Free to a good home

Seven and a half pounds weight????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Thank you, thank you - that's got to be the best hoot this century

-- Regards,

John Stevenson Nottingham, England.

In article , John Stevenson writes

John, it's a troll. And it's not going to go away until people stop responding to it. I know it's hard to resist, especially when it's making libellous comments, but it really, really is the only way to deal with the problem.

Has the unfortunate person who purchased the hacksaw kit at the Midlands Model Engineering Exhibition taken the trouble to contact Blackgates Engineering about the faulty casting?.

I am sure that they would make every effort to correct the problem.

Interesting that you are now choosing not to refer to the company by their real name. Are you being witty, or are you trying to reduce the risk of being taken to court? I'm afraid it won't work, as we now have documentary evidence of your using the correct name. Changing your posting name will be of no help, either. But I'm sure you know this, of course.

This is an unsubstantiated claim based on your subjective judgement. Your claim of an experienced engineer making an assessment is hearsay evidence and will therefore be likely to be judged inadmissable.

Unless you are physically disabled, in which case I apologise unreservedly, I wouldn't think that 7.5 pounds would be considered unreasonably heavy. It is comparable to a supermarket carrier bag with

3 bags of sugar in it.

Besides, you could always just photograph it.

All TS require is that you attempt to contact the other party before you involve them. My wife is an ex TS officer, and will be happy to advise you of your legal position should you be in any doubt.

Are you claiming that Blackgates have acted in a criminal manner here? Now that is a _very_ serious accusation.

See my comment before on the issue of carrying 7.5 pounds in weight

440 yards. I am an unfit overweight chap in my mid 40's and quite often carry in excess of 15 lbs over a couple of miles without undue stress. As I said before, you may have a medical condition I know nothing about, in which case I apologise unreservedly in case I have caused you offence, but if that's not the case I strongly urge you to get your cardiovascular system checked out at the earliest opportunity. If you would like the name of a good consultant in your area, just let me know.

Again, why the change of name? and why are you not using a consistent address? You may not realise this, but seeking to conceal your true identity whilst making the kinds of statements you are promoting goes down very badly when the amount of awards for damages are being assessed.

Again, this is hearsay evidence. You will not be able to use it without calling the person to provide the evidence in person

No indeed. But you seem to assume that the person doing the picking up and wrapping was fully knowledgeable about the machineable quality of the casting. I don't think that the judge will consider this a reasonable presumption.

This seems to fall into the criteria of unwarranted defamation. My copy of Gatley is very old, however. Can you point me to the passage on which you base your claim that your assertions are not actionable?

I'm sure that "Blackguards" (Ho Ho, btw, just in case you do genuinely mean it as a joke) are quite able to deal with this issue themselves. If I can give them any support, however, I will be pleased to do so, and as a satisfied customer would be very pleased to waive my normal (rather high) fees.

No. I did not. I had already invested too much time and effort in the bag-of-slag.

They have already had every chance to correct the problem...

1. When it was cast and obviously was a scrapper.
2. When the attempts to fettle it failed and it was even more a scrapper.
3. When it was taken into the stores (Goods inward inspection? QA?)
4. When it was wrapped up - it is not possible to "accidentally" pick up a casting weighing 7 1/2 pounds.

All of the above stages involve human handling and so it seems that they have no quality control in place.

They were happy that a customer takes the goods away and is saddled with the problem and the inconvenience of them.

Any how, the matter is now done. Life is too short. Never again will I deal with them. and I shall recommend the same strategy to all.

If anyone else is thinking of dealing with them, then the words, "CAVEAT EMPTOR" cannot be stressed too highly.

If anyone was an expert on the law, then he would know that if he republishes any comment that is a defamation that very republication would make himself guilty of defamation. Mr.Harris has repeated many comments that he says are defamatory, hardly a good example to follow. There are many cases quoted in Gatley that stress that such repetition is no defence unless you have proof of the truth of what you are repeating. It'll take me just as long to dig into my copy so I suggest that it is he that makes the effort, if he's that interested.

ANYBODY WHO SERIOUSLY CONSIDERS THAT A LIBEL HAS BEEN COMMITTED IS WARNED NOT TO REPEAT THE STATEMENTS IN ANY WAY.

As to hearsay, check the CPR, it's allowed under certain circumstances.. If witnesses are reluctant to appear, or even to give statements by the dates set; then seek permission to serve witness summaries, and subsequently apply for witness orders. The latter are authorised on demand and payment of the £30 fee, without requiring permission from the court.

Any other legal matters you require assistance on?

Don't feed the Troll

Excellent writing. If you don't do it for a living - you should.

A couple of hours research has revealed who you are, where you live, and a history of your pathetic trolling on usenet stretching back to the early 1990s. You are an embarrassment to the human race and are beneath contempt.