Jailed, TV boss who tried to hire hitmen to kill his partner

A RETIRED TV producer who tried to hire three hitmen to kill his partner continued to protest his innocence as he was jailed for 17 years yesterday.

David Harris, pictured, wanted parish councillor Hazel Allinson dead so he could lavish her money on his younger lover.

The 68-year-old dreamed of spending his twilight years on a Caribbean beach with 28-year-old Lithuanian Ugne Cekaviciute after meeting her in a brothel.

But he was caught in a sting operation after the first hitman refused to commit murder and the second tipped off police, who sent in an undercover officer to pose as a contract killer.

After officers arrested him – naked in bed with his lover – Harris claimed his actions were research for a novel called Too Close To Kill. But detectives found he had not written a word and jurors convicted him of three counts of soliciting murder.

Miss Allinson, 69, who stood by Harris throughout the trial, did not watch as the twice- divorced father was jailed at the Old Bailey and the judge was told their relationship remains an ‘open question’.

Judge Anne Molyneux told Harris: ‘Her death was to fund your life.

‘You had used her until she had outlasted her usefulness to you. All that you wanted from her was that she should die and you should inherit her money.’

Harris wanted the proceeds from the sale of his partner’s £800,000 house in Amberley, West Sussex. He trawled sleazy bars and rundown garages to find recruits, who he told to make the murder look like a car-jacking or mugging gone wrong.

Philip McGhee, prosecuting, revealed Harris ‘continues to deny’ he genuinely intended to have Miss Allinson murdered.

The pair met in 1989 when Miss Allinson was responsible for scripts on ITV’s The Bill, while Harris was a location manager.