The legal world this week mourned the death of famed QC George Carman at the age of 71.

Mr Carman, forced to retire from chambers at 4-5 Gray's Inn Square late last year by prostate cancer, starred in a host of famous trials, acting for the likes of Jeremy Thorpe, Ken Dodd and Mohammed Al Fayed.

Jani Allen, who faced Mr Carman when she sued over claims that she had an affair with South African neo-Naxi Eugene Terre'Blanche, once said: 'Whatever award is given for libel, being cross-examined by you would not make it enough.'