You may or may not know that there was a murder at 19, Scotland Street, Llanrwst, on Christmas Day, 1937. Caroline Williams was arrested for murdering her husband, William, after he was found with a deep slash from a carving knife to his neck and mouth. She professed her innocence but, as she repeatedly said she and William were alone in the house, Caroline was sent to trial. The Jury pronounced her guilty, but asked for mercy. They had not been given the option of pronouncing manslaughter. The judge had other ideas and sentenced her to hang. Caroline hadn't even been allowed to take the stand.

There was much fault in the investigations and trial, especially taking into account that Caroline had neuritis in her hands, leaving her hands numb. She could not possibly have inflicted such a deep wound on her husband, which I prove in the book.

However, as Caroline was an illiterate gypsy, living in a filthy, squalid condemned slum, photos of which were shown to the Jury, there was an unmitigated feeling of disgust about her, which should, nevertheless, not have swayed the Jury in their viewpoint and decision to pronounce her guilty - but it did.

Caroline hadn't even been allowed to take the stand. After a tumultuous outcry, demonstrations, and numerous letters, with an initial appeal being thrown out, it was eventually decided that the verdict was an unsafe one, receiving much criticism, and Caroline's sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.

I visited Kew Archives, in London, to retrieve copies of four boxes of information they have about the case, which included the police statements, the court transcript, letters, photos, and maps. I was also given information by former residents of Llanrwst - Karen McGregor, Robert Morgans-Mullock and his gran, Doreen Hughes. There is a chapter in the book, written by Doreen and I thank her for her additional insight into the history and life in Llanrwst at the time. I also thank Hazel Jones for her input.

TALK: A LLANRWST CHRISTMAS, NOT WORTH DYING FOR