A BRILLIANT defence solicitor who lost his wife, his Petersfield home and Bordon business after being "fitted up" by the police, he spiralled into depression and hanged himself, an inquest heard last month.
Father of three, Martin Sparkes' life fell apart when police raided his home and charged him with aiding the criminals he was so successful at defending in court.
But the case was thrown out by a Crown Court judge, who accused the police of using underhand methods and trying to "entrap"' the lawyer.
His family claim the case was part of a police vendetta against him because he had thwarted so many police prosecutions. As a result of publicity surrounding the case, Mr Sparkes' business collapsed, he became depressed and his 25-year marriage crumbled. He was admitted to a psychiatric hospital but hanged himself by his shoe laces the day after being released – and just hours after visiting his family.
Mrs Sparkes, 51, is now suing Hampshire Police for malicious prosecution, false imprisonment and trespass on behalf of her husband.
The inquest in Wells, Somerset, heard how his ordeal began in October 1995 when police executed a dawn raid on his family home in Petersfield.
He had started his business, Sparkes and Co, in Bordon in 1984 and rapidly earned a reputation for securing acquittals by exploiting technical and procedural failings in police methods. Mr Sparkes and his clerk David Campbell became involved in a number of high-profile drugs cases, often winning acquittals against the odds.
But the pair became victims of their own success when senior officers began to suspect they were "in cahoots" with their underworld clients.
In December 1995, Mr Sparkes was charged with money laundering over a house sale which he had legitimately handled for a client. In May, 1996, the case against both men was thrown out and they were cleared of all charges.
Mr Sparkes became depressed and unable to cope with his mental problems, his wife Jenny left with the three children in February, 2002. Last week his brother Christopher Sparkes, 55, told the inquest how his once-cheerful brother changed forever on the day his house was raided.
"Before the charges were brought, my brother was a gregarious, affable man who loved people," he said.
"But during those two years everything fell apart. It cost him his living, his home and his family.
"'I rarely had a conversation with him that did not mention the case. Even when the charges were dropped, Martin was obsessed."
After his marriage collapsed, Mr Sparkes moved in with his lover June Burden. She told the hearing: "He was obsessed with the case and spoke about it constantly. It ruined his life.
"A few days before he died he rang me at 2 am and said he was in Gosport and was looking for a detective involved in the case. He was in a terrible state and I knew he was nearing the end."
In September 2003, Mr Sparkes travelled to Wells to visit his wife and children. Later that day he was found hanging from railings on a hillside overlooking their home.
The inquest returned a verdict of suicide on Mr Sparkes last week. Wells coroner Tony Martin said: "It was Martin's own view that there was a police vendetta against him leading to him losing his business, his home and his family.'"
The family's barrister, Henry Spooner, said the High Court case for damages against Hampshire Police was still on-going. Immediately after the inquest the Hampshire force issued a statement. It read: "The constabulary has denied liability in respect of the allegations made by the late Mr Sparkes on the basis that the constabulary's officers had reasonable grounds to suspect Mr Sparkes had committed offences and that his arrest and detention were justified in the light of the evidence.
"It would not be appropriate at this time to comment on the detail of the defence to the claim brought by the late Mr Sparkes.
"Detective chief superintendent Watts, head of Hampshire CID, who reviewed the investigation concluded that the operation (against Mr Sparkes) had been 'thorough, professional and ethical'."