GLOUCESTER - An MP yesterday criticised an option contract deal between a group of film makers and the Official Solicitor for the documentary rights on archive material about the serial killer Fred West. The Gloucester MP Mr Douglas French spoke out after it emerged that the deal was made six months before an option contract for film rights was agreed in December with London based Portman Entertainment. Portman said later it was dropping its plans after a storm of controversy over the deal.
Mr French criticised the Official Solicitor, Mr Peter Harris, saying he found it "astonishing and extremely disquieting" that Mr Harris should have kept the earlier deal "secret". But a spokesman for Mr Harris denied the earlier deal was kept secret, and said: "It's just that nobody asked about it."