Day 248 - 13 May 96 - Page 16


     
     1   Q.   So, if something is only 90 per cent correct that is fine
     2        by you is it?
     3        A.  We are talking about a document with about ten or 12
     4        paragraphs on it which are absolutely correct; there is one
     5        where, for an honest mistake, there was a slight error.
     6        I do not think it is material, given the statements that
     7        you yourselves, via your McLibel support campaign, have
     8        made in press releases accusing McDonald's of lying.
     9        Again, as I said last week, we did nothing until you began
    10        to release your material.  I had no intention of doing
    11        anything until you released yours, and felt I had to
    12        protect my customers, my employees, my licensees and
    13        suppliers.  But the basics of that page are true.
    14
    15   Q.   Does it protect your customers if you lie to them?
    16        A.  I did not lie to them, I did not knowingly say
    17        something that I knew to be untrue.
    18
    19   Q.   Mr. Love says here that it is not possible to arrange an
    20        interview with you as you are currently giving evidence in
    21        court and legally unable to discuss the case.  Is that
    22        true?
    23        A.  I believe it is true.  I have not been able to discuss
    24        anything I have said with my lawyers, with my barrister,
    25        for almost 2 years now.
    26
    27   Q.   You have discussed the case have you not?
    28        A.  I have made two statements, that being we came to court
    29        to do one thing, and one thing alone, establish the truth,
    30        and in so doing show the leaflet in question as libellous
    31        and as baseless and we are going to get to the bottom of
    32        that truth here.  That is all I have said to anybody.
    33
    34   Q.   Who have you said that to?
    35        A.  I said it to several reporters.
    36
    37   Q.   Right.  So, you have actually discussed the case with
    38        several reporters?
    39        A.  I have made a statement about our intentions to court,
    40        intentions for coming to court, I have not discussed any
    41        issue with anybody involving this case.
    42
    43   Q.   But your intention is one of the areas of dispute, is it
    44        not, because it is the subject of the counterclaim?
    45        A.  Well, I think we presented many facts about that, we
    46        had a lot of discussion about it.  It is getting to the
    47        point where it is a matter for his Lordship.  I have a
    48        right to defend myself and my company against the things
    49        you yourselves were putting out.
    50 
    51   Q.   But the point is that this is another lie, is it not, 
    52        Mr. Preston, because you do talk to the media about the 
    53        case?
    54        A.  No, I do not.
    55
    56   Q.   And yet you are saying that you cannot do so?
    57        A.  I do not talk to the media about the case, the issues
    58        in it, other than why we came here.
    59
    60   Q.   Right.  But that is the case, or part of the case.

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