A FORMER leading politician, who was rocked by scandal, died last Thursday aged 85.
Jeremy Thorpe, who attended Hazelwood School in Limpsfield, was leader of the Liberal Party from 1967 to 1976.
A MP for North Devon from 1959 to 1979, his political career came to an abrupt end following a notorious trial.
Mr Thorpe was charged with conspiring to murder a former male model called Norman Scott.
He was accused of hiring a hitman to silence Mr Scott.
In evidence, Mr Scott claimed that the MP had once driven him to his mother's home in Wolfs Row, Oxted – and that they then sex in the spare room.
Mr Thorpe had also given him money and clothes and helped him to find a job, the Old Bailey heard.
Although the scandal forced Mr Thorpe to resign as Liberal leader, he was acquitted of the charge in 1979, soon after losing his parliamentary seat at a general election.
