Day 110 - 29 Mar 95 - Page 06

     
     1   Q.   Do you know either of the Defendants in this case?
     2        A.  I know Helen Steel.
     3
     4   Q.   Have you known her a long time?
     5        A.  I have known her about 10 years.
     6
     7   Q.   You both have -- this is not meant sarcastically at all --
     8        the same passionate interest in animal welfare; is that
     9        right?
    10        A.  Yes.
    11
    12   Q.   May I ask you what your views are, in general, about what
    13        you know of the intensive farming methods used in this
    14        country from an animal welfare point of view?
    15        A.  Well, I believe that, and know from information that
    16        I have received and sought, that animals are treated in
    17        extremely cruel ways and I, as a vegan, do not eat any
    18        animal products.
    19
    20   Q.   No.
         A.  So I avoid, you know, I do not participate in what
    22        I see is a cruel industry.  I boycott it.
    23
    24   Q.   Beyond boycotting it, do you also take part in
    25        demonstrations from time to time?
    26        A.  I used to.  I do not -- I am not so much involved in
    27        the demonstration side of the things any more.
    28
    29   Q.   But you might have been in 1988, December 1988?
    30        A.  Oh, yes.
    31
    32   Q.   Were all those demonstrations peaceful demonstrations?
    33        A.  Yes.
    34
    35   Q.   Was Helen Steel present on any of those occasions?
    36        A.  She might have been.  I attended lots of different
    37        demonstrations.  I was President of the Vegan Society, a
    38        registered charity, for three years until November of last
    39        year.
    40
    Q.   If you do not think it offensive for me to suggest, you
    42        must have been quite young in December 1988?
    43
    44   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  How old are you now?
    45        A.  I am 30, so I would not say that young really.
    46
    47   MR. RAMPTON:  That, perhaps, is a matter of opinion.  Thank you.
    48
    49   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  The Co-ordinating Animal Welfare, was that a
    50        formal group?  Were there any questions of paying 
    51        subscriptions or financial contributions or membership, 
    52        anything of that kind? 
    53        A.  Yes, they did operate a membership facility.  I did not
    54        join the group, but was happy to support them.
    55
    56   Q.   It was perfectly out in the open, was it, the group?
    57        A.  Oh, yes.
    58
    59   Q.   Did it have an address one could write to?
    60        A.  Yes, they had an address.  They produced a Newsletter.