Michael Argyle (lawyer)
Encyclopedia
His Honour James Morton Michael Victor Argyle QC MC (31 August 1915 – 4 January 1999) was a judge at the Central Criminal Court
of the United Kingdom
from 1970 to 1988. Educated in law at Trinity College, Cambridge
, he was well-known for his right wing views; he was an active member of the Conservative Party
in his younger life and fought Belper
in the 1950 general election
.
prep school and Trinity College, Cambridge
, he was well-known for his right wing views; he was an active member of the Conservative Party
.
As a lawyer he rose to fame defending Ronnie Biggs
in his trial for the Great Train Robbery
. As a judge he is best remembered for his controversial role presiding in the Oz
obscenity trial, in which the three Oz editors (Richard Neville
, Jim Anderson
and Felix Dennis
) were tried on charges of "conspiracy to corrupt public morals", an offence which, in theory, carried a virtually unlimited penalty. Argyle though caused amusement for his question to counsel: "What is this cunnilinctus
?"
The three defendants were found guilty, with Argyle sentencing Neville and Anderson to serve a term of imprisonment with hard labour, but the convictions were subsequently overturned on appeal, when it was found that Argyle had misdirected the trial jury on several occasions.
Argyle retired from the Bench in 1988, but continued to campaign for the restoration of the death penalty.
At the time of Argyle's sentencing in the Oz trial, he had given Dennis a reduced punishment on the basis of his "lower intelligence". In 1995, the now millionaire publisher Felix Dennis
won a libel action against The Spectator
. In an article published on 20 May 1995, Argyle had claimed Dennis and his Oz co-defendants had imported and peddled drugs to school children, and also implied that they were behind threats against his life which had obliged him to stay in a hotel during the trial, guarded by armed Special Branch police. The Spectator donated UK₤10,000 to two charities nominated by Dennis, in lieu of damages. However he declined to sue Argyle personally, commenting: "Oh, I don't want to make him a martyr of the Right: there's no glory to be had in suing an 80-year-old man and taking his house away from him. It was just a totally obvious libel."
Old Bailey
The Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
from 1970 to 1988. Educated in law at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, he was well-known for his right wing views; he was an active member of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
in his younger life and fought Belper
Belper (UK Parliament constituency)
Belper is a former constituency in the UK Parliament. It was created at the 1918 general election as a county division of Derbyshire, comprising the area in the centre of the county and surrounding Derby, and named after the market town of Belper although this was in the north of the constituency....
in the 1950 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1950
The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five...
.
Biography
Argyle attended Shardlow HallShardlow Hall (school)
* For the 17th century country house see Shardlow Hall, DerbyshireShardlow Hall was a school in Shardlow, a village seven miles south of Derby in the English Midlands. It was founded by B.O.Corbett, who had played football for England, as a preparatory school for boys...
prep school and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, he was well-known for his right wing views; he was an active member of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
.
As a lawyer he rose to fame defending Ronnie Biggs
Ronnie Biggs
Ronald Arthur "Ronnie" Biggs is an English criminal, known for his role in the Great Train Robbery of 1963, for his escape from prison in 1965, for living as a fugitive for 36 years and for his various publicity stunts while in exile. In 2001, he voluntarily returned to the United Kingdom and...
in his trial for the Great Train Robbery
Great Train Robbery (1963)
The Great Train Robbery is the name given to a £2.6 million train robbery committed on 8 August 1963 at Bridego Railway Bridge, Ledburn near Mentmore in Buckinghamshire, England. The bulk of the stolen money was not recovered...
. As a judge he is best remembered for his controversial role presiding in the Oz
Oz (magazine)
Oz was first published as a satirical humour magazine between 1963 and 1969 in Sydney, Australia and, in its second and better known incarnation, became a "psychedelic hippy" magazine from 1967 to 1973 in London...
obscenity trial, in which the three Oz editors (Richard Neville
Richard Neville (writer)
Richard Neville is an Australian author and self-described "futurist", who came to fame as a co-editor of the counterculture magazine Oz in Australia and the United Kingdom in the 1960s and early 1970s...
, Jim Anderson
Jim Anderson (editor)
Jim Anderson edited Oz Magazine and later wrote the book Billarooby.Jim Anderson was born in Haverhill, Suffolk, but his family emigrated to Australia when he was a year old. This was due to his father having a dispute with his own father with whom he never reconciled...
and Felix Dennis
Felix Dennis
Felix Dennis is a British magazine publisher, poet, and philanthropist. His privately owned company, Dennis Publishing, pioneered computer and hobbyist magazine publishing in the United Kingdom...
) were tried on charges of "conspiracy to corrupt public morals", an offence which, in theory, carried a virtually unlimited penalty. Argyle though caused amusement for his question to counsel: "What is this cunnilinctus
Cunnilingus
Cunnilingus is an oral sex act performed on a female. It involves the use by a sex partner of the mouth, lips and tongue to stimulate the female's clitoris, vulva, or vagina...
?"
The three defendants were found guilty, with Argyle sentencing Neville and Anderson to serve a term of imprisonment with hard labour, but the convictions were subsequently overturned on appeal, when it was found that Argyle had misdirected the trial jury on several occasions.
Argyle retired from the Bench in 1988, but continued to campaign for the restoration of the death penalty.
At the time of Argyle's sentencing in the Oz trial, he had given Dennis a reduced punishment on the basis of his "lower intelligence". In 1995, the now millionaire publisher Felix Dennis
Felix Dennis
Felix Dennis is a British magazine publisher, poet, and philanthropist. His privately owned company, Dennis Publishing, pioneered computer and hobbyist magazine publishing in the United Kingdom...
won a libel action against The Spectator
The Spectator
The Spectator is a weekly British magazine first published on 6 July 1828. It is currently owned by David and Frederick Barclay, who also owns The Daily Telegraph. Its principal subject areas are politics and culture...
. In an article published on 20 May 1995, Argyle had claimed Dennis and his Oz co-defendants had imported and peddled drugs to school children, and also implied that they were behind threats against his life which had obliged him to stay in a hotel during the trial, guarded by armed Special Branch police. The Spectator donated UK₤10,000 to two charities nominated by Dennis, in lieu of damages. However he declined to sue Argyle personally, commenting: "Oh, I don't want to make him a martyr of the Right: there's no glory to be had in suing an 80-year-old man and taking his house away from him. It was just a totally obvious libel."