Michael’s Withington’s preliminary industrial tribunal hearing ended abruptly this week after the former Augustus Martin managing director agreed to waive the "without prejudice" privilege from a series of meetings that took place following his redundancy in March 2000 (PrintWeek, 4 January).

Withington, who for the first time was assisted by a legal representative, agreed to waive the right as long as it was not considered to be an "admission of wrong-doing" when assessed by the case’s substantive hearing, which will start on 25 November and is scheduled to last 15 days.

Augustus Martin co-owner Lascelle Barrow said: "It’s a shame he did not waive privilege before we wasted all this time."

The preliminary hearing took nearly six days instead of the scheduled four.

Withington said he had been contemplating waiving his privilege throughout the hearing but hadn’t known how to do so without admitting wrong-doing.

"It’s a shame he (Barrow) and I can’t talk face-to-face and sort the thing out properly," he added. "It’s a pity my offer to talk to them directly, which was made before the hearing even started, was not taken up."

Story by Gordon Carson

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