Belgrano. Part 1
Drama by Richard Monks based on the true story of Clive Ponting, a top civil servant who leaked documents about the sinking of the General Belgrano during the Falklands War.
By Richard Monks
A two-part drama for Radio 4
Drama based on the true story of Clive Ponting, a top civil servant, who leaked documents about the sinking of the Argentinian Cruiser, General Belgrano. Ponting was put on trial but sensationally acquitted by the jury despite his breach of the Official Secrets Act.
The drama examines what drove Ponting to turn his back on Whitehall and why he walked free from court despite the judge directing the jury to convict him. The writer, Richard Monks, drew on Government Papers, newspaper reports, interviews and court transcripts as well as Ponting’s own account for the drama.
The drama includes some imagined scenes and characters.
Clive Ponting ..... John Heffernan
Sally Ponting .... Ruth Everett
Richard Mottram ..... Geoffrey Streatfeild
Ffion ..... Dorothea Myer-Bennett
Tam Dayell/Michael Heseltine/Inspector Hughes ..... Ewan Bailey
Peter Blaker/Admiral Sir John Fieldhouse ..... Neil McCaul
Wreford-Brown/John Stanley ..... Michael Begley
John Nott/Inspector Broome ..... Matthew Durkan
Jerry Wiggin/Second Officer ..... Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong
Cleaner/P.A. ..... Rebecca Crankshaw
Directed by Sally Avens