Day 278 - 11 Jul 96 - Page 33
1 A. I did not write it, no. But it looks true to me and I
2 probably checked it.
3
4 Q. Do you know whether Mr. Morris wrote it?
5 A. I don't know, no.
6
7 Q. That account must have the come from you two; must it not?
8 A. I did read this before it went out, but --
9
10 Q. Yes and, you say it is a fair and accurate account of the
11 rainforest issue in relation to Brazil, do you, at that
12 time?
13 A. It is a fair and accurate account of what it reports,
14 about McDonald's importing five consignments of Brazilian
15 beef for McDonald's stores in 1983/1984.
16
17 Q. Then turn to page 5 in this document, this is autumn 1995
18 supporters' letter. Again Mclibel support campaign 5,
19 Caledonian Road. This time notice we have got a golden
20 arch or a black arch with "profits" written in the bottom
21 left-hand corner. Again, I would ask you to read a box
22 headed "Transcripts Scandal" down to, you can read further
23 if you want, but down to the sub heading, "Appeal, Appeal,
24 Appeal"?
25 A. Yes.
26
27 Q. Notice the date on this document, autumn 1995. That
28 information can only have come from you and Mr. Morris can
29 it not, although -- can it, I should say?
30 A. It may have done, it may have come from somebody who
31 was in court. But I have no doubt that we would have been
32 asked about it, yes.
33
34 Q. Do you say that it is a fair and accurate account of that
35 particular dispute?
36 A. Yes, I think so.
37
38 Q. You do, do you?
39 A. Yes.
40
41 Q. Would you like to look over the page at a letter from
42 Barlow Lyde & Gilbert, dated 17th July 1995, which sets out
43 in detail what the undertaking was that you had been asked
44 for?
45 A. Yes. But I remember this very well, Mr. Rampton, and I
46 remember that you asked for a far more wide ranging
47 undertaking in court and then, obviously, you realised that
48 you had put your foot in it. And it was quite clear that
49 you were trying to censor any information getting out about
50 the trial, so you wrote a much more toned down letter,
51 which is this one.
52
53 Q. The actual undertaking for which you had been asked in
54 writing on 17th July 1995 was nothing like you described in
55 that box, was it?
56 A. You mean the quote?
57
58 Q. Yes?
59 A. It is significant, sorry, no: "In fact McDonald's
60 demanded an undertaking by the defendants not to
