Day 291 - 31 Oct 96 - Page 06

     
     1        ignored those problems with the animals.
     2
     3        I can't remember whether I brought this up or not
     4        yesterday, but on day 88, page 48, line 44, Mr. Bowes   was
     5        questioned about the Freedom Food Standard which said that
     6        no animal is to be stunned unless it is possible to be
     7        stuck immediately afterwards, when the stun to stick time
     8        -- that means the time between stun and stick -- should
     9        not exceed 15 seconds.  It was noted that when Dr. Gregory
    10        was at the Bowes slaughter plant he measured it at 18
    11        seconds.
    12
    13   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Yes, you did go into that, because you said
    14        the fact that it was normal in the industry was neither
    15        here nor there.
    16
    17   MS. STEEL:   Right.  I do not think I mentioned the Freedom Food
    18        Standard point.  Can I say this is not really the animals
    19        point, but just because I have a note of it here and if I
    20        do not mention it, I am probably going to forget it.  With
         reference to growth promoters, that Mr. Bowes said he had
    22        used growth promoters such as clenbeuterol until about five
    23        years ago when they were banned by the EEC.  He admitted
    24        that until that time "it was fairly standard practice in
    25        the industry".  Day 96, page 58, line 18.  Obviously, that
    26        would have been applicable to the time of the alleged
    27        libel.
    28
    29        In case it becomes relevant -- I don't know whether it
    30        particularly matters -- Mr. Bowes did actually say in terms
    31        of goads that they had only been banned by the company six
    32        or seven years ago and prior to that they were used at
    33        times of loading.  So, just in case that comes up, day 96,
    34        page 38, line 20.  Obviously, that would have been shortly
    35        before the time of the alleged libel.
    36
    37        I am sorry, I cannot actually remember what I did cover
    38        yesterday.
    39
    40   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  What I suggest you do is just pause for a
         moment and see if there are any more topics in relation to
    42        pigs.  If you cannot remember whether you mentioned
    43        something, just tell me what it is you are not sure about
    44        and I will try and help you as to whether you did or not.
    45
    46   MS. STEEL:   Yes, it is just about Mr. Bowes admitting the pigs
    47        were stunned with the tongs on each side of the neck, and
    48        the fact that the Codes of Practice state that electrodes
    49        should not be applied behind the ears or on each side of
    50        the neck, otherwise the animal may be paralysed without 
    51        being rendered unconscious. 
    52 
    53   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   Yes, you did deal with that.
    54
    55   MS. STEEL:   And may suffer severe pain.  I did, okay.  If I did
    56        not give a reference for it, it is day 96, page 48, line
    57        55.
    58
    59   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   Yes.  (Pause).
    60