SWLSbrown – by Peter Walsh and Faye Mayern
A man accused of attempting to murder his former partner by trying to throw her down a well has told a court her claims are ‘absolute baloney’.
Douglas Clifton Brown – cousin of Tory MP Geoffrey Clifton Brown – is said to have attacked Camilla Welby after they left a friends’ house in 2023.
Clifton Brown, 56, is alleged to have driven them both to the 20ft well and tried to drag Miss Welby into it.
The alleged incident took place at High House estate, near Congham, Norfolk on the evening of August 12, 2023.
Clifton Brown – an old Etonian from a distinguished family which includes eight former parliamentarians including a current Tory MP – has denied attempted murder and is on trial at Norwich Crown Court.
Jurors heard Clifton Brown’s police interview in which he branded Miss Welby’s claims as “absolute baloney” on Wednesday (January 15).
He told officers that Miss Welby had strangled him and “gouged my eyes out” after his arrest on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and making threats to kill.
Clifton Brown claimed he had “retaliated in self-defence” and was “astonished” by her claims.
He told police that it was Miss Welby who had been driving the blue Toyota Rav 4 back from a friends’ house at Langham.
Clifton Brown said earlier in the day he had “lost the dog” and that while he was waiting for the animal to turn up he had “started drinking”.
He claimed after they got into the car Miss Welby decided she had better drive as he had had wine at their friends and had been drinking earlier.
Clifton Brown said the plan had been to drive to Langham – where Miss Welby had been staying with him – and claimed she had called him an “idiot” for losing the dog.
He said he had called her a bully which is when she decided she would take him to High House, 25 miles away, instead.
Clifton Brown told police the journey had been “pretty quiet” but when they got to Congham he “refused to get out” which is when “it started”.
He said she had “put her scarf around my neck” and used it to strangle him.
Clifton Brown said Miss Welby “pushed” him out of the car and they ended up on the ground.
He said: “She puts her thumbs in my eyes. That’s the point at which I grabbed her hand and started hitting her with the back of my hand. I put my hands up but I didn’t want to.”
He said he did not want to fight her and was face up on the ground with her on top of him when she “went for my eyes”.
He said she was “quite angry” and had been “trying to gouge my eyes out”.
Clifton Brown, who told officers it was “hurting like buggery”, said he “retaliated in self-defence” and had been using the back of his hand to hit her “maybe 10 to 15 times”.
Police asked him why he hit her that many times.
He said: “Because she was trying to kill me. She was on top of me and a) strangling me and b) gouging my eyes out.”
When asked what his intentions had been, Clifton Brown said: “I wanted her to stop trying to gouge my eyes out and stop strangling me. It was self-defence.”
The defendant, who has a caution for previous assaults on Miss Welby in August 2018, said he had not been to the well on the night, although he had been there the previous morning.
He said the well, which is about 20 feet deep, had a lid on it.
Officers asked if he ever threatened to put Miss Welby in the well. He said: “No, I didn’t.”
When told by police it was Miss Welby’s account that he had been driving, Clifton Brown said: “Really… She said I was driving? You’ve got to be kidding. God, she’s gone bonkers.”
Clifton Brown was asked by police whether he had assaulted Miss Welby during the journey. He said: “No, I didn’t.”
Police then told the defendant she had said he tried to get her out of the car and she had been kicking him. But he claimed that did not happen and what she had been saying was “bonkers”.
The officer said Miss Welby had told them he had said he was going to throw her down the well and then take his own life by throwing himself in.
Clifton Brown said he was “astonished” and described what she had said as “just complete baloney”.
After the prosecution case finished on Wednesday, Stan Reiz KC, defending, said he “would not be calling Mr Clifton Brown” to give evidence in the case.
Judge Alice Robinson asked if his client had been given warnings of adverse inferences jurors might make against the defendant. Mr Reiz confirmed his client had.
Clifton Brown, of Grimston Road, Congham, has already admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent to cause serious harm as well as making a threat to kill.
He has denied attempted murder.
The trial continues.
ENDS
