Excerpt from the Times 01 September 1977

Shot valet wants to stay with employer

Harry Lyttelon Dowsett, an industrialist, was so befuddled by drink that be mistook his valet-ohauffeur for an intruder and shot him in rbe leg with a shotgun, it was stated at Lincoln Crown Court yesterday.

Nevertheless, Philip Wymer, who might never fully recover after his leg was shattered, wants to continue to work for Mr Dowsett, counsel said. 

Mr Dowsett, aged 70. of Greatford Hall, near Stamford, who built up the Dowsett Group of companies, was given a two-year jail sentence, suspended 
for a year, after pleading guilty to unlawful wounding. He was also fined £1,000 and ordered to pay up to £500 prosecution costs. Judge Whitehead ordered his firearms licences to be cancelled. 

Mr Igor Judge, for the prosecution, accepted Mr Dowsett's plea of not guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily barm. He said chat on the evening of April 26 Mr Wymer went to Greatford Hall to see Mr Dowsett. He found him in bed. He was about to go home when Mr Dowsett, who was in a rage, demanded a drink. When Mr Wymer went into an adjoining room Mr Dowsett shot him, saying: “I have got you, you bastard." 

Mr Brian Smedky, QC. for die defence, said: “The last person in the world Mr Dowsett would ever normally want to injure was the man who had been more than just a chauffeur-valet but who was his friend for the past 25 years.