Raymond Scott's case went to the jury this afternoon after closing arguments were completed. Jurors will consider the charges of theft, handling stolen goods, and removing criminal property.
Scott's defense lawyer offered little more than a strategy of insulting his own client. Toby Hedworth, QC said that Scott is "genuinely some sort of fantasist" and compared him to Walter Mitty.
In his closing argument, Hedworth told the jury "You may have done a bit of a doubletake when you saw Mr Scott. So much of what he is and what he does is outwith our normal expectations. Yes, he’s a petty shoplifter. But does that mean he’s guilty of any other type of theft? Yes, he’s feckless and a spendthrift. He is, you may think, of questionable taste. Yes, he’s had his head turned – he fell into a honey trap. But is he just the sort of bizarre, naive, out-of-the mainstream type of character who could be taken in by someone much more worldly and cynical in Cuba? Is this naive mummy’s boy simply out of his depth? He’s someone who genuinely believes a 21-year-old dancer is his fiancee. Ladies and gentlemen, there’s no fool like an old fool."
Feckless. Petty shoplifter. Naive mummy's boy. Old fool. And, depending on what the jury decides, we may be able to add "convicted First Folio thief" to that list.
