▁former ▁MP . ▁B ess ell ' s ▁claim ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁black ma iled ▁by ▁Scott ▁provided ▁Thor pe ▁with ▁temporary ▁cover . ▁On ▁ 6 ▁March ▁newsp apers ▁reported ▁Hol mes ' s ▁purchase ▁of ▁Scott ' s ▁d oss ier ▁from ▁G le ad le , ▁and ▁a ▁few ▁days ▁later ▁David ▁Ste el ▁discovered ▁from ▁Din sh aw , ▁a ▁personal ▁friend , ▁that ▁£ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁intended ▁for ▁the ▁party ▁had ▁been ▁di vert ed ▁to ▁Hol mes ▁and ▁was ▁un account ed ▁for . ▁Ste el ▁told ▁Thor pe ▁that ▁he ▁should ▁res ign , ▁but ▁he ▁refused . ▁In ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁re ass ure ▁his ▁wa ver ing ▁parliament ary ▁colle agues , ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁March ▁Thor pe ▁made ▁arrang ements ▁with ▁The ▁Sunday ▁Times ▁newspaper ▁to ▁publish ▁a ▁detailed ▁re but tal ▁of ▁Scott ' s ▁charges , ▁under ▁the ▁heading ▁" The ▁L ies ▁of ▁Norman ▁Scott ". ▁ ▁Newton ' s ▁trial ▁took ▁place ▁at ▁Ex eter ▁Crown ▁Court ▁from ▁ 1 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 ▁March ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁where ▁Scott ▁repeated ▁his ▁alleg ations ▁against ▁Thor pe ▁despite ▁the ▁efforts ▁of ▁the ▁pro sec ution ' s ▁law y ers ▁to ▁ste er ▁him ▁away . ▁Newton ▁was ▁found ▁guilty ▁of ▁possess ing ▁a ▁fire arm ▁with ▁intent ▁to ▁end anger ▁life , ▁and ▁sent enced ▁to ▁two ▁years ' ▁imprison ment , ▁but ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁inc rim