On the last day of Dr Stephen Ward‘s infamous trial, the jury went out, and Stephen returned home to his London flat. The next morning, he was discovered unconscious, having overdosed on sleeping pills. He died several days later, on August 3rd, 1963 – having been convicted in his absence.

Whatever his personal flaws, Ward did not live off immoral earnings as charged. He is now widely accepted to have been a scapegoat for Profumo, Astor and others implicated in the scandal, and his tragic fate is a reminder of the true cost of English hypocrisy.

In this extract from my novella, Wicked Baby, Christine Keeler – the model at the centre of the Profumo Affair, and Stephen’s former friend – reflects on his passing. Continue reading →