Day 213 - 31 01 96 - Page 11

 
 

                                                                  DAY 213
 
                                            PAUL LEMAIRE, Cross-examined:
 
 
 
     1   MR. MORRIS:  You said that you find it hard to believe that
     2        anyone would work 16 hour shifts for the length of time
     3        described by Mr. Beech.  What did Mr. Beech say, from your
     4        memory?
     5        A.  From my memory, I think it was 12 days of 16 hour
     6        shifts, something like that.  But if I had it with me,
     7        I would read it, but that is to the best of my knowledge,
     8        that I can read from the statement.
     9
    10   Q.   You verified the statement as being true, so you -----
    11
    12   MR. RAMPTON:  My Lord, this is very unfair -- no doubt because
    13        when he did that he had Mr. Beech's statement in front of
    14        him.
    15
    16   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Yes.  Put it in front of him and let him
    17        refresh his memory from it, if there is a point you want to
    18        take.
    19
    20   MR. MORRIS:  Did you see his statement when you said that, or
    21        was that what you were told?
    22        A.  I saw the statement.  I was shown the statement.
    23        I read the statement.
    24
    25   Q.   Who told you that -- all right.  Let us go to the statement
    26        then.  I am not sure where it is.
    27
    28   MR. RAMPTON:  It is the fifth paragraph on -----
    29
    30   MS. STEEL:  No, not where the -----
    31
    32   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  It is in pale blue 2.  It is right at the
    33        back; it is the last statement but one.
    34
    35   MR. MORRIS:  (To the witness)  Presumably, you are referring to
    36        the fifth paragraph on the first page; yes?
    37        A.  That is correct.
    38
    39   Q.   "People also used to work very long hours.  I once worked a
    40        14 hour day before I was 18, 12 noon till 2 in the morning,
    41        and I have seen and heard of people working up to 16 hour
    42        shifts 12 days in a row."
    43
    44        Where does it say that they worked 16 hour shifts 12 days
    45        in a row?
    46        A.  Where does it say it?
    47
    48   Q.   Yes.
    49        A.  It says it in there:  16 hour shifts 12 days in a row.
    50 
    51   Q.   It says "working up to". 
    52 
    53   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  It does not matter what it says; it is the
    54        way he has read it that matters.
    55
    56   MR. MORRIS:  Right.  So why did you interpret that as meaning
    57        that "up to 16 hour shifts" actually means 16 hour shifts
    58        12 days in a row?
    59        A.  It says "up to 16 hour shifts"; but 12 days in a row,
    60        no one could do that, 15 hours, 14 hours for 12 days; it is
 
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