Gable wrote defamatory comments about me (Alexander Baron) in an article called Jewish community targeted in the November 1993 issue, and also – by his own admission – in the HILL STREET NEWS column in the same issue. I issued a writ against Gable in person, and later this was amended to include Housmans Bookshop Limited (which had sold the magazine); Central Books Limited (the magazine’s distributor); and Russell Press Limited (its printer). I did not sue Hill in connection with this issue, regardless of one of the libels appearing in his column. In the February 1994 issue, comments were made in the HILL STREET NEWS column which led me to issue another writ.
Due entirely to poor pleading, the defamatory reference relating to the November 1993 HILL STREET NEWS article was struck out.
Gable’s claim in his Riley action witness statement that it was explained to me that it was he rather than Hill who had written the defamatory article is misleading, although for once possibly not deliberately so. Although the defamatory comments in the February 1994 article were indeed in the HILL STREET NEWS column, this column began on page 6 and continued on page 7. The reference to me being an errand boy of fascism actually appeared under a sub-heading on the second page entitled In our bad books, so it could have been argued that this was not in fact part of the column. Because of this I offered to drop my action against Hill on the basis that both parties paid their own costs. He agreed. The two actions were later consolidated by order of the court, and settled against all remaining parties (including Gable, who paid me five thousand pounds) before trial.
Clearly Gable’s claim at paragraph 21 of his Riley v Gable witness statement is totally incompatible with his admission in the witness statement he made in Baron v Gable.
Gable’s Witness Statement In Baron v Gable
Gable’s Witness Statement In Riley v Gable
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