Question for Mr Bennett

aiyoyo wrote:

Cherub wrote:

aiyoyo wrote:I'm second guessing high profile lawyers like high profile case. Nothing like a high profile case to promote their name/reputation.

Yes, it did sound bit odd but then the mccanns name attracts the odds.

thanks Aiyoyo.

thing is Liverpool is quite supportive of the McCanns. my own extended and very large family are mostly in support and have never questioned anything other than an abduction. the local newspapers have never written anything adverse and Everton football club have also shown support.

it would hardly promote Kirwans reputation to be seen supporting Mr Bennet, who is accused of stalking the McCanns at least I don't think so. i would imagine them batting for the McCanns in someway, but not for Mr Bennet or the MF for that matter

who exactly is Mr Mason? do you know?

Sorry, havent a clue who Mr Mason is.

Take this out of the Liverpool context and you will realise other than a small minority in KM's county, people in the wider area of Liverpool, rest of UK and the World would view the mccanns differently (more objectively) than that small minority.

Now that we know Kirwans initiated the approach to MF, we can only assume Kirwans saw something in the case they could work on. If TB dares this all the way to court, can you imagine the publicity for Kirwans to represent an unorthodox non-practising lawyer (an activist and campaigner) on one hand vs. a pair of doctors in the most high profile missing person case of the century (by extension also CR)?

Do not underestimate the power of media communications- thanks to satellite/cable, news of the mccanns case had been beamed into every household with a TV in the world. Even foreign press covered the story.

You just have to broaden the vision beyond merely Liverpool to understand why Kirwans would represent MF. Had this gone to Court, the World would hear of it, and the fame this would have gotten Kirwans!

vaguely wrote:I am glad now that you are both now available on Friday to come to Liverpool and I am looking forward to meeting you, the author of the booklet which first engaged my interest some months ago..

Mr Bennett, does this refer to when he first heard about the booklet, or was he aware of the booklet before it hit the headlines?

ty

Tony Bennett wrote:

vaguely wrote:I am glad now that you are both now available on Friday to come to Liverpool and I am looking forward to meeting you, the author of the booklet which first engaged my interest some months ago..

Mr Bennett, does this refer to when he first heard about the booklet, or was he aware of the booklet before it hit the headlines?

ty

When he first heard about the booklet.

About 3-4 weeks after publication, I got an e-mail from somebody (can't remember who) strongly suggesting that I sent him [David Kirwan] a free copy.

I did.

Tony Bennett wrote:

vaguely wrote:I am glad now that you are both now available on Friday to come to Liverpool and I am looking forward to meeting you, the author of the booklet which first engaged my interest some months ago..

Mr Bennett, does this refer to when he first heard about the booklet, or was he aware of the booklet before it hit the headlines?

ty

When he first heard about the booklet.

About 3-4 weeks after publication, I got an e-mail from somebody (can't remember who) strongly suggesting that I sent him [David Kirwan] a free copy.

I did.

Tony Bennett wrote:

vaguely wrote:I am glad now that you are both now available on Friday to come to Liverpool and I am looking forward to meeting you, the author of the booklet which first engaged my interest some months ago..

Mr Bennett, does this refer to when he first heard about the booklet, or was he aware of the booklet before it hit the headlines?

ty

When he first heard about the booklet.

About 3-4 weeks after publication, I got an e-mail from somebody (can't remember who) strongly suggesting that I sent him [David Kirwan] a free copy.

I did.

Tony Bennett wrote:

aiyoyo wrote:Now that we know Kirwans initiated the approach to MF, we can only assume Kirwans saw something in the case they could work on. If TB dares this all the way to court, can you imagine the publicity for Kirwans to represent an unorthodox non-practising lawyer (an activist and campaigner) on one hand vs. a pair of doctors in the most high profile missing person case of the century (by extension also CR)?

Do not underestimate the power of media communications- thanks to satellite/cable, news of the mccanns case had been beamed into every household with a TV in the world. Even foreign press covered the story.

You just have to broaden the vision beyond merely Liverpool to understand why Kirwans would represent MF. Had this gone to Court, the World would hear of it, and the fame this would have gotten Kirwans!

Some interesting points there, aiyoyo.

See how much is confirmed or otherwise by this letter sent and received by me from David Kirwan on 30 September 2009, two days before our trip to see Kirwans in Liverpool, and my first day back after my Northumberland holiday.

Up to the moment we had an approach from Kirwans, neither of us felt we could afford libel lawyers though with the help of a local Solicitor we were exploring the possibility of obtaining a barrister's opinion. In that context, the possible offer of 'pro bono' help from libel Solicitors, whether they were based in London, Liverpool or Timbuktu, was obviously of very great interest.

Dear Mr Bennett,

Thank you for your message. I have entertained serious concerns about accepting this case in the light of earlier attempts that I made to try and bring forward our first meeting with you and Mrs Butler.

I am glad now that you are both now available on Friday to come to Liverpool and I am looking forward to meeting you, the author of the booklet which first engaged my interest some months ago..

We have already done a lot of work on the case in your absence on holiday which may well be evident from the email exchanges into which you have been copied.

Will you please in future copy Michael Sandys into any messages? This will save time. I will ask MS to scan and copy to you the correspondence with CR to which you refer.

I do not think that any useful purpose would be gained at this early stage if I engage in debate with you about the Human Rights issues which this litigation will inevitably spawn. They are self evident.

The biggest problem that we face initially is instructing two counsel with an absence of funding. To engage leading and junior counsel of competence and experience on the basis only of a no-win-no-fee agreement may prove very difficult in a case of this complexity and notoriety. I approached Michael Mansfield a celebrated QC and he turned instructions down. But we are trying.

You must leave any decisions on sending letters to CR to MS and me. Equally I regret that I may not necessarily prepare the response to the letter of claim along the lines that you seek and indeed on a ‘draft’ which I have not yet seen. You must not, with respect, dictate to us how we are to reply.

This is a Libel case and the format of correspondence and indeed subsequent pleadings, if indeed a writ is issued, are very specialist and formal. I cannot allow our hands to be tied in the manner that you appear to suggest. I am sorry if my comments appear somewhat blunt but I need to get this across to you.

Nevertheless, I of course welcome without reservation all your observations and comments which I am confident will prove of invaluable help in the long fight ahead.

Equally on the subject of an extension of time I will not send a letter in the terms that you suggest. To do so would appear to CR quite unprofessional and be suggestive of inexperience in these cases. MS is already making efforts to persuade them to further extend the deadline for the reply. You must leave us to take all necessary and appropriate steps on your behalf in a professional manner. Please let me have by tomorrow morning a copy of your draft response to CR’s original letter of claim.

Regards,

DSK

badmanners wrote:

Tony Bennett wrote:

aiyoyo wrote:Now that we know Kirwans initiated the approach to MF, we can only assume Kirwans saw something in the case they could work on. If TB dares this all the way to court, can you imagine the publicity for Kirwans to represent an unorthodox non-practising lawyer (an activist and campaigner) on one hand vs. a pair of doctors in the most high profile missing person case of the century (by extension also CR)?

Do not underestimate the power of media communications- thanks to satellite/cable, news of the mccanns case had been beamed into every household with a TV in the world. Even foreign press covered the story.

You just have to broaden the vision beyond merely Liverpool to understand why Kirwans would represent MF. Had this gone to Court, the World would hear of it, and the fame this would have gotten Kirwans!

Some interesting points there, aiyoyo.

See how much is confirmed or otherwise by this letter sent and received by me from David Kirwan on 30 September 2009, two days before our trip to see Kirwans in Liverpool, and my first day back after my Northumberland holiday.

Up to the moment we had an approach from Kirwans, neither of us felt we could afford libel lawyers though with the help of a local Solicitor we were exploring the possibility of obtaining a barrister's opinion. In that context, the possible offer of 'pro bono' help from libel Solicitors, whether they were based in London, Liverpool or Timbuktu, was obviously of very great interest.

Dear Mr Bennett,

Thank you for your message. I have entertained serious concerns about accepting this case in the light of earlier attempts that I made to try and bring forward our first meeting with you and Mrs Butler.

I am glad now that you are both now available on Friday to come to Liverpool and I am looking forward to meeting you, the author of the booklet which first engaged my interest some months ago..

We have already done a lot of work on the case in your absence on holiday which may well be evident from the email exchanges into which you have been copied.

Will you please in future copy Michael Sandys into any messages? This will save time. I will ask MS to scan and copy to you the correspondence with CR to which you refer.

I do not think that any useful purpose would be gained at this early stage if I engage in debate with you about the Human Rights issues which this litigation will inevitably spawn. They are self evident.

The biggest problem that we face initially is instructing two counsel with an absence of funding. To engage leading and junior counsel of competence and experience on the basis only of a no-win-no-fee agreement may prove very difficult in a case of this complexity and notoriety. I approached Michael Mansfield a celebrated QC and he turned instructions down. But we are trying.

You must leave any decisions on sending letters to CR to MS and me. Equally I regret that I may not necessarily prepare the response to the letter of claim along the lines that you seek and indeed on a ‘draft’ which I have not yet seen. You must not, with respect, dictate to us how we are to reply.

This is a Libel case and the format of correspondence and indeed subsequent pleadings, if indeed a writ is issued, are very specialist and formal. I cannot allow our hands to be tied in the manner that you appear to suggest. I am sorry if my comments appear somewhat blunt but I need to get this across to you.

Nevertheless, I of course welcome without reservation all your observations and comments which I am confident will prove of invaluable help in the long fight ahead.

Equally on the subject of an extension of time I will not send a letter in the terms that you suggest. To do so would appear to CR quite unprofessional and be suggestive of inexperience in these cases. MS is already making efforts to persuade them to further extend the deadline for the reply. You must leave us to take all necessary and appropriate steps on your behalf in a professional manner. Please let me have by tomorrow morning a copy of your draft response to CR’s original letter of claim.

Regards,

DSK

Tony, just to be clear here, is that letter the basis for your belief that Kirwan's were making a 'possible offer of pro bono help'? Only I can't see that the letter says that at all, in fact it specifically mentions the difficulty of getting anyone interested in such an arrangement.

I was also left wondering what it was that you were proposing which he was so keen to dissuade you of

rockyrobin wrote:Are you planning on using Kirwans again Tony ??

Tony Bennett wrote:

rockyrobin wrote:Are you planning on using Kirwans again Tony ??

Spelling of Kirwans corrected.

Never say never.

Cherub wrote:

Tony Bennett wrote:

vaguely wrote:I am glad now that you are both now available on Friday to come to Liverpool and I am looking forward to meeting you, the author of the booklet which first engaged my interest some months ago..

Mr Bennett, does this refer to when he first heard about the booklet, or was he aware of the booklet before it hit the headlines?

ty

When he first heard about the booklet.

About 3-4 weeks after publication, I got an e-mail from somebody (can't remember who) strongly suggesting that I sent him [David Kirwan] a free copy.

I did.

Laffin claims he told you to send it to him. Why would that be the case Tony?

rockyrobin wrote:Oh dear shall we start by going through all your spelling mistakes Tony. Stop being so pedantic and childish.

Tony Bennett wrote:

My memory is at fault, the request to send a copy to Kirwans came in June, a full six months after '60 Reasons' was published.

Here is the correspondence, sorry I am not at liberty to say who my correspondent was:

CORRESPONDENT TO ME

From: [withheld]
Subject: the only independent councillor on Wirral Borough Council
To: ajsbennett@btinternet.com
Date: Monday, 22 June, 2009 [time withheld]

Hi Tony,

Please send a copy of your book and a good covering letter to this guy http://www.davidkirwan.co.uk/

He's standing against Esther McVey in the Wirral.

MY REPLY (SAME DAY) TO THAT CORRESPONDENT

Hallo [name deleted]

Yes, I'll be pleased to do that, I've got his address.

I assume from what you say that Esther McVey is standing in The Wirral also, right?

I'll send him a specimen copy of the letter we sent to MPs as well as a booklet plus a couple of copies of '10 Reasons'.

Thanks for the suggestion,

Tony

vaguely wrote:never a dull moment.

TB Writes: Sometimes you can be in the middle of the forest and not see the wood for the trees.

Therefore if 'Nits' or anyone else can make sense of the invitation to Liverpool, please go ahead, for sure there have been many dirty tricks played in this case.

Nits Writes: Are you telling me with your Political background you could not see the wood through the trees and not realise that Mr Kirwan was once a Conservative whip and would in all likely know Ms Mcvey. How strange!

Laffin Assasin wrote:When Kirwan first announced his intention to stand, quite a few months ago, I suggested T Bennett should send one of his books to Kirwan.

Cherub wrote:In a futile attempt to stop it being published on MM.