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Trial and Error: The Maguires, the Guildford Pub Bombings and British Justice
On 19 October 1989 the Guildford Four were released after fifteen years’ imprisonment. In this astonishing book, Robert Kee exposes a dreadful miscarriage of justice.
The trials of the Guildford Four and the Maguire Seven reveal a grim story of prejudice and cynicism in British courts, police complicity and the scandal of ‘induced’ confessions. Despite continual protestations of innocence, at the time Trial and Error was first published the Maguires remained convicted of the charges brought against them (the verdicts were subsequently quashed).
Trial and Error was the first book to expose the full extent of the corruption and injustice that shook the United Kingdom. It is a highly intelligent, meticulously researched and comprehensively written work, and a must-read for all interested in matters of history, politics and justice.
Praise for Trial and Error:
’A classic of its genre… he deserves a substantial share of the credit for the vindication of the Guildford Four, intolerably late though it was. Can miscarriage of justice be eliminated? Not entirely, because we are human and fallible. But much can be done to improve the system if we will’- Lord Scarman, October 1989
‘When first published in 1986, this penetrating book … played a significant part in the development of the campaign to establish whether or not these convictions were safe or satisfactory. Many people have a good reason to be grateful to Robert Kee for his careful and painstaking research’ - Cardinal Basil Hume, October 1989
‘A very fine job indeed, both for justice and journalism’ - Independent
‘Comprehensive and disturbing reassessment’ - Ludovic Kennedy in the Spectator
‘Continues that tradition of journalists who are prepared to fight for justice where injustice has been done and in doing so preserve the very fabric of justice itself’ - Sunday Times
‘This sensitive, thorough and compassionate book’ - Irish Times
Author, journalist and broadcaster Robert Kee (1919–2013) worked for many years for both ITV and BBC television on current affairs series such as Panorama and This Week. He was a special correspondent for the Sunday Times and the Observer and literary editor of the Spectator.
The trials of the Guildford Four and the Maguire Seven reveal a grim story of prejudice and cynicism in British courts, police complicity and the scandal of ‘induced’ confessions. Despite continual protestations of innocence, at the time Trial and Error was first published the Maguires remained convicted of the charges brought against them (the verdicts were subsequently quashed).
Trial and Error was the first book to expose the full extent of the corruption and injustice that shook the United Kingdom. It is a highly intelligent, meticulously researched and comprehensively written work, and a must-read for all interested in matters of history, politics and justice.
Praise for Trial and Error:
’A classic of its genre… he deserves a substantial share of the credit for the vindication of the Guildford Four, intolerably late though it was. Can miscarriage of justice be eliminated? Not entirely, because we are human and fallible. But much can be done to improve the system if we will’- Lord Scarman, October 1989
‘When first published in 1986, this penetrating book … played a significant part in the development of the campaign to establish whether or not these convictions were safe or satisfactory. Many people have a good reason to be grateful to Robert Kee for his careful and painstaking research’ - Cardinal Basil Hume, October 1989
‘A very fine job indeed, both for justice and journalism’ - Independent
‘Comprehensive and disturbing reassessment’ - Ludovic Kennedy in the Spectator
‘Continues that tradition of journalists who are prepared to fight for justice where injustice has been done and in doing so preserve the very fabric of justice itself’ - Sunday Times
‘This sensitive, thorough and compassionate book’ - Irish Times
Author, journalist and broadcaster Robert Kee (1919–2013) worked for many years for both ITV and BBC television on current affairs series such as Panorama and This Week. He was a special correspondent for the Sunday Times and the Observer and literary editor of the Spectator.
- GenresHistoryTrue Crime
313 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 10, 2021
About the author
Robert Kee
36 books12 followersRobert Kee, CBE was a broadcaster, journalist and writer, known for his historical works on World War II and Ireland.
He was educated at Stowe School, Buckingham, and read history at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he was a pupil, then a friend, of the historian A.J.P. Taylor.
During World War II he served in the Royal Air Force as a bomber pilot. His Hampden was shot down by flak one night while on a mine-laying operation off the coast of German-occupied Holland. He was imprisoned and spent three years in a German POW camp. This gave him material for his first book A Crowd Is Not Company. It was first published as a novel in 1947 but was later revealed to be an autobiography. It recounts his experiences as a prisoner of war and his various escapes from the Nazi camp. The Times describes it as "arguably the best POW book ever written."
His career in journalism began immediately after the Second World War. He worked for the Picture Post, then later became a special correspondent for The Sunday Times and The Observer. He was also literary editor of The Spectator.
In 1958 he moved to television. He appeared for many years on both the BBC and ITV as reporter, interviewer and presenter. He presented many current affairs programmes including Panorama, ITN's First Report and Channel 4's Seven Days. He was awarded the BAFTA Richard Dimbleby Award in 1976.
Kee wrote and presented the documentary series Ireland – A Television History in 1980. The work was widely shown in the United Kingdom and the United States and received great critical acclaim, winning the Christopher Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize. Following its transmission on RTÉ, the Irish national broadcaster, Kee won a Jacob's Award for his script and presentation.
He was educated at Stowe School, Buckingham, and read history at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he was a pupil, then a friend, of the historian A.J.P. Taylor.
During World War II he served in the Royal Air Force as a bomber pilot. His Hampden was shot down by flak one night while on a mine-laying operation off the coast of German-occupied Holland. He was imprisoned and spent three years in a German POW camp. This gave him material for his first book A Crowd Is Not Company. It was first published as a novel in 1947 but was later revealed to be an autobiography. It recounts his experiences as a prisoner of war and his various escapes from the Nazi camp. The Times describes it as "arguably the best POW book ever written."
His career in journalism began immediately after the Second World War. He worked for the Picture Post, then later became a special correspondent for The Sunday Times and The Observer. He was also literary editor of The Spectator.
In 1958 he moved to television. He appeared for many years on both the BBC and ITV as reporter, interviewer and presenter. He presented many current affairs programmes including Panorama, ITN's First Report and Channel 4's Seven Days. He was awarded the BAFTA Richard Dimbleby Award in 1976.
Kee wrote and presented the documentary series Ireland – A Television History in 1980. The work was widely shown in the United Kingdom and the United States and received great critical acclaim, winning the Christopher Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize. Following its transmission on RTÉ, the Irish national broadcaster, Kee won a Jacob's Award for his script and presentation.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 6, 2018
The appalling role of the police in securing these convictions is now well known. This was the first book to expose it meaningfully and reliably. It doesn't linger. Like a fair court room it presents both sides and leaves the reader to doubt and query. There have been huge changes in policing since with a Royal Commission, PACE and a whole series of exposures that show that policing in this country during the 1970s and 80s was disgraceful. Whether it is truly reformed is a moot point. But we'll leave that as it is.
The big qusetion mark is over the independence and fairness of the judiciary and the leagl system in these trials, appeals and campaigns. That the Guildford Four and the Maguires didn't get a fair trial can be taken as fact. Why this should be and what happened in the aftermath connects it with the present. Sir Michael Havers role is close to despicable and yet he went on to be Attorney General. Donaldson J went onto be Master of the Rolls. Both seem in the light of this book (and though seemingly balanced and good journalism is nonetheless a single viewpoint) would appear to be unfit for public office.
There was a change in the attitude of the judiciary once the corruption, the wrong-doing, the unfairness was exposed; the rank corruption mining all within, infecting unseen; was exposed in Lord Lane's famous (and horribly reluctant words of realisation "Then, they must have lied". There is a strong need to see just how far this change is real and how far the old ways remain in the habits of the courts (lower courts, magistrates etc as well as the high flown justices). Perhaps someone with time on their hands, a commitment to justice, a love of the potential of the English legal system and the resources to hand might make it a doctoral comparative study into the workings of the criminal justice system 1970-1990 v 2000 - 2018.
What remains here is a story that shouldn't have been largely pushed into a corner and left to the sneering cynical claims that there must have been guilt. If my mother had been arrested that day, along with my brothers and myself, we would have been no more guilty than the Maguires. What happened here is a national disgrace. It was exposed as a national disgrace and improvements were made. This book by Robert Kee played a big role in the exposure. It ought to be read more widely but for the good that it has done we owe the author a huge vote of thanks.
The big qusetion mark is over the independence and fairness of the judiciary and the leagl system in these trials, appeals and campaigns. That the Guildford Four and the Maguires didn't get a fair trial can be taken as fact. Why this should be and what happened in the aftermath connects it with the present. Sir Michael Havers role is close to despicable and yet he went on to be Attorney General. Donaldson J went onto be Master of the Rolls. Both seem in the light of this book (and though seemingly balanced and good journalism is nonetheless a single viewpoint) would appear to be unfit for public office.
There was a change in the attitude of the judiciary once the corruption, the wrong-doing, the unfairness was exposed; the rank corruption mining all within, infecting unseen; was exposed in Lord Lane's famous (and horribly reluctant words of realisation "Then, they must have lied". There is a strong need to see just how far this change is real and how far the old ways remain in the habits of the courts (lower courts, magistrates etc as well as the high flown justices). Perhaps someone with time on their hands, a commitment to justice, a love of the potential of the English legal system and the resources to hand might make it a doctoral comparative study into the workings of the criminal justice system 1970-1990 v 2000 - 2018.
What remains here is a story that shouldn't have been largely pushed into a corner and left to the sneering cynical claims that there must have been guilt. If my mother had been arrested that day, along with my brothers and myself, we would have been no more guilty than the Maguires. What happened here is a national disgrace. It was exposed as a national disgrace and improvements were made. This book by Robert Kee played a big role in the exposure. It ought to be read more widely but for the good that it has done we owe the author a huge vote of thanks.
October 4, 2025
This true story still has the power to shock after all these years. It's horrifying to think people end up earning life sentences due to police fixating on them, to the extent that even when seasoned IRA members told the authorities they had done the bombings not the Guildford Four, this was ignored.
The writing is pretty crisp and the story moves along really well, although an understanding of the UK court system is helpful for parts of it. It's well worth checking out.
The writing is pretty crisp and the story moves along really well, although an understanding of the UK court system is helpful for parts of it. It's well worth checking out.
December 12, 2023
Proved illuminating
February 19, 2024
Interesting read and an insight into a blatant miscarriage of justice. It could have been a better read if the context had been included in more detail. In some ways a slightly coloured view which given the author's previous is understandable.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews