Day 248 - 13 May 96 - Page 18
1 Q. Whether it be discussion verbally or discussion in writing?
2 A. I do not accept that, he responded to an article
3 fulfilling out the details which were inaccurate in his
4 mind, and I would support that.
5
6 Q. The reality is, Mr. Preston, is it not, that your company
7 just lies and misleads journalists left right and centre to
8 suit your own ends?
9 A. No, I do not accept that. It is not true and I resent
10 it.
11
12 MR. MORRIS: Can you turn to tab No 4 in that file; is that
13 'libel action background briefing'?
14 A. Yes.
15
16 Q. Is it dated 11-94 at the back?
17 A. Yes.
18
19 Q. That is after the case started, of course?
20 A. Yes.
21
22 Q. And there you have it on page 2 of that document. You have
23 what McDonald's says the issues are, and their response
24 about basically how, do you not? So, the Company is
25 responding publicly about all the issues in the case?
26 A. The first line on the paragraph it refers to the
27 London Greenpeace leaflet, the leaflet states that
28 McDonald's does a list of things, this list goes on to say
29 we are going to say the opposite and will demonstrate in
30 court that the company is quite the opposite of what you
31 say in the first 8 items.
32
33 Q. Yes. You have put down your case comprehensively to the
34 media of exactly what you are saying McDonald's is doing,
35 so you have continuously dealt publicly with the issues in
36 the case?
37 A. No, we have not. We have responded to requests for
38 information from others, we have not done anything other
39 than that, and certainly I would be hard pressed to call
40 this comprehensive given the length of this case.
41
42 Q. Virtually all of those things, you say, are disputed in
43 this case are they not?
44 A. That is a matter for the evidence.
45
46 Q. That is right. So, if that material has been put out by
47 the Corporation then myself and Helen and anybody else is
48 entitled to put over what they think the facts are, are
49 they not, in response to that?
50 A. I am sorry, you lost me there.
51
52 Q. Maybe that is a matter of argument.
53
54 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes, I think it probably is.
55
56 MR. MORRIS: You can put that file away now. Thank you very
57 much.
58
59 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Put it on one side, please, Mr. Preston.
60
