Tuesday, 10 November 1998

JUDGMENT

THE DEPUTY JUDGE: Cripps Harries Hall are a long-established firm of solicitors with offices in Kent and Sussex. They are the defendants in this action. Over many years, the firm had been instructed to provide legal services to the family of which Mr Hoath is a member. John Martin Edward Hoath is the plaintiff in these proceedings.

Unhappily, the relationship between client and solicitor soured. Invoices submitted by Cripps Harries Hall for work done were unpaid by Mr Hoath. Judgments were obtained for the sums claimed, and steps taken by the defendants to enforce them. In December 1991 a bankruptcy petition was presented in the Tunbridge Wells County Court, and an order was made declaring the plaintiff bankrupt.

Proceedings arising out of that order continue, with the plaintiff challenging its validity.

Mr Hoath is a bitter, angry man who attributes great wrong to the defendant firm. His behaviour during 1992, 1993 and 1994 in particular, caused, and was intended to cause, considerable irritation and concern to the defendant firm.

Relevant events for the purposes of this action

commenced in about January 1994 when the plaintiff put up a sign on his property at Summersales Farm. The sign read:

“Cripps Harries Hall & Co are defective, negligent solicitors who rip off their clients.”

The purpose of making fraudulent declarations (perjury) to the Bankruptcy Court, against my person, was to conceal their general fraud against deceased clients’ estates. Thus they sought to gain advantage and pecuniary advantage by “unlawfully” and “fraudulently” obtaining a fraudulent title to my property, knowing that if their fraud was brought to light, it would cause the collapse of their solicitors practice known as Cripps Harries Hall, which would lead to their criminal conviction.

( continued overleaf [3] )