Oliver North shredding government documents related to these activities at William Casey's suggestion when the Iran-Contra scandal became public. He also testified that Robert McFarlane had asked him to alter official records to delete references to direct assistance to the Contras and that he had helped. North was tried in 1988. He was indicted on 16 felony counts, and on May 4, 1989, he was initially convicted of three: accepting an illegal gratuity, aiding and abetting in the obstruction of a congressional inquiry, and ordering the destruction of documents through his secretary, Fawn Hall. He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gerhard
Tom Oliver was made into an ongoing lead regular in the serial. Oliver became one of the "Number 96"'s most popular cast members. During his run in the show he married fellow "Number 96" actor Lynn Rainbow, who played Sonia Lansgard and opened a wine bar in Kensington, Sydney cunningly named "Jack's Cellar". In late 1973, along with much of the show's regular cast including Lynn Rainbow, he reprised his television role in a feature film spinoff of the serial. Oliver stayed in the role in the series for more than two years, finally electing to leave the series in mid 1974.