Patrick Malahide as Sir Montague Depleach
In the Hercule Poirot novel Five Little Pigs, Sir Montague Depleach was Counsel for the Defence in the original trial against Caroline Crale. Caroline originally received the death sentence for poisoning her husband, but Sir Montague managed to get her in life imprisonment. She died after one year in prison. He tells Poirot about the five potential people who could help him in his investigation of reopening the case.
Sir Montague is described as having a "sudden famous 'wolf's smile'", which was reputed to have a "terrifying effect" on witnesses. He has "force, magnetism" and "an overbearing and slightly bullying personality". He is described as having gotten his effects by "a rapid and dramatic change of manner". He would be handsome, urbane, and charming, and then undergo "an almost magical transformation", with his lips back and a snarling smile.
Portrayals[]
In the 2003 ITV adaptation of the novel, Sir Montague Depleach was portrayed by actor Patrick Malahide. In this adaptation he takes on some of the lines of several other characters (various lawyers and policemen in the novel) as he is the only person besides the "five pigs" whom Poirot interviews. Among other things, he tells Poirot who were the witnesses at the crime scene and also the crucial point that coniine was not found in the beer bottle.