“Years later I received a summons. I took it to a lawyer and he told me I had nothing to worry about because there was an amnesty and the whole thing would be dismissed, something like that. I replied that I hadn’t done anything illegal, so I didn’t understand why I should have an amnesty.”

“Did the lawyer explain to you that you had the right to refuse the amnesty?”

“No, or at least I don’t remember.”

“In your son’s original trial, you were asked by the prosecution if you had ever been subject to criminal proceedings. You answered no, even though there had been these charges. Why didn’t you mention them?”

“When he said proceedings, I thought he meant a hearing like this, in court, with a judge. I never had that. Like I said, I didn’t get that summons until years after the episode on the beach, and the lawyer assured me there was nothing to worry about, that the case would be dismissed without any need to do anything. I forgot all about it.”

Up until this point, Marinelli had been quite patient, I have to admit. He asked me how much longer we would be discussing this matter, and if I thought I could now go on to the main subject of the testimony.209

“I’ve finished, Your Honour. One final question and I’ll go on to something else. Signora, all the things you’ve told us now, and which we can easily confirm, if the court so wishes, by obtaining the file on that old case – did you mention any of them at your son’s trial?”

“No.”

“For what reason?”

“I was surprised and confused. I hadn’t expected them to bring up that old business. I answered the prosecutor’s questions without really understanding what it had to do with the trial. Nobody asked me to explain and it wasn’t until I heard the prosecutor’s summing-up and read the ruling that I realized I was considered an unreliable witness because I had a criminal record.”