Where are they Now ? Part 342 : Peter Hain - Young Liberal bank robber

On April 9th 1976 a youthful untanned Young Liberal leader was acquitted of stealing £490 from a branch of Barclays Bank in October 1975.

Supporters in the public gallery at the Old Bailey in London clapped and cheered as the verdict was announced.

The only evidence presented against Mr Hain, a postgraduate student at Sussex university, was his identification by three schoolboys and a bank cashier.

The schoolboys, who chased the thief, only saw him from a distance and a fourth boy said it was not Mr Hain.

The cashier was the only person from a number of bank staff and customers to pick Mr Hain, 26, from a police identity parade staged three days after the robbery

During the trial members of Peter Hain's family testified he had not left his home in time to commit the robbery.

Speaking to reporters after his acquittal, Mr Hain said he planned a campaign for other victims of mistaken identity.

He said it was possible South African agents may have used a "double" to frame him because of his anti-apartheid activities. Peter Hain later wrote a book about his ordeal, the Putney Plot.

In the House of Commons six MPs, led by Liberal David Steel, called for the resignation of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Sir Norman Skelhorn, over the Hain case. Skelhorn retired from the post before the publication of the critical report by Lord Devlin published in 1977 - he did however enter the history books when In October 1973 at a meeting of the Harvard Law School Forum, Sir Norman did not deny that torture had taken place in Northern Ireland , claiming that: "when dealing with "Irish terrorists" any methods were justified."

This may or may not be the same Mr Peter Hain who appointed Mrs Bertha McDougall as Interim Commissioner for Victims and Survivors of the Troubles On 24 October 2005.

Mr Justice Girvan was tasked to review this curious appointment and taking the role of Solomon, said the appointment of Bertha McDougall by Mr Peter Hain, was in breach of "the accepted merit norms concerning public appointments" and he also called for a high-level inquiry.Mr Justice Girvan held that Mr Hain had been motivated by an improper political purpose, namely a confidence-building gesture to the DUP.

Bertha is is the widow of a police reservist killed by the INLA (Dirty Catholic bastards) in 1981 and her appointment and the method of appointment was challenged by Brenda Downes, whose husband Sean was killed by an RUC (Dirty Prod bastards) plastic bullet in west Belfast in 1984.

Interestingly, in a Judgement delivered on January 15, 2007 Lord Justice Girvan held that the post of IVC formally came to an end on 5th December 2006 by operation of Contract, as a result her report was issued as a personal report... and ..er ... Mr Hain's misdeeds.. er...swept... er... under the carpet. Forgotten .. but not by everybody.

It is for this reason that the matter of 17 donations worth £103,155 to his campaign for the Labour deputy leadership campaign that were not disclosed properly to the Electoral Commission and the rather odd role of money laundering by the Progressive Policy Forum (set up in December 2006, has no website and lists a solicitor as its only named director ) is evidently all a BIG,BIG mistake... and ..er. we can ..er ... expect it all to be ...er swept under the carpet. The new revelations mean suntanned Mr Hain spent £185,000 for his failed campaign and not £82,000 as declared previously ... there were no eye witnesses .. but a passing schoolboy .

Guido handily points out that Under party rules suntanned Mr Hai is required to pay 15% of the funds raised to the party's central funds.

having raised (we now discove - as does the hapless Hain ) a total of £185,000, he should have actually paid the party £27,750. So he owes the Labour Party £16,200. He also owes Romanian born Willie Nagel CMG, a diamond broker and former Tory supporter, repayment on an interest-free loan of £25,000. (see pic may lat year at IDC 5th Annual shindig) Willie also helpfully gave 09.07.07 £5,000 (more)

W. Nagel International Diamond Brokers has offices in Antwerp, Bangkok, Hong Kong, London, Lucerne, Mumbai, New York, and Ramat Gan. Founded in 1952, the company is active in both the rough and polished diamond markets.

The FT were told (apparently)

"Last year, Mr Nagel, who is 83, was approached by John Underwood, a formerLabour communications director, to give money to Mr Hain’s campaign. Mr Nagel declined because he did not wish his name to be made public. Mr Underwood later asked Mr Nagel to donate to Progressive Policies Forum,(PPF) a "think-tank" / "slush fund" pursuing
worthwhile policy causes. He gave £5,000 and made a three-month loan of £25,000.
He was not told the money was going to Mr Hain."

Apparently a very upset Willy wants his dosh back.

Guido also has some fascinating background on Mike Cuddy and his fascinating safety conscious Neath based , demolitionists and lanscapists Cuddy Group who sprung £10,000 for Hain ...

Isaac Kaye is another donor (13.09.07 £10,000 / 19.11.07 £4,623.75 both laundered through PPF, to Peter "The Orangeman" Hain , Isaac has a fascinating history ...especially in South Africa