| name: | Frances Tiller |
| section: | Publication |
| for: | The Defence |
| experience: | Investigator for firm hired by McDonald's |
summary:
The witness, working for an investigation company hired by McDonald's, spied on London Greenpeace at meetings. However the witness states that:
It did not seem as if Helen and Dave were particularly involved in the anti- McDonald's campaign, although there was not really enough discussion to give me a complete picture. I do not remember any anti-McDonald's activities being planned whilst I was there. I can't remember specifically anything Helen and Dave said.
I did not feel the anti-McDonald's campaign was a major issue. It was one of the issues, but not the central one. It certainly wasn't number one on the agenda. The agency painted a picture that London Greenpeace was set up to campaign against McDonald's but having attended the meetings it was obvious to me that wasn't the case.
I felt very uncomfortable doing that particular job. I found it very stressful going to the meetings and I did not like the deception, prying on people and interfering with their lives. I believe people are entitled to their views.
cv:
From 21 August 1989 to 29 June 1990 I was employed as Secretary/Personal
Assistant to the Managing Director of Kings Investigation Bureau, Chancery
House, 53/64 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1QU ("KIB").
Full cv:
(not available for this witness)
full statement:
1. From 21 August 1989 to 29 June 1990 I was employed as Secretary/Personal Assistant to the Managing Director of Kings Investigation Bureau, Chancery House, 53/64 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1QU ("KIB"). Towards the end of this time the Managing Director asked me to attend meetings of London Greenpeace as an investigator. I normally did secretarial/administration work in the office but the MD needed more people to cover investigations and he asked me to do this. When I left KIB the MD asked me if I would continue to attend meetings of London Greenpeace for a while and I agreed to do so. I was paid for doing this. I was aware that McDonald's was the client for whom the investigations were being made.
2. The general practice at KIB was that the investigators submitted reports
on a daily basis and the MD made a composite report from those which was
sent to the client. The MD would dictate the composite reports to me which
I then typed up. Most of the clients would be sent weekly composite reports.
3. I used the name Jan Goodman when attending the London Greenpeace
meetings. I was employed by KIB in the name Frances Davidson which was my
maiden name. During the course of the year I became ill, which was part of
the reason that I left. I agreed to attend further London Greenpeace
meetings after terminating my employment with KIB, but I got out of it as
soon as possible. The last meeting I attended was in September 1990 after
which I was told by the MD at KIB that writs had been served and I was no
longer required.
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5. Roy Pocklington was working for KIB as a full time investigator. I knew
him as Tony. He never came to the meetings I was at. I knew Brian Bishop
to be another investigator whom I think was freelance, but I am not sure
about that. He didn't work in the office.
6. I believe that before I started with KIB Jack Russell had been in a
managerial position. He may have been the Managing Director. I was told
that he had had a heart attack. He wasn't working when I joined KIB. The
MD I worked for had founded the firm 50 years before. He was 76 years old
but very active and he had taken over the running of the office in Jack
Russell's absence.
7. I attended some of the London Greenpeace meetings with Michelle Hooker
who was also working for KIB on a freelance basis. She used the name
Shelley at meetings. She was not a permanent employee of the office. She
was self employed, and was an ex-policewoman. Shelley didn't come into the
office on a regular basis. We would meet at the office and then go to the
meetings together. She had a black BMW. We parked near Euston and walked
to the meetings.
8. I attended 2 or 3 meetings at the office in Caledonian Road and, I
think, 2 meetings at Endsleigh Street. I made reports on the meetings I
attended.
9. I was given instructions to attend the meetings and look out for
anything about McDonald's. I was told to describe places and people, to
give the names and numbers of people attending and to report generally on
what was discussed. I made notes after the meetings. I was asked to
particularly listen out for anything said about McDonald's, but to generally
report about everything that went on at meetings.
10. I was told to look out for certain individuals who were considered to be
the core members of the group. This included Paul, Helen and Dave, and I
think maybe Jonathon and Jane as well. I recall mentioning Paul Gravett in
reports, that he was present at meetings etc. I was asked to note anything
they said or did about McDonald's. McDonald's wasn't on the agenda much to
be discussed, in fact I think I was disappointed it wasn't discussed more.
11. I do not remember seeing a six page leaflet about McDonald's. I can
recall A5 pale green and yellow anti- McDonald's leaflets. I helped myself
to the group's leaflets, and handed any McDonald's leaflets in to the MD
with my report. I never took any letters about the McDonald's campaign.
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13. It did not seem as if Helen and Dave were particularly involved in the
anti- McDonald's campaign, although there was not really enough discussion
to give me a complete picture. I do not remember any anti-McDonald's
activities being planned whilst I was there. I can't remember specifically
anything Helen and Dave said. I remember Helen coming in late on a couple
of occasions. The meetings started at 8.00pm and Helen came in around
9.15pm. I never took the minutes of the meetings which I attended. I recall
it was thrown open to volunteers to take the minutes in a red book. I
recall that the agenda was passed around and everyone wrote down what they
wanted to discuss. There was no chair, and no serious control. They were
not formally controlled meetings, they were open discussions amongst all
members. It was often difficult to determine when one item was finished
with and the next was started.
14. I remember stuffing envelopes in the office during the course of a
meeting. The whole group was doing this. I don't recall specifically what
was being put into the envelopes. People were also asked to volunteer for
various jobs. I offered to answer a letter, it was not about McDonald's. I
was not told to put any leaflets in with it. I took it to show willingness
to get involved with the group. I can't remember what I did with the
letter. I also volunteered to become involved with the creche at the Fayre.
KIB did not expect me to get fully involved as I was doing it as a favour.
15. I did not think there was anything wrong with what the group was doing.
| date signed: | 15th March 1996 |
| status: | Appeared in court |
exhibits: Not applicable/ available
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