The letter below was sent to David Pollock of Laytons, solicitors for Centerprise Trust, one
of the distributors of Searchlight magazine sued by the current writer in his ultimately successful
defamation action.
Below that are the interrogatories served on Centerprise. The company declined to answer them; David Pollock said that some of them bordered on contempt of court! Eventually, Centerprise settled out of
court for two thousand three hundred pounds. No legal action was ever taken against them over the
grossly inflammatory “literature” they stocked, but eventually, after being pressurised by my conscientious MP, Mrs Lait,
the Charity Commissioners acted. In a letter dated 03 May 2000, Shantha Shan of the
Charity Support Division wrote to the current writer thus:
Upon investigation I can confirm that the bookshop mentioned does indeed operate as part of a charity. The charity was asked to remove from sale the offending publication, Class War, which it has done. The charity has also been reminded that it must not sell pamphlets, magazines or books that could be viewed as political in nature as this contravenes its stated purpose.
93c Venner Road,
Sydenham,
London SE26 5HU.
081 659 7713.
April 19, 1995
Dear Mr Pollock,
Re Baron v Gable and others. I have just been given inspection of
documents and the First Defendant has been ordered to serve an
affidavit concerning F&BP by May 1st. Incredibly, he has objected
to this and has asked for more time. I will refuse this request
and will oppose the time summons application if made. Whatever
happens, I am confident that I can now do irreperable damage to
his specious defence. That notwithstanding, I am serving the
enclosed interrogatories on you at this stage. Having now fami-
liarised myself with court forms, the white book and Gatley, to a
certain degree, I hope you will consider these well drafted.
If your client has any objection to replying to any of them I
would suggest that he replies to as many as he does not object
to, or as you advise him. Or he may care to take some other
course of action. It is obvious to me that neither you nor Mr
Sherbourne can have visited your client's premises or you would
most certainly have advised him differently. Which you may do now
in any case. For the record, Class War (see interrogatory 9)
don't want to string up simply the judiciary, but all the "capi-
talist parasites" and "lackeys" of the system. Which includes
highly paid lawyers like yourself.
Yours sincerely,
A Baron
In the HIGH COURT of Justice 1994B 2491
Queen's Bench Division
Between
Alexander Baron
Plaintiff
And
Gerry Gable, Centerprise & Others
Defendants
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INTERROGATORIES
--------------------------------------------------------------------
On behalf of the above-named Plaintiff (acting in person) for the
examination of the Eleventh Defendant, Centerprise Ltd.
1) Is it not true that Centerprise has stocked Searchlight maga-
zine in the past?
2) Is it not true that Centerprise continues to stock Searchlight
magazine?
3) If the answer to 1) and/or 2) is yes, please state which of
the following issues of Searchlight Centerprise has stocked:
a) November 1993. Before replying to this part of the interroga-
tory, please bear in mind that I was libelled in this issue, that
so were two other people, and that one of them, a close friend of
mine, is contemplating bringing a libel action in connection with
it.
b) December 1993.
c) January 1994.
d) February 1994.
e) March 1994.
f) April 1994.
g) May 1994.
h) June 1994.
i) July 1994. Before replying to this part of the interrogatory,
please bear in mind that I was libelled in this issue, though not
by name, and that I am contemplating bringing a libel action in
connection with it.
j) August 1994. Before replying to this part of the interroga-
tory, please bear in mind that it contains a serious libel on an
individual totally unconnected with myself, one which amounts to
an allegation of murder, or at best, manslaughter.
k) September 1994.
l) October 1994.
m) November 1994.
n) December 1994.
o) January 1995.
p) February 1995. Before replying to this part of the interroga-
tory, please bear in mind that it contains a serious libel on
someone totally unconnected with myself, and which amounts to an
allegation of attempted murder.
q) March 1995.
r) April 1995. Before replying to this part of the interrogatory,
please bear in mind that I visited your premises in April
1995.
4) Is it not true that Centerprise stocks Red Action?
5) If the answer to 4) is yes, is it not true that this publica-
tion is highly inflammatory and supports terrorism?
6) Is it not true that Centerprise stocks homosexual pornography?
7) Is it not true that Centerprise stocks Class War?
8) If the answer to 7) is yes, did/does Centerprise stock the
February/March 1995 issue?
9) If the answer to 8) is yes, is it not true that the front
cover of this publication incites the murder of Britain's judges
under the legend "execute these scumbags" ?
10) If the answer to 8) is yes, is it not true that this publica-
tion incites the murder of the Conservative MP Michael Portillo?
11) Did or does Centerprise stock the Spring '95 issue of Green
Anarchist?
12) If the answer to 11) is yes, does this publication praise the
murder of three French policemen?
13) If the answer to 11) is yes, does this publication contain an
incitement to murder British policemen?
14) Does Centerprise stock a book called Nigger?
15) Does Centerprise have charitable status?
16) Is Centerprise part-funded by the London Borough of Hackney?
17) Is Centerprise part-funded by the Greater London Arts Board?
18) Do you pay for magazines in advance or do you stock them sale
or return?
19) Is it not standard practice in the magazine trade for maga-
zines to be stocked on a sale or return basis?
20) Is it not the case that Searchlight is stocked by you on a
sale or return basis?
21) Did you not wilfully mislead your solicitor, Mr Pollock?
22) Do you not feel that you have been poorly advised by Mr
Pollock and/or Mr Sherbourne - due principally to their failing
to make proper enquiries of the nature of your business and your
ideology - and that by failing to settle this case at the ear-
liest opportunity you are incurring unnecessary costs and perhaps
even jeopardising the future of your business?
23) Do you realise that in a civil action it is necessary only
for the Plaintiff to prove his case on a balance of probabilities
rather than beyond all reasonable doubt?
24) Do you think British judges are stupid as well as unworthy of
life?
25) Do you think that any jury will believe you did not stock the
February 1994 issue of Searchlight?
26) Given the inflammatory nature of many of the publications you
stock, do you think any jury will give any credence whatsoever to
your spurious claim that you had no idea that the February 1994
issue of Searchlight was likely to contain a libel on anyone?
27) If the answer to 14) is yes, do you not think any black mem-
bers of the jury will take offence at your stocking a book with
such a blatantly offensive and racist title?
28) If the answers to 6), 8), 9), 10), 11) 12), 13) and 14) are
yes, do you not think that the ordinary decent men and women who
make up a jury will be revolted by your overt endorsement and
promulgation of philosophies of hatred, violence, murder and
homosexual practices?
29) Have you ever been investigated by the Charity Commissioners?
30) In view of the grotesque, obscene, and possibly even illegal
nature of the publications that you stock, do you not think that
the Charity Commissioners or some other official body would
consider your right to charitable status highly questionable?
31) Have you ever been investigated by the police for incitement
to murder?
32) Have you ever been referred to the Attorney General on ac-
count of some of the publications you stock?
33) Do you not think that any adverse publicity your business
attracts on account of this case is likely to do it irreperable
harm?
34) Do you not wish to reconsider the generous without prejudice
offer I made you at the beginning of this action?
35) If the answer to 34) is no, do you appreciate that I will
have to make further inquiries concerning the nature and possibly
the legality of your business as preparation for the trial of
this action, and that I will have a duty as a citizen to report
to the appropriate authorities any dubious activity I uncover in
the course of my researches?
TAKE NOTICE that these interrogatories are to be answered within
28 days from the date of the service hereof.
AND TAKE NOTICE that the Defendant Centerprise is required to
answer all of the above interrogatories.
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