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Pilcher's reputation was damaged in the early 1970s after it was claimed during the drug smuggling trial of Basil Sands, that the defendant (who had been caught red-handed) was innocent, and had been working with the police. After the judge directed the jury to discount any private belief they might
165:. He resigned from the police force before the case came to court. In September 1973 Pilcher was convicted and sentenced to four years' imprisonment, with the judge admonishing the disgraced ex-policeman, "You poisoned the wells of criminal justice, and set about it deliberately."
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to the Drug Squad in 1967, Norman ("Nobby") Pilcher became notorious for the vigour with which he pinned possession of drugs charges on pop stars and hippies, and for the dubious methods employed in his undercover operations, which included paying off informers with drugs.
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newspapers. As is evident from reports in the alternative press and histories of that time, it was widely believed that
Pilcher was frequently planting the drugs his victims were convicted of possessing, though this has never been proven.
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have that
Pilcher's superior, Victor Kelaher, was at the centre of a drug-smuggling ring, since this was something that should be addressed at a subsequent trial, Sands was convicted and was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment.
479:"It is with great sadness that we have to tell you that Norman 'Nobby' Pilcher passed away on Sunday evening, 14th March. Norman had bravely battled Cancer for almost 7-years and in the end he died peacefully in his sleep"
202:'s police character tells a man that he's under arrest and must come with him to the police station because "I'm charging you with illegal possession of whatever we happen to have down there." In
222:, were released in late September 2020. Pilcher died from cancer on 14 March 2021, at the age of 85. His death was not widely publicised until July 2023.
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Several celebrities complained that
Detective Sergeant Pilcher had framed them, or was only carrying out raids and arrests to satisfy the
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Pilcher was born on 1 June 1935. He became notorious for arresting a number of celebrities during the 1960s on drug charges, including
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on drugs charges, but escaped from the rear of the building when
Pilcher rang the doorbell to announce "postman, special delivery".
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Alan Travis wrote that it is widely believed that the lyric "Semolina
Pilchard" in
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The London
Compendium: A Street-by-street Exploration of the Hidden Metropolis
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371:"The night Yogi and Boo-Boo helped Semolina Pilchard snare a Beatle"
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Butterfly on a Wheel: The Great
Rolling Stones Drugs Bust
241:"Hi there, yes I can confirm that is the correct date"
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425:"Gimme Some Truth: The FBI Files of John Lennon"
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453:, ForeEdge Publishing, 2015, pg. 115
168:Pilcher was the subject of the 2003
218:Norman Pilcher's memoirs, entitled
198:sketch; in another Python sketch,
16:British police officer (1935–2021)
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501:"Norman 'Nobby' Pilcher obituary"
369:Travis, Alan (1 August 2005).
314:"Loving Layla by Eric Clapton"
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159:pervert the course of justice
543:Metropolitan Police officers
345:. Penguin. pp. 1001–.
320:. London. 30 September 2007
268:. Veryimportantpotheads.com
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477:@PilcherBC (2021-03-16).
339:Ed Glinert (1 May 2012).
239:@PilcherBC (2023-02-09).
114:, also from the Stones;
134:was nearly arrested at
451:Baby You're a Rich Man
84:Norman Clement Pilcher
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79:The Pheasantry in 2009
399:Wells, Simon (2011).
190:" refers to Pilcher.
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403:. London: Omnibus.
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435:1 September
298:22 November
272:22 November
184:the Beatles
128:John Lennon
120:the Beatles
112:Brian Jones
96:Mick Jagger
56:Nationality
39:1 June 1935
527:Categories
226:References
212:The Rutles
155:conspiracy
66:Occupation
35:1935-06-01
505:The Times
318:The Times
292:The Times
266:"Donovan"
204:Eric Idle
377:. London
208:pastiche
186:' song "
511:26 July
487:Twitter
249:Twitter
163:perjury
143:tabloid
116:Donovan
60:British
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381:20 May
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176:". In
172:song "
170:Primus
483:Tweet
324:2 May
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513:2023
437:2020
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347:ISBN
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