Former Bond villain cleared of murdering his wife

A former James Bond movie villain was today cleared of the murder of his estranged wife who was found with her throat cut just days before a court battle for custody of their three children - reports LSE.

Actor Irvin Allen, 71, who played bad guy Che Che in Bond blockbuster On Her Majesty's Secret Service, was found not guilty of the murder of his Thai-born wife Chamlong after the prosecution offered no evidence at the Old Bailey.

Chamlong, who was known as Mrs Tasty after running a Thai take away stall in London's trendy Portobello Market was found in a lock-up used to prepare food for the couple's business with stab wounds that pierced her heart and lung along with her throat slit.

The couple were fighting over the custody of their three daughters aged 18, 16 and nine, and a hearing was due to take place two days after Chamlong, 49, was brutally murdered.

Having been married for 22 years, the relationship foundered and in the months leading up to her death on April 27 last year, mother of three Chamlong was forced to leave the family home and stay with friends or sleep in her car.

Outside court solicitor Sucheta Sarkar read a statement from ex-boxer Mr Allen which said: "I am thankful that this terrible ordeal has come to an end and I am found not guilty of the sad death of my wife.

"My thoughts at this moment are with my children that have stood with me throughout the long months that have taken to reach this moment.

"I now hope the police will reopen their inquiries and redouble their efforts to find my wife's killers."

Grey-haired Mr Allen, who played a baddie in two Bond movies, had retired from acting and was no longer working on the stall following hip replacement surgery which left him having to use a walking frame to get around.

In On Her Majesty's Secret Service Allen's character fights with Bond, played by George Lazenby, in the spy's Monte Carlo bedroom.

Allen also played a henchman of Bond baddie Stromberg opposite Roger Moore in The Spy Who Loved Me.

His first movie appearance was as a hospital attendant in Stanley Kubrick's 1962 controversial film version of Lolita and he also appeared in the 1978 movie Revenge Of The Pink Panther.

Allen also made guest appearances in popular 1960s TV series Z Cars, Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea and The Saint, again opposite Roger Moore

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