Chapter 48
Back in court fourteen during the afternoon, Garrick told the judge, “My Lord, our next witness will be the underwriter who issued the policy, Mr Nigel Black.”
At that point, Black who had been standing at the back of the court behind everyone else, walked to the front of the courtroom to take the witness stand, beside the judge.
Wells whispered to Meredith and Ashby, “What is he doing here ?”
“We knew he was going to turn up at some point – the other side summonsed him so he had to be here whether he liked it or not.”
“Do you think he’ll say anything prejudicial to our case ?”
“He may do,” said Ashby, “after all, he was the underwriter who wrote the risk. But....would you have written it ?”
Before Wells had time to answer, Garrick turned around and glared at them with a look which said “Be quiet,” and Ransome stood up to begin his examination.
The courtroom was in the old Victorian style and Black stood looking down on everyone with his hands resting on the outer edge of the witness box. He was immaculately dressed in a dark blue chalk-striped suit, white shirt and bright yellow silk tie, looking self-assured and with not a care in the world.
“Mr Black, you are a director of Plantation Re ?”
“I am. I’m also the company secretary.”
“At the time when the marine insurance cover was arranged for the Captain Stratos, what was your position ?”
“I was the managing director of Stirling Insurance Limited. Around eighteen months after the policy was issued, Stirling merged with Plantation.”
“And as Stirling’s underwriter, did the information from the brokers tell you all you needed to know about the Captain Stratos ?”
“It did.”
“From the details given to you by Mr Grant, did Hellas Global seem to you to be a well-run shipping line ?”
“They did.”
“One that was competent to be carrying the type and range of cargo they were transporting around the world ?”
“From my analysis, yes.”
“Was there anything which concerned you about their operations or the experience of their captains and crews ?”
“No, there was not – they appeared to have fairly standard marine procedures and staff for a company of their size.”
“Was there anything which concerned you about the ship’s master, Captain Christoforou ?”
“Nothing that I can recall.”
“Then there was nothing in the information you saw about the Captain Stratos which would have caused you to question it ?”
“No, there was not.”
“Thank you, Mr Black. And was your company, Stirling Insurance fully authorised to underwrite marine business and to issue a policy to Hellas Global with an indemnity for total loss of twenty million pounds ?”
“It was.”
“Then may I ask, why has Plantation refused to pay the claim ?”
Riordan suddenly stood up and said : “My Lord, it should be obvious from Plantation’s defence, why it is refusing to pay the claim. Mr Black is giving evidence about the underwriting of the contract, not whether the claim is covered by the policy.”
Mr Justice Hedley ceased writing in his notebook and said “Nevertheless, Mr Riordan, it is important that we hear from Mr Black as the underwriter on this – Mr Black ?”
“Personally, I can’t see any reason why Plantation should be disputing the claim at all. Of course, this is only my own view.”
At the back of the courtroom, Wells and Meredith looked at each other. They were wondering why Black should want to damage Plantation’s defence, perhaps irreparably.
Ashby, meanwhile, had caught Black’s eye. There was no hiding that Black was against him. Standing alone, before your peers, only the most practised criminals can conceal the truth in the full glare of the court room.
“As a director of Plantation, you’re disagreeing with the position taken by your board ? Is that what you’re saying ?” asked the judge.
“My Lord, I received a summons to attend the hearing today. I’ve sworn to tell the truth about the marine policy issued by my original company, Stirling Insurance. Plantation’s board of directors has chosen to oppose the claim. It may be that something will come out in the wash during the hearing but as I say, I can only give my own personal point of view.”
“Very well,” said the judge.
Plantation A Legal Thriller Page 48
