The following notes of judgments were prepared by the reporters of the All England Law Reports. Child crime L v DPP; T v DPP; W, GH and CH v DPP; QB Div Ct (Otton LJ and Newman J) 2 May 1996.It was unnecessary for the prosecution to call independent evidence regarding a child's perception of the seriousness of what he had done in order to rebut the presumption of doli incapax. He added a totally new voice to his repertoire when he created the howl of a monster troglodyte in Joan Crawford's comeback picture Trog (1970).As a veteran of variety he now turned up on Morecambe and Wise, as a quiz-setter in Bruce Forsyth's Generation Game and as the roar of a lion in a commercial for Campbells' meatballs. His last long run was back on his beloved radio where for five years he appeared on Charlie Chester's Sunday Soapbox, answering listeners' questions about his beloved countryside.When he guested on my own television series Looks Familiar (1981) he turned up one week early! "Never mind, bless your heart," he said. "I'll go down to Regent's Park and teach the birds to whistle."Percy Edwards, animal impressionist: born Ipswich 1 June 1908; married; died Hintlesham, Suffolk 7 June 1996.. Television also made a documentary about his life, The Man Who Talks to Animals, which was introduced by a young Esther Ranzen.In the world of cinema, producers found Edwards's special abilities not only perfect for sound effects, but money-saving too. He was a husky dog in Call of the Wild (1973), a bear in Man in the Wilderness, the titular star of The Belstone Fox (1973) and Peter O'Toole's parrot in Man Friday (1976).

As the surprise guest celebrity on What's My Line he provided animal noises to represent the television team: a blackbird for Lady Barnett, a dove for David Nixon, a kookaburra for Barbara Kelly and a stag at bay for Gilbert Harding. After six shows Tomlinson bowed out in favour of a theatrical tour. In came George Cole, and the series ran and ran, transferring to television in 1956. A huge success with over 100 shows, it only ran down because its creator, Godfrey Harrison, was unable to cope with the pressure of writing a weekly half-hour.Radio seemed to be Edwards's future now. He played Tiny the retriever in the serialised soap opera Waggoners Walk, a cat in Educating Archie, and a horse in Ray's a Laugh. Leslie Bridgmont, the producer, booked him for a new situation comedy entitled A Life of Bliss. It starred David Tomlinson as David Alexander Bliss, the BBC's permanent bachelor boy; Edwards was billed as the voice of Psyche, Bliss's dog.

Edwards championed Miller for the rest of his life, insisting that the comedian's reputation as a mean man stemmed purely from those that knocked him.In 1953 came the radio date that made Percy Edwards's reputation. Programmes now came thick and fast: Vic Oliver gave him a chance but spoilt it by insisting that Edwards wear evening dress instead of his usual countryman's clobber. Fishhawk held the post of Television Liaison Officer and suggested that he and Edwards combine their talents for a series of wildlife programmes to be entitled Today in the Country. The success of this led to more series, first Birds of a Feather, then - with the ornithologist Jack Fisher - Birds of London.A slot on the Carrol Levis Discoveries show gave him a new billing line "The Pied Piper of Suffolk", and a regular slot followed on the top Sunday night radio series Variety Band Box. Roy Rich, a disc- jockey, not yet the head of Light Entertainment, interviewed him, and he was promptly picked up by Joan Gilbert, the somewhat bossy blonde interviewer of the television programme Picture Page. His television debut led to a meeting with "Fishhawk", otherwise known as David Wolfe Murray, a much- admired authority on British wildlife.

He was rejected; his day job making ploughs was considered more important than flying, as it was work that could not be carried out by a woman replacement.After the war he wrote once again to the BBC, suggesting his special talent might make for a suitable interview on their Saturday night special In Town Tonight. Edwards's willow warbler was so piercing it practically wrecked the microphone. Sharman told him to turn his back whilst whistling.In 1929 Edwards made two broadcasts in one week and thought his future was safely assured, especially as he met his broadcasting idol Stuart Hibberd, radio's original "Golden Voice" who announced the shows It was a year before he was invited back. But when he was, he met Max Miller, the very popular "Cheeky Chappie" who would remain a good friend throughout his life.In 1932 Edwards applied for an audition at the Windmill Theatre in Piccadilly. Not yet the famous "We Never Closed" theatre of wartime memory, this was an all-day non-stop revue featuring pretty girls (not yet in the nude) and newish comedians. Vivian Van Dam, the producer, liked Edwards's bird imitations and signed him on to play Goofy the Village Idiot, six shows a day, six days a week, for a fee of pounds 4.Laura Henderson, who owned the Windmill, told Edwards he had lost her 10 shillings, a bet she had placed with Van Dam that his whistling act would not "go".In 1936, after six years' courtship, Percy married Cecily, an apprentice dressmaker, and three years later volunteered for service in the Royal Air Force on the outbreak of the Second World War. Percy did so, went down quite well, and, more importantly, found his signature tune.