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The trial of a scarlet woman and her teenaged lover drew crowds to England's Old Bailey in 1935.
The twice divorced temptress of wanton morality was Alma Rattenbury, accused of her older husband's murder alongside her 18 year old lover, George Stoner.
Acquitted at trial due in no small part to the wiles of her high priced attorney, George's inexperienced barrister from a program under the Poor Prisoner's Defence Act won him the death penalty.
While women in the gallery wept and Stoner stood bewildered, Alma collapsed in tears - the heckling public turned on her, villifying her for ruining the life of a hapless boy. A petition of 300,000 signatures demanded the commutation of his death sentence.
Alma spared no expense on George's legal defense at appeal, which was dismissed. On 4th June 1935, Alma dramatically stood at water's edge and plunged a knife in her chest six times before her body slid in the river. George wept at the news, then confessed to having played no part in the crime, he had taken the blame for the woman he loved but her death put an end to his heroic act. He received a reprieve, after serving seven years he was released to fight in the second world war.
Murder at The Villa Madiera by Sir David Napley, an eminent lawyer, was written about the case which also inspired tv programs and a play, Cause Celebre.
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