Avis

In the novel Five Little Pigs, "Old" Avis was the judge at the trial when Caroline Crale stood accused of the murder of Amyas Crale. According to Quentin Fogg who was on the prosecution team at the time, Avis did not like Elsa Greer, who stood for a type the court knew well: the "home breaker". According to Fogg, Avis was "a bit of a rip himself when young" but still "very hot on morality when he's presiding in his robes". The court was thus sympathetic to Caroline Crayle. In summing up the case, Avis could not deny the facts against Caroline Crayle but gave the jury strong hints about provocation. That did not, however, prevent a guilty verdict at the end.