Day 201 - 15 Dec 95 - Page 18
1 the past will be some indication of how they can be
2 arranged in the future. I would have thought, Ms. Steel
3 and Mr. Morris, for instance, if one takes Mr. Shafibeik,
4 Mr. Brett and Mr. and Mrs. Harrison, you could put two of
5 those in for one day for each pair, as it were. If there
6 is any run-over, we will have to cope with that, because
7 you know what evidence has been given on each side so far
8 and you have statements from them anyway.
9
10 If there is anything supplemental -- I am not suggesting
11 that there should be -- you ought to be able to get
12 supplemental statements from them and meet my five day
13 direction so that when they come into the witness box their
14 statements can be read as their evidence-in-chief and then
15 one just has to see what cross-examination there is.
16
17 MR. RAMPTON: I can say now, my Lord, that so far as those four
18 witnesses are concerned, if they are confined more or less
19 in their evidence to what they have written or any
20 supplementary writing that we get in good time before they
21 come into the witness box, if it is ample time, they should
22 all four be dealt with in two days.
23
24 MR. JUSTICE BELL: What I suggest is you apply your minds sooner
25 rather than later -- you may already have done so -- as to
26 whether there is any supplemental evidence; if there is,
27 reduce it to writing, serve it on Barlow, Lyde and Gilbert
28 so that you can call those witnesses and have your one or
29 two introductory questions, but then just read their
30 statements and that is their evidence-in-chief.
31 Nothing will be missed out then because you have had time
32 to prepare any supplementary statements. Arrange any two
33 of them on one day and any two of them on another. If you
34 can make it the 11th and 12th, well and good.
35
36 MR. MORRIS: We certainly did not intend to call our witnesses
37 before they called their witnesses.
38
39 MR. JUSTICE BELL: How many days?
40
41 MR. RAMPTON: My Lord, this again is not within my control.
42 I believe I have four witnesses, Mr. Scale, Mr. Atherton,
43 Mr. Harney and Mr. Davis to come back. With goodwill and
44 some discipline in examination and cross-examination, they
45 should be finished in three days. 11th, 12th and 15th,
46 leaving two days, or one and a half days even, if it came
47 to that, for the four Defendants' Colchester witnesses,
48 perhaps even the morning of Monday 20th.
49
50 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Which day is 11th?
51
52 MR. RAMPTON: It is a Thursday. It is the official first day of
53 half term, to please Mr. Morris.
54
55 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I would like you to arrange for
56 Mr. Shafibeik, Mr. and Mrs. Harrison and Mr. Brett to cover
57 two days which are either Wednesday 17th, Thursday 18th or
58 Friday 19th -- sorry, I have -----
59
60 MR. RAMPTON: My Lord, the 16th and 17th would probably be the
