BENNETT WINS LIBEL CASE

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29128, 13 February 1960, Page 11

BENNETT WINS LIBEL CASE

“Pathfinder” Suit Fails

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, February 10. Air Vice-Marshal Donald Bennett, founder of Britain’s “Pathfinder” squadrons in World War II was given judgment with costs today in a libel action brought against him by another Air ViceMarshal. After a 50-minute retirement, a High Court jury found that words complained of in his book “Pathfinder” were not defamatory to Air Vice-Marshal William Ernest Staton, the plaintiff. Air Vice-Marshal Staton had complained that references in the book to meetings between the two officers at Leeming, Yorkshire, where the plaintiff was station commander, and earlier in Montreal were invented “to smear” his reputation. Air Vice-Marshal Bennett, conducting his own defence, denied defamation and claimed that what he wrote was trueMr Justice Slade, summing up, said that in law the words complained of were capable of a defamatory meaning. It was for the jury to decide. He suggested that if they found in favour of Air Vice-Marshal Staton the damages should be modest. Referring to the meeting in Montreal between the two men, when Air Vice-Marshal Staton was a group captain and Air Vice-Marshal Bennett was a civilian, the Judge asked: “Do you think that an officer of the rank of group captain meeting for the first time, according to his own evidence, a civilian no less than in operational command of the Atlantic Ferry Organisation could forget being ordered out of his office like a naughty schoolboy for appearing in shorts. “One of these gentlemen, both of the highest integrity, has not been telling the truth.” The Judge told the jury to ignore the fact that the publishers of the book had apologised and paid £lOO to Air Vice-Marshal Staton. After the case, Air ViceMarshal Bennett said: *T am greatly relieved. I shall now get a good night’s rest. It’s been very worrying.” Air Vice-Marshal Staton said: “I am rather disappointed.”