the NGA continued illegal action. When other newspapers reported on picketers charged with violence, the NGA shut down those newspapers too. In November, 1983, over four thousand trade unionists attended a mass picket. The police brought in riot-trained Police Support Units from five surrounding areas and the confrontation became physical. Baton charges were used to clear the road and allow newspaper deliveries to leave. Bottles and bricks were thrown at police, 23 police and 13 picketers were injured, 86 picketers were arrested, one of whom had a replica pistol. In January 1985 the NGA agreed to abide by the court orders, and removed support for the picket. The strike ended entirely in May In 1986 he launched Today, selling it in 1987 to Tiny Rowland's conglomerate Lonrho. He then launched The Post, which ran five weeks before shutting down. Shah sold his newspapers in 1988 and set up an independent TV company. Author Shah is the author of several novels, including The Lucy Ghosts (Doubleday, 1991), Ring of Red Roses (Corgi, Doubleday, 1992), Manchester Blue (Corgi, 1993), and Fallen Angels (Doubleday, 1994). After a break from writing, he returned in 2008 with a thriller entitled Second World (Pan Books). Current business activities Shah now owns and runs golf courses, leisure centres and hotels, including the Wiltshire Golf and Country Club, Royal Wootton Bassett. He has recently built 44 holiday homes at his Wiltshire Golf club. Personal life Shah is married to actress Jennifer White Shah, whom he first met while he was working for Granada Television. The company was producing The Caesars'' (1968) and Jennifer White was an actress playing Caligula's sister in the series. They have three children, and live in Chippenham. Controversies In October 2012, he was charged with child sex offences allegedly committed in the 1990s. In December 2012, he denied six counts of rape involving a girl under 16. The trial started at the Old Bailey on Tuesday 7 May 2013. On 12 July he was found not guilty. In August 2013, he said that girls who throw themselves at celebrities or who "go out and just have a good time" could themselves be to blame. In such cases, charges involving girls under the age of consent could just be a technicality. His comments drew strong criticism from the National Association of People Abused in Childhood, who said that rape was always a crime and the