Court finds for ‘Spycatcher’

Press, 14 March 1987, Page 10

Court finds for ‘Spycatcher’

NZPA-Reuter Sydney A former British spycatcher, Peter Wright, won a legal battle to publish his memoirs yesterday, but offered to discuss with the British Government the deleting of offending passages. Mr Wright’s lawyer, Malcolm Turnbull, made the offer after the New South Wales Supreme Court rejected Britain’s appeal to ban publication of “Spycatcher," which deals mainly with Soviet penetration of the British secret service.

However, Mr Justice Philip Powell, gave the British Government 28 days to appeal against his verdict, and ruled that the book should not be published during this period. The 275-page judgment was the culmination of an 18-month bid by the Government to prevent Heinemann Australia from publishing “Spycatcher.” His Honour ordered the British Government to pay costs.

Mr Wright, aged 71, a retired high-ranking

officer of the counterespionage agency, M. 1.5, was not in court. He was admitted to hospital in Tasmania earlier this week with high blood pressure and a heart condition.

Mr Wright has lived in Tasmania since he retired in 1976.

Mr Turnbull told a news conference that Mr Wright sincerely believed his book would cause no harm to Britain and its security services. "My client always had been prepared to offer the olive branch; to sit down and go through the book and delete any offending passages,” Mr Turnbull said.

However, the British Government had taken the attitude of all or nothing.

“I have no doubt Mr Wright and Heinemann would still be prepared to discuss the matter. While I am confident of winning any appeal, I really don’t want Mr Wright to wait any longer. He is an old and sick man,” Mr Turnbull said.