Day 187 - 13 Nov 95 - Page 44
1 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Now, how long do you think Miss Tobin's
2 evidence will last?
3
4 MR. MORRIS: Well, I certainly only scheduled her for a day.
5 I do not know what the Plaintiffs are likely to question
6 her about, or whatever. I think the film should be shown;.
7 Whether there is any detailed questioning on it, I do not
8 know whether it is needed or whether it will take us very
9 far, but that is really up to the Plaintiffs. So I think
10 it should certainly be over within a day.
11
12 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Well, what I would like to do now, unless
13 you, Ms. Steel or Mr. Morris, have something particularly
14 in mind for tomorrow, I will not sit tomorrow. It will
15 enable the parties, anyway, to think more about
16 Miss Tobin's evidence and plan the future of the case, in
17 so far as they can. Use tomorrow to do that. We will hear
18 Miss Tobin. We will not sit the rest of the week after her
19 evidence has been heard.
20
21 I would like, in a moment, Mr. Rampton to help me with his
22 prognosis which he mentioned a few minutes ago; and if you
23 can then use the rest of this afternoon to do a bit of
24 reading of witness statements, well and good.
25
26 MR. MORRIS: Yes.
27
28 MS. STEEL: I was going to bring up what I mentioned the other
29 day about the extension of the Christmas break. At
30 present, it is just short of three weeks, I think. My
31 sister is going to be emigrating next year, and this
32 Christmas is going to be the last time that the whole of my
33 family is together; and I would like to be able to spend a
34 decent period of time with them, without having to sort of
35 rush back and do preparations and sort everything out that
36 needs to be sorted out. I was going to ask that we did not
37 sit on the final three days of this term, which would only
38 mean that we lost three days of court time, but which would
39 mean an extra week of the Christmas break.
40
41 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Which days are you referring to then,
42 Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday?
43
44 MS. STEEL: I think it was Monday the 18th, Tuesday the 19th and
45 Wednesday the 20th.
46
47 MR. JUSTICE BELL: The last day of term is Thursday, the 21st.
48
49 MS. STEEL: Was it? It was just because when the Plaintiffs
50 wrote the other day they said, "We have not got any
51 witnesses down for the 18th to the 20th". So I thought
52 that that was the last day.
53
54 MR. RAMPTON: No, that was our mistake. Your Lordship is quite
55 right, I am looking at Mrs. Brinley-Codd's notes; it is
56 Thursday, the 21st.
57
58 MR. JUSTICE BELL: When does the school term end, Mr. Morris?
59
60 MR. MORRIS: That is a good question.
