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four weeks to cash this cheque.” At any rate, with such means a6 they had, Aor es ferutFrance ad into Spea and distppeated, Timp west 6 6 remote fishing village on ithe coast of Spain. No one discovered their whereabouts until they went to Madrid at the week- end 23rd-2ith March, 1963. |. . : Lote be ah ae (v) The Newspapers Fiad Them 144, On Sunday, 24th March, 1963, Paul Mann telephoned the British Embassy. Early on Monday, 25th March, 1963, Christine Keeler appeared at a police station in Madrid and asked to stay the night. Newspaper reporters, she said, were besieging the flat where she was staying. The newspaper reporters did in fact find them. And they were quick to make a contract with her under which she would sell them the story of her disappearance. Paul Mann negotiated it. She was to get £2,000, of which 25 per cent (£500) weat to Pau] Mann. The newspaper reporters arranged accommodation for her, ‘as she had nothing. They gave £45 to Paul Mann for immediate expenses. The rest was paid to them when they got back to England. On 28th March, 1963, they brought Christine Keeler back to England and took her to Scotland Yard. On Ist April, 1963, she went to the Central Criminal Court and her recognisance in the sum of £40 was forfeited for her non-appeatance. Paul Mann did not return till some time later. He only, came back on 12th June, 1963. 145. If the intention of Paul Mann and Christine Keeler was to ‘enable Christine Keeler to avoid being called as a witness in the Edgecombe trial, they succeeded completely. The trial of John Edgecombe was started’ on Thursday, 14th March, 1963, and finished on Friday, 15th March, 1963. Christine Keeler was of course missing. The prosecution could, no doubt, have applied for an adjournment if they had thought fit, and it would probably have been granted: for she was an important witness. But the prosecution did not apply for an adjournment. Nor did the defence. So the case went on. - 146. Rumours inevitably spread that an important witness had been got out of the way for political reasons. In view of these rumours I have made every endeavour to find out whether anyone paid money to Paul Mann to take Christine Keeler away. There has been much speculation that Mr. Profumo or Lord Astor paid money to get her to disappear. I have looked closely into the matter. — (vi) Mr. ‘Profumo 147. Mr. Profumo strongly denied that he had paid any money. He very frankly placed at my disposal all records of his bank accounts and of his dealings with shares. I have had these examined by an expert accountant who was nominated by me. He made a most exhaustive exarajuation and made the most minute enquiries. All were answered to his cosigple faction. I have been through his report myself and am satisfied ¥ there is no trace whatever of any money being paid by Mr. Protemisenfirectly or indirectly to or for the benefit of Stephen Ward or Christine Kater or Paut Mann or anyone who might conceivably have had a hand in her d All payments by Mr. Profumo at all material times are fully ce eatod for. I hold the rumour to be entirely without foundation. 46