He spent the next hour taking the witness through transcripts of his previous court appearances. The jury were enthralled. Even his Lordship was impressed at the total control Muirhead was exercising over his victim.

By the end of this particular chapter the jurors could be left in no doubt that the man before them was a strange mixture indeed.

By the lunch adjournment Warwick, or Beswick, looked like an English opening batsman who had survived a whole morning against a West Indian pace attack, but did not know how. If he enjoyed his lunch it soon turned to acid in his stomach, as Muirhead resumed his questions.

‘Did you read newspapers while you were in prison?’

‘Sometimes.’

‘If you read the newspaper reports of the death of Clark and Boyle you will find many of the details you claim to have obtained from Mr Gallagher. Don’t you think that is interesting?’

‘He told me things.’

Muirhead ostentatiously opened a newspaper.

‘I’m looking at an article from the Daily Record, a paper I’m sure you are familiar with.’

He did not pause for an answer.

‘Published just a few days after the two murders and an article under the byline of Scott Thomas which claims to disclose the story behind the two murders. Interestingly, it reveals that Kevin Boyle was shot in a car, at close range. It names the street where the body was found. It claims to reveal that Boyle was shot in the head. It also describes the finding of the body of Mr Clark in a bin in a lane behind the Ingram Hotel. The author writes that a police source has revealed that Clark was tortured and had his throat cut. Interesting, don’t you think?’

‘He told me. So go on with your little games Mr Hotshot or is it Hot Shit?’

‘Did you read this particular newspaper?’

‘No.’

‘Did you read this newspaper?’

‘Are you deaf as well as stupid? I told you – NO.’

‘I propose to lead evidence from the staff at Barlinnie prison to the effect that while you were in the Segregation Unit at Barlinnie, the one newspaper that you did have access to was the Daily Record. Any smart answers, now?’

‘He’s a killer. I know it. You know it. You just get paid to pretend to believe he didn’t do it. I’ve had a lot of briefs like you. None of them were any good.’

Despite the anger and sense of loathing welling inside him, Muirhead kept his voice very calm and even.

‘What you have told the jury is a mixture of what you read, prison gossip and some inspired guesswork, isn’t it?’

‘Bullshit.’

‘Do you read the News of the World?’

‘What?’

‘Ever read about yourself in the News of the World?’

‘Oh yes, here we go again!’