Conrad Black faces 95 years in jail plus heavy fines for plundering money out of Hollinger International when he goes on trial next month.

Now his lawyers say prosecutors should leave his wife's over-the-top spending out of the case, reports the Globe and Mail.

Black's court filing says: "For whatever reasons, Barbara Amiel-Black has sometimes been a lightning rod of controversy. Injecting Mrs. Black into the trial would be unnecessary to any real issue in this case, and would result in a circus-like sideshow. The defendant in this case is Conrad M. Black, not his wife, Barbara Amiel-Black."

For whatever reasons? Well, for a better idea of what some of those reasons might be, check out this extract from Tom Bower's book Conrad and Lady Black.

The 17 butlers and $250,000 lavatory in their private jet was symptomatic of the pathology behind the scandal. Certainly not irrelevant and "unnecessary" is not a word that comes to mind.