Day 247 - 10 May 96 - Page 63
1
2 MR. JUSTICE BELL: C7.
3
4 THE WITNESS: OK, C7.
5
6 MS. STEEL: There is a report there from the Bournemouth
7 Advertiser of 12th October 1989. This is the article about
8 which McDonald's solicitors wrote to the Bournemouth
9 Advertiser.
10
11 MR. RAMPTON: I would like the witness to have the opportunity
12 to read the article.
13
14 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes.
15
16 MS. STEEL: Yes. I was going to say that it does quote
17 somebody from McDonald's at the bottom of that article, but
18 you will notice that when you read it.
19
20 MR. JUSTICE BELL: What I suggest you do is read... Are you
21 going to ask about captive bolt only?
22
23 MS. STEEL: Yes.
24
25 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Then read from 'humane slaughter is a myth',
26 which is the third paragraph in the right-hand column,
27 please, Mr. Preston.
28 A. I have it, sir (pause). OK, I have read it.
29
30 MS. STEEL: In that article it says that the quote about the
31 slaughter methods comes from a consultant pathologist
32 writing in a meat trade magazine. There is a quote there
33 from McDonald's as well, but despite that your solicitors
34 chose to write to the Bournemouth Advertiser. If you turn
35 over you will see the letter there.
36 A. This is on?
37
38 Q. On 2nd February 1990, a few months afterwards?
39 A. OK.
40
41 Q. If you just want to read that article, that letter.
42 (Pause).
43 A. OK, I have read the letter.
44
45 Q. Then following that is a letter from the Bournemouth
46 Advertiser's solicitors, dated 16th February 1990. It says
47 that "they enclose a correction that the editor is prepared
48 to publish with suitable prominence". We have not actually
49 got a copy of that, but the next letter that we have, which
50 is in the following tab, is a letter from Barlow Lyde &
51 Gilbert dated 22nd February 1990. It says, "Thank you for
52 your letter of 16th February together with the suggested
53 correction. This is approved, subject to, 1, the words 'we
54 are glad to help McDonald's put the record straight' being
55 inserted as the final sentence and, 2, 'our client costs
56 being met'. These total £286 to date. Subject to your
57 client's agreeing points 1 and 2 above then this matter
58 will be finally resolved". On the next tab we have the
59 correction which reads, "On October 12th 1989 under the
60 heading 'Demo, beef over cattle' we referred to a...?
