new patients was Lord Astorwho became a close friend and who helped Ward to cement his place in London society. In return, Ward introduced the shy Astor to his own world of nightclubs, parties, and girls. Many of Ward's assorted friends from all walks of life joined him for weekends at the cottage, where from time to time they would be joined by Astor and his guests from the main house. Sometimes Ward and his party would mingle with the gatherings at the main house. In his spare OK: The Case for Overturning his Conviction, Ward had attended art classes at the Slade school[6] and subsequently he developed a profitable sideline in portrait sketches. Inhe was commissioned by The Illustrated London News to provide a series of portraits of national and international figures. Ward and Ivanov became firm friends. Ivanov frequently visited Ward at Wimpole Mews and sometimes joined Ward's weekend parties at the Cliveden cottage. MI5 considered Ivanov a possible defector and sought Ward's help to this end, allocating him to a case officer known as "Woods". Captivated by his charm, she agreed to move in with him, although their relationship was not sexual. She stayed Stephen Ward Was Innocent him, on and off, for the next several years and often spent time at the riverside cottage.