 | 'When I presented him with the four pictures and put it to him they showed him setting the curtain alight, he replied: "I can't say that that's me. I'm not saying it's not me. It's not conclusive." It was the classic politician's response, calculated to evade the question rather than answer it.' Calum MacDonald, in the Herald, 2 nd September 2005. |  |
THE case might never have come to court had The Herald not published damning pictures of Lord Watson starting the fire, the court was told yesterday.
Paul Burns, Watson's lawyer, told the sheriff the publication of the CCTV images was instrumental in instigating the criminal investigation that resulted in charges being brought.
The images showing Watson entering the room and setting the curtain alight, which were published exclusively, were obtained by Joan McAlpine, the deputy editor of The Herald, soon after the incident at Prestonfield House last November.
She passed them to me, and I confronted Watson with them the next day at his Glasgow constituency office. He was brusque and confrontational during the short interview: he only reluctantly agreed to speak to me, ordered our photographer out of his offices and then, when I produced the images, tried to snatch them from my hands.
He denied any culpability and, when asked if he was responsible for starting the fire, replied: "Absolutely not". But I would have expected anyone wrongly accused of such a serious offence to react with indignation. He carefully hedged his bets.
When I presented him with the four pictures and put it to him they showed him setting the curtain alight, he replied: "I can't say that that's me. I'm not saying it's not me. It's not conclusive." It was the classic politician's response, calculated to evade the question rather than answer it.
In court, Mr Burns said Watson had been very drunk. When I had asked him if he had been drunk, he simply replied: "I don't think so."
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