Ref: A00-300995 Case No. 871626 Macpherson II
Volume II, Pages 47-50, Friday 9th June, 1989
(In the presence of the jury)
Detective Sergeant RONALD KNOX: Sworn
Examined by Mr. Temple
THE WITNESS: Detective Sergeant Ronald Knox, Anti Terrorist
Branch, New Scotland Yard, my Lord.
MR. JUSTICE MACPHERSON: Is there anything fresh here?
MR. TEMPLE: My Lord, introductory matters of the arrival in the
car driving by Mr. O'Neill.
MR. JUSTICE MACPHERSON: I just wanted to know what was fresh.
MR. TEMPLE: I propose to lead this witness unless Mr. Beckman
indicates to the contrary. (To the witness): Sergeant, you
will appreciate that Sergeant Madden has already given
details of events which occurred at or near the Embassy on
14th May. I just want to confirm a little bit of extra
background. At about 10.40 on that morning, did you see the
defendant walk down the steps of the Cypriot Embassy and go
towards a vehicle? A. I did, my Lord.
Q. That vehicle in fact had been driven to the Embassy earlier
on that morning, with Mr. Koupparis as a passenger, by
Mr. Peter O'Neill? A. Yes.
Q. Did the driver, Mr. O'Neill, indicate to you a brown
briefcase which was lying in the passenger footwell of the
vehicle? A. Yes.
Q. Did that in turn become what we now know as Exhibit 60, which
is being held up for you to look at? A. Yes.
Q. Just so that the jury appreciate the position, if asked you
can also give details of events surrounding the surveillance
operations in which you took part on 9th and 11th May?
A. Yes.
CROSS-EXAMINED BY MR. BECKMAN
Q. Mr. Knox, who was your senior officer? A. With regard to
the actual surveillance team, myself and Detective Sergeant
Ayres were the officers running that.
Q. Some senior officer regarding the whole case? A. Sergeant
Ayres.
Q. You took your instructions from Sergeant Ayres and I take it
that you had no contact with the persons who gave Mr. Ayres
such information as was necessary? A. Sorry, can you say
that again?
Q. Did you have any contact with whomsoever it was who
instructed Sergeant Ayres? A. Yes.
Q. Who was that? A. Detective Chief Inspector, as he was
then, Mr. Edwards.
Q. You had contact with him. Do you know who he received his
instructions from? A. Presumably the Commander at the Anti
Terrorist Branch.
MR. JUSTICE MACPHERSON: You do not know yourself? A. No, sir.
MR. BECKMAN: Do you know from your own knowledge or for any
reason be able to tell us what connection there was with the
security authorities? A. No, that was not in my ---
Q. You have no idea at all? A. No.
Q. To find out we will have to go higher. A. Yes, my Lord.
MR. JUSTICE MACPHERSON: Can you help me as to the relevance of
that? Why is it so relevant?
MR. BECKMAN: My Lord, in order to find out, for various reasons
that are very pertinent to the defence, exactly what was
being done and why it was being done; what was in the minds
of those concerned and why this was being done in this
fashion, which will go to some very fundamental points, not
for the jury but more for your Lordship.
MR. JUSTICE MACPHERSON: It is relevant to a matter of law which
I shall have to resolve.
MR. BECKMAN: If your Lordship resolves it one way it will be
relevant to matters for the jury.
MR. JUSTICE MACPHERSON: I only asked.
MR. BECKMAN: Yes, my Lord, I am not ---
MR. JUSTICE MACPHERSON: Go on with your questioning, will you?
MR. BECKMAN: What were your instructions? What did you know
about the matter? A. My original instructions were to keep
surveillance on the defendant, and on that particular morning
to keep surveillance on the Embassy and to possibly arrest
the defendant, Mr. Koupparis.
Q. You were keeping surveillance on the Embassy but you
personally had no contact with the Embassy staff? A. No, I
did not.
Q. I have asked you already but just to complete the picture,
you saw him from time to time in a fairly unusual hat, a
trilby hat you do not see nowadays? A. Yes.
Q. You also saw him from time to time with a glove on the left
hand and none on the right hand? A. Yes, that is correct.
Q. This is April; I do not suppose it was a particularly cold
April? A. I cannot recall the weather.
MR. BECKMAN: Certainly not a left handed cold April.
(The witness withdrew)
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