Day 205 - 17 Jan 96 - Page 18
1 -- you know, we have an immense task fighting this case as
2 it is. We are always being told not to chase hares, to
3 take keep our eye on the ball and concentrate on the
4 relevant matters.
5
6 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I am going to interrupt you there because
7 I have been sitting and listening to this case for over 18
8 months now. I do not think you were misled by anything to
9 stop answering Mr. Gregory questions or any of the other
10 witnesses who McDonald's have called or you have called
11 yourself. You have very fully put every instance of
12 possible cruelty to animals which you possibly could when
13 the witnesses with regard to rearing and slaughter have
14 been in the witness box.
15
16 MS. STEEL: On the facts, personally, I cannot actually
17 remember whether or not we asked any specific questions,
18 but the point I am making is that, well, I am quite sure
19 that if we made an admission, even if it was a verbal one
20 in court, we would be held to it.
21
22 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Not by me you would not. If you said
23 something in court and then later said: "We thought better
24 of that", you would be entirely able to do that, subject to
25 the whole of the case being run on a false basis which it
26 certainly has not been in this instance.
27
28 MS. STEEL: I understand that there is a reluctance to criticise
29 other members of the legal profession.
30
31 MR. JUSTICE BELL: No, I am not going to accept that. You are
32 trying to portray myself forming a tight corner with
33 Mr. Rampton as a member of the Bar when I have been a
34 member of the Bar. It is a very serious allegation to make
35 of a judge and I am not wearing it. It just is not so.
36 I have bent over backwards to be fair and helpful to you in
37 this case.
38
39 MS. STEEL: I was going on to say, but I think that at the very
40 least Mr. Rampton should be criticised for making
41 misleading statements, not just on this occasion about
42 torture, but also about heart disease, for saying that
43 something is not an issue, that they are not objecting to
44 it, that it is a matter of opinion and so we think it has
45 been removed as something that we have to argue about in
46 court and then going back on that, because I think it is
47 not the way for a barrister to conduct a case. I think it
48 is completely improper.
49
50 MR. JUSTICE BELL: I do not accept that. My job is not, save in
51 cases where it is vital to the conduct of the case, to
52 criticise either Mr. Rampton or you or Mr. Morris in your
53 conduct of this case. My job is to get to the right answer
54 at the end of the day. I am going to invite Mr. Rampton to
55 say whatever he wishes to say about this and then I will
56 have something to say after that. Yes, Mr. Rampton?
57
58 MR. RAMPTON: My Lord, first of all, I did make a mistake on 3rd
59 October in the words that I used; I should have said
60 "murder" and not "torture". If it is the only mistake
