Trevor Montague – best known for his A to Z books of facts and appearing on a string of TV quiz shows – appeared in court to deny blackmail against the printing company. He is pictured outside Cardiff Crown Court today
A best-selling author and TV quiz show regular was today banned from contacting a printing company for ten years after being accused of blackmail.
Trevor Montague – best known for his A to Z books of facts and appearing on a string of TV quiz shows – appeared in court to deny blackmail against the printing company.
But he was cleared after the prosecution dropped the case when he agreed to a ten-year restraining order.
Montague, 63, was in tears as he walked free from Cardiff Crown Court before the trial over a money dispute with printers involved with one of his books.
He wrote fact books the A to Z of Almost Everything, followed by the A to Z of Sport, A to Z of Britain And Ireland and A to Z of British (and Irish) Popular Culture. He claims to have sold more than three millions copies.
He is also a well-known game show contestant – appearing in Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, Mastermind, Krypton Factor and Fifteen-to-One.
Prosecutor Gareth James said that he would offer no evidence and the alleged victims wanted to ‘put the matter behind them.’
He said: ‘It’s an expressed view that they just wish to put this matter behind them.
‘The defendant will agree to be made the subject of such an order. I would offer no evidence.’
Montague was then given the restraining order at Cardiff Crown Court, preventing him from contacting the two complainants for ten years.
Judge Thomas Crowther QC said: ‘It does seem to me that on the face of this case there was certainly reason for people to be upset.
Montague, 63, was in tears as he walked free from Cardiff Crown Court before the trial over a money dispute with printers involved with one of his books
He first appeared on Fifteen To One in 1990 and was eliminated early on, and caused a stir by returning to the programme two years later under false name Steve Romano while disguising his appearance
‘I am making a restraining order in this case.
‘You must abide by it’s terms. You must not contact them or go to any place where they live or work.
‘Any breach of that would be a criminal offence in the next ten years.’
Montague then left the dock in tears and said: ‘Can I just thank you all very much.’
Montague, also founded the British Quiz Association.
He first appeared on Fifteen To One in 1990 and was eliminated early on, and caused a stir by returning to the programme two years later under false name Steve Romano while disguising his appearance.
Also an author, he has written ‘The A to Z of Almost Everything’, ‘The A to Z Of Sport’, and ‘The A to Z of British & Irish Popular Culture’.
He wrote fact books the A to Z of Almost Everything, followed by the A to Z of Sport, A to Z of Britain And Ireland and A to Z of British (and Irish) Popular Culture. He is pictured right outside Cardiff Crown Court
He is also a well-known game show contestant – appearing in Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, Mastermind, Krypton Factor and Fifteen-to-One
Also an author, he has written ‘The A to Z of Almost Everything’, ‘The A to Z Of Sport’, and ‘The A to Z of British & Irish Popular Culture’. Montague is pictured when he appeared on Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
But he was sued after appearing on Fifteen-to-One twice – under two different names.
Montague disguised himself by slicking his hair back and wearing gold earrings as he called himself Steve Romana.
But Montague was rumbled by an eagle-eyed viewer and was successfully sued by host and producer William G Stewart – and forced to return his prize of a £3,000 vase.
Montague, of Crawley, West Sussex, founded the British Quiz Association in 2001.
He was quizzed by police after he was accused of blackmail against the company of printers.
Before the case, Montague described the charges against him as an ‘absolute joke’. He said: ‘I’m robbed by the Bonnie and Clyde of the print world and yet I am in the dock. What a world we live in.’