Anglonautes > English vocabulary / words > Sexual violence, Prostitution

The severe calm of an English court was sorely tried by the "Madame Cyn" case. But the law proved as unshakable in its stays as the nobly constrained form of Mrs Cynthia Payne herself.

The Inner London Crown Court, where Mrs Payne was cleared yesterday of controlling prostitutes, took it all: accounts of Mrs Payne's style of home entertaining in Ambleside Avenue, Streatham, and the tumultu ous scenes when a police raid brought the party to an end – a great final fling of bedroom doors, revealing prodigies of corsetry and of sexual energy among the elderly infirm.

Judge Brian Pryor, who conducted the trial, sat in his wig and calf-length gown as a constable described his party-time encounter with a gent in curly grey wig and evening frock who introduced himself as Amanda. During a lesbian floor show, of course. Cynthia Payne has always thrown that sort of party.

Day one (January 22) opened with colourful events at No 32 and the denouement as the police crashed in. One man was in Mrs Payne's bathroom sitting on the rim of the bath, with a woman at his knee. When the police burst in she sprang to her feet. The gent toppled backwards into the tub, legs in the air and trousers around his ankles. Mrs Payne could hardly be blamed for his predicament. A sign on the door asked visitors not to fornicate in the bathroom "by order".

Day four: Inspector Colin White described an exchange with Mrs Payne – who said that she used to be a prostitute "until I got someone else to do the work... I prefer to enjoy the parties these days. Anyway, the hostess can't keep disappearing all night."

Day five: Items taken from the house were displayed in court, including a large, green luncheon vouchers sign, contraceptive pills, and a wooden bead necklace. Judge Pryor: "It is notorious that judges have always led sheltered lives but I cannot, for the moment, see the significance of the bead necklace."

February 3: Mrs Payne, with some dignity, explained from the witness box that she never indulged in sex at her parties. "I know it does make people happy, but to me it is just like having a cup of tea," she said.

February 9: Mr Spens, defending, sympathised with the jury who must be feeling "punch drunk" after hearing from a policeman who infiltrated three parties. His version of events amounted to "a sort of sexual marathon not even a Mars bar a day could possibly sustain". Judge Pryor, summing up, warned that the case was a criminal trial, not a form of entertainment.

'Madame Cyn' strains court-room calm,
G,
12 February 1987,
republished 12.2.2009,
p. 34,
http://digital.guardian.co.uk/guardian/2009/02/12/
pages/ber34.shtml

Explore more on these topics

Anglonautes > Vocapedia

sex crimes, trafficking, prostitution > USA

global economy

cheap labour, forced labour, slavery >

21st century

violence,

knife crime / stabbing,

gun violence,

abuse, domestic violence,

prostitution, sexual violence, rape,

kidnapping, crime, police >

violence against women and girls

worldwide

femininism

law, justice, prisons > UK