Georgina sat, leaning forward, her arms resting on her knees, her head in her hands. Copious tears fell from her red rimmed eyes onto the white tiled floor creating a small pool.
She heard the cover on the inspection hole in the cell door rattle open and drop back into place. The door opened and a young constable stepped inside bringing breakfast on a tray.
`Here yer are love a bit of breakfast for you`.
Georgina shook her head. `I couldn`t eat anything`.
`You`d better try; it`s going to be a long day for yer`.
`Just leave it please, do you know how long it will be before anyone comes to talk to me?`
`Couldn`t say but my guess is not too long, so try to eat something`.
When the constable came back an hour later he noted that the tea had gone but the breakfast was a sorry congealed mass, untouched.
`Would you come with me please` He held the door, took her arm lightly and led her down the corridor. They stopped at a green painted door with the sign, Interview Room Two. Again the constable held open the door and Georgina stepped inside.
Seated at one side of a table were a man and a woman.
Striding across the room another man held out his hand. `I`m Mark Clitheroe the duty solicitor I`ve been asked to sit in on the interview until you can appoint someone to represent you. Come and sit down, are you alright? His concern seemed genuine and Georgina offered a wan smile. `As I will ever be again.`
The female at the table had stood and motioned Georgina into the chair opposite her. `Sit down please. I`m Detective Sergeant Joanne Charlton and this is my colleague Detective Constable John Gordon. We need to ask you a few questions.`
They all sat. DS Charlton explained the procedure of taping the conversation and pointed out the video camera in the corner of the room. She started the tape and began `I am Detective Sergeant Joanne Charlton, also in the room is Detective Constable John Gordon` She smiled at Georgina, `For the tape can you please state your name`
`Georgina Elizabeth Carr`
`Also in the room is Duty Solicitor Mark Clitheroe` this latter from Mark Clitheroe, he`d been here before and knew the drill well.
`Remember Mrs Carr that you`re still under caution`. DC Gordon reminded Georgina `Now can you tell us in your own words what happened at your home, 17 Glaisdale Close, Highton on Monday 20th March.`
`I met Ted when I was on holiday in Cyprus two years ago` began Georgina but stopped when an interruption came from DC Gordon `Sorry to stop you Mrs Carr but we need you to concentrate on last Monday`. DS Charlton looked at her colleague and said `That`s alright John let Mrs Carr tell it her way` She knew that they were more likely to get the whole story and the truth that way.
Georgina continued, `I met Ted when I was on holiday in Cyprus two years ago, it was my first holiday for five years, it took me that long to set up the business and see it successful, I have a number of Children`s clothing outlets now. Anyway we met, hit it off and when we came home we eventually married.
Ted said he worked in the financial markets and for the first two weeks after the wedding he went out every morning at half past seven and came home at six o`clock. One day he arrived home in the middle of the day and announced that he had given up his job because he felt demeaned. He didn`t say any more than that. He didn`t seem to find it too demeaning to live off me and became a total liability, I provided everything for him but I loved him. She paused.
DS Charlton intervened when the pause grew long. `What changed Mrs Carr?`
`He became violent`. Georgina`s voice was low but distinct. `I was cooking his breakfast one morning before setting out for my office and because the bacon was crisp he hit me, without warning he hit me. Oh he apologized straight away and said it would never happen again but it did, many times. He never marked my face just slaps and punches on the back and arms and legs` She pulled up the sleeves of her cardigan to reveal the bruising from the lightest of brown to dark angry purple, the result of many beatings over a long period, the bruising stretched from upper arm to elbow. `My back is the same`
DS Charlton looked at her colleague and tapped the medical report on the table in front of her. John Gordon nodded, he had read it.
Severe bruising to the torso, back and front, particularly the buttocks. Bruising to the upper arms and thighs. The bruises indicate systematic beating took place.
`Go on Mrs Carr` John Gordon encouraged rather than demanded.`Last Monday I came home and as I walked in the door he pushed me to the floor and kicked the top of my leg. He shouted at me `Get your sad backside in the kitchen and get my dinner`.
`I went in the kitchen boiled a pan of water, and carried it into the lounge, he was watching television, I stood behind him and poured the water over his head. It was like some sort of tableaux I stood with the cooking pot and he sat not moving, his hands raised, a bit like Tommy Cooper. It`s funny but I remember Gail Platt off Coronation Street bemoaning her choice of men.`
`I thought Ted had died, but when the skin started to peel from his face he began to whimper, it was then I hit him as hard as I could with the pan` Georgina looked at DC Gordon and explained, `It was cast iron, I`d always wanted cast iron cooking pots, and then I just kept on hitting him until I couldn`t hit anymore. Then I phoned you`.
The silence lasted for a little while.
DS Charlton said very quietly `Thank you Mrs Carr. Interview terminated at eleven twenty three`
`What will happen now?` this from Georgina.
`We`ll pass all the information on to the CPS, The Crown Prosecution Service and they will tell us what charge we can proceed on. I just need to confirm a couple of details with you and then I`m afraid we will have to hold you for a little longer`.
`What are the chances of bail? Mark Clitheroe asked.
The DS looked at him and then at Georgina. `Pretty good I would have thought but you`ll need to make application in front of the magistrate later today. I can tell you that we will not be apposing bail. Now can I just confirm that your maiden name was
Georgina Elizabeth Vall?`
Georgina nodded. `Yes that`s spelt Vall`
`So you are Georgina Elizabeth Carr nee Vall`.
After a joke like that Georgina got off with a caution.
