Primrose Brown sprang to her feet. ‘Your Honour, this is not admissible evidence.’

Richard Jupp spoke up. ‘I don’t agree.’ He turned back to Cork. ‘Continue with your witness.’

‘Thank you, Your Honour.’ Cork addressed Starr once again. ‘Between the time when you believe the defendant was instrumental in winning your appeal and the present time, can you tell us the nature of your involvement with this business?’

‘I have been its General Manager since 2004.’

‘And what has that involved?’

Cork’s expression, thought Meg, was almost unbearably smug.

‘Well, basically, running it.’

‘You and how many other employees?’

‘Just me, mostly. We do have a couple of part-time workers and a full-time mechanic. Most mechanical work and cleaning I farmed out to independent contractors, as well as bookkeeping and secretarial services.’

‘So what have been your duties in this role of General Manager?’

‘I’ve been responsible for the regular purchase and resale of various classic sports cars, often selling them at a loss, to provide turnover and to give the impression of this being a legitimate business. I have also from time to time taken in high-value cars for clients, putting them on display to try to sell them on their behalf.’

‘So, during your time as General Manager of LH Classics, would you consider yourself to have become something of an expert in classic sports cars, Mr Starr?’

He smiled. ‘You could say that.’

Cork paused, nodding with a profound air. ‘With all of these years of trading in what you describe as classic sports cars, have you learned to identify those that are real and those that are fakes?’

‘I hope so.’

Playing to the jury again, Cork said, ‘And I would imagine your customers would hope so, too?’

Again, Starr smiled. ‘Trust is very important.’

‘Indeed, so I can imagine. Tell me, what is the most expensive car that LH Classics has sold in your time there?’

‘Last year we sold a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT, Short Wheelbase for eight point five million pounds.’

‘And you made a nice profit on that?’

‘We take a ten per cent premium on any car we sell for a client.’

‘I’m not a brilliant mathematician,’ Cork said. ‘Eight hundred and fifty thousand pounds profit?’

‘Yes.’

‘And is that less profitable than the importation of drugs?’

‘Of course it is,’ Starr replied.

‘Mr Starr,’ the prosecutor continued, ‘this 1961 Ferrari – were you certain it was genuine?’

‘I was, yes. We had its full history and were satisfied with its provenance. I have to say that the sale of that car was an exception, we didn’t make anywhere near that sort of money on the majority of the cars that went through the business.’

‘So, with your expertise, you would have been able to distinguish this venerable Ferrari from the fake that you transported into Newhaven on November 26th last year?’

‘Yes, without doubt.’

‘How are you able to be so certain?’