January 4th, 1971 - 50 years ago today, Keith travels to Hatfield to preside over the opening of a disco at the Cranbourne Rooms adjoining the Red Lion pub
Accompanying him is his wife Kim, his friend and drummer for the Bonzo band "Legs" Larry Smith and his girlfriend, all driven by Keith's chauffeur Neil Boland
A large number of skinheads show up at the disco and after Keith and his entourage leave and get in Keith's Bentley, they attack the car, surrounding it, throwing pennies and stones.
Against the yelled requests of those in the car, Boland gets out to try to clear a path and is quickly set upon by the crowd. Keith, in a panic, scoots under the steering wheel to try to get them out of danger and stomps on the petrol pedal, propelling the car forward, while Smith tries to steer from the backseat since Keith cannot drive
The car travels 100 yards down the road to another social club where they stop to get help. When Keith gets out, a van driver tells him someone is under the car. Keith looks. It is Boland, pinned under the car, his head crushed.
After a 6-week long court case, where Keith had pleaded guilty to drunk driving, driving without a license and driving without insurance, the judge threw the charges out, stating: "
You had no choice but to act the way you did and no moral culpability is attached to you"