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Neighbourhood > Guest Character Profiles > Wendy Baker Patsy Martin

Wendy Baker 2000

When Harold Bishop found himself accused of an armed robbery in Tasmania that he couldn’t remember committing, he was pleased to be bailed and sent home, but struggled to work out how he would ever prove his innocence. However, that quickly changed when a mysterious woman started watching him at work, then vanished. Later that day, she turned up at Harold’s home in Ramsay Street, calling him ‘Alfie’ and demanding her share of the money from the robbery. She explained that she’d found him through the newspaper and television reports and told Harold's wife, Madge that she was a fool for getting involved with the man. Madge and Harold were stunned, and, as they threatened to call the police, the woman vanished as quickly as she’d appeared. Soon after, she called the house, again demanding money and hung up as soon as the police were mentioned.

A few days later, the woman, Wendy Baker, returned, still believing that Harold was her ex-accomplice, Alfie. She demanded proof, asking to see Harold’s right shoulder. When Wendy noticed that there was no tattoo there, she finally believed Harold’s claims, but refused to speak to the police. As the altercation was happening, Madge came in the backdoor and overheard, but as she was calling the police, Wendy ran off. Although Harold gave chase, it did little good as Wendy’s car number plates were covered in mud. Not long after, Wendy called again, this time asking for $5000 in return for her speaking to the police. Already deeply in debt to best friend Lou Carpenter, following the bail hearing, Madge tried to convince Wendy that she wouldn’t be in any serious trouble if she simply owned up. Wendy wasn’t convinced at all, and she once again hung up, leaving the Bishops high and dry.

Just as they were giving up hope of ever clearing Harold’s name, Wendy called and asked to meet him in secret, warning that if he tried anything, she’d vanish and never come back. As they met by Lassiter’s Lake, Wendy explained that she’d been thinking about the situation and had decided that Harold really didn’t deserve to go to prison for something that Alfie did. She agreed to speak to the police – as long as the blackmail attempt was never mentioned by the Bishops – and, a few days later, Alfie Dougherty was caught and Harold’s name was cleared.

Notes: Patsy Martin previously played Mrs Newton in 1985, Edna Jackson in 1989 and the Martin family's housekeeper, Ruby Lovejoy in 1992.

Biography by Steve

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