Witnesses line up to testify to Walker’s fitness

Nov 3 2007 by Liza Williams, Liverpool Daily Post

AMONG the witnesses for the prosecution in John Walker’s trial were former Liverpool Football Club player Phil Thompson, club secretary William Morrison and board member Noel Whit.

Political witnesses included Joe Benton, the Labour MP for Bootle; John Pugh, the Liberal Democrat MP for Southport; and the former Southport Lib- Dem MP, Lord (Ronnie) Fearn.

Fellow Labour councillor John Rice told the court during the hearing he witnessed Walker delivering election campaign leaflets enthusiastically and mounting stairs “like a gazelle”.

Cllr Rice said he was canvassing with him in 2003 and estimated Walker had walked between two and four miles as he delivered leaflets in Manor ward, where he was standing as a candidate.

He said: “He walked with great gusto. I’ve never seen him walking with any impediment at all.”

Retired chemical manufacturer Christopher Pennington told the jury the ex mayor played football against Liverpool football club trainees. “The dads were looking forward to giving Liverpool a thrashing because most of them were Evertonians.

“I was goalkeeper and John Walker was on the dads’ side. The only goal I saved was one that was shot by him.”

In a statement read out to Liverpool Crown Court, former LFC assistant manager Phil Thompson said he regularly gave complimentary tickets to Walker, and never witnessed him having mobility problems.