AN ELDERLY BBC presenter, who claimed in February to have smothered his lover as he lay dying from AIDS in hospital, was yesterday branded as “a fantasist” after he pleaded guilty to wasting police time.
The false claims by Ray Gosling led to a six-month investigation by Nottinghamshire police, which consumed 1,800 hours of detectives’ time and cost £45,000.
Gosling made his claims to have smothered his lover, Tony Judson, in his hospital bed as he walked through a graveyard filming a piece for BBC Midlands Inside Outprogramme.
Questioned by police of suspicion of murder, Gosling was interviewed five times over two days where he continued to repeat his claims, giving details about the alleged mercy-killing.
Later, however, he admitted that he had not carried out the killing and claimed that he had got “carried away” in his confession. He said he had meant to say that he “would have” killed his lover.
Prosecuting counsel Simon Clements said the investigation had exposed Gosling “for what he truly is. He did not do this for the worthy and principled reasons he initially claimed,” he told the court.
“He put himself forward as someone empathising with people facing the death of a loved relative . . . They will now realise the man they thought was a worthy an principled journalist is, in fact, a sheer liar and a fantasist,” said Mr Clements.
Mr Gosling was given a suspended 90-day prison sentence.
The BBC apologised for broadcasting Mr Gosling’s claims.