Colin Dearing was a solicitor who Bet Gilroy saw about getting a divorce from Alec in May 1989. Alec had just returned from a tour of the Middle East and caught Bet with Paul Rigby. The circumstances were innocent but Alec tried to get Bet to admit to being unfaithful by demanding a divorce. Bet decided to call his bluff by seeing a solicitor about getting a divorce on the grounds of Alec's unreasonable behaviour. Colin advised Bet to stay at the Rovers as she might lose out financially if she left too early. Bet then listed Alec's indiscretions, adding "I hope your pen's full of ink".