Day 091 - 17 Feb 95 - Page 03
1 My Lord, I think the only other thing I need to mention at
2 this stage is that presently we are hoping that Mr. Beavers
3 will be able to come back on Monday, 10th April. My Lord,
4 of course, whether he is able to give evidence at that time
5 depends on how long the Defendants' evidence on food
6 poisoning and rearing and slaughter is likely to take.
7
8 At the moment there are two complete weeks, at least, and
9 if Mr. Beavers does not come until Monday 10th, that would
10 make three weeks available for their evidence, starting on
11 Monday, 20th March and running right through until Friday,
12 7th April, if needed. If it went shorter than that, then
13 of course the Defendants would have even more preparation
14 time for employment which is due to start, I think, after
15 Easter, 25th April.
16
17 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes.
18
19 MR. RAMPTON: My Lord, one other thing. I will look for, with
20 your Lordship's help, if I can get it, an opportunity to
21 mention the vexed question of the Defendants' employment
22 witnesses. I do have a grave concern about that and I will
23 not now, but will when I get the opportunity, explain to
24 your Lordship how that arises.
25
26 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes.
27
28 MR. MORRIS: We would like to now know what the vexed point is
29 by Mr. Rampton.
30
31 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I do not want to embark on an argument, but
32 let me ask, first of all, if we got on now rather than
33 having any further discussion, do you think there is any
34 realistic possibility of finishing the cross-examination of
35 Dr. Pattison today?
36
37 MS. STEEL: None at all, my Lord.
38
39 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I am not surprised to hear that. Let us
40 continue for the moment then. I think you should just say
41 in couple of sentences what your application will be.
42 Perhaps say that now and we can come back to it at some
43 other time.
44
45 MR. RAMPTON: It is very straightforward, my Lord. There is a
46 reason why we believe that the Defendants' assurances that
47 they know they are going to call all their employment
48 witnesses are false. The reason we say that is that we
49 know that, at any rate, one of those witnesses has refused
50 to come court unless subpoenaed and has been told that she
51 will not be subpoenaed. That is the first point.
52
53 The second point is this: We have to organise our
54 witnesseses to bring them to court in advance of the
55 Defendants's witnesses. That is the rule your Lordship has
56 made and so far has adhered to.
57
58 MR JUSTICE BELL: Yes.
59
60 MR RAMPTON: We are free, as a matter of law, to make our own
