Vernon Fletcher LL.B. was Clerk to Weatherfield County Borough Council. In January 1973, Alf Roberts had been chosen as the new Mayor of the borough and all had gone smoothly until one night in February when he had unwittingly knocked down an old lady, Mrs. Leach, while reversing his car into her drive. Her son Norman had tried to blackmail Alf but he was seen off by Bet Lynch who had been a witness to the incident as she was also in the car, and had guessed that Leach had previous form and probably wouldn't be believed by the police.