Photo by Alan V Walker
Mr Mark Hamer judging American Cocker Spaniels on the second day of WELKS 2002.

The failed case brought by Mr Mark Hamer against the Secretary of Blackpool Championship Show Mr Jack Bennett was in court again last week after an appeal by Hamer against the costs he had been instructed to pay.

But Hamer the former chairman of the society did not attend the hearing owing to ill health. The costs of almost £14,000 are still outstanding.

On 7th March 2001, proceedings were issued by Mark Hamer against Jack Bennett, alleging that Jack Bennett had over-claimed expenses from the Blackpool Canine Society amounting to £21,219.80. The action was brought by Mr Hamer in person.

Mark Hamer was in fact the Chairman of the committee at the Blackpool Canine Society and approved the accounts, including the expenses claimed by Jack Bennett, in some of the years to which his allegations related.

Jack Bennett had always strenuously denied the allegations against him. Blackpool Canine Society’s auditors, Beckett and Co Chartered Accountants, were asked to investigate the allegations and found no evidence of any expenses being over-claimed by Jack Bennett as alleged or at all.

District Judge Buckley, upon reviewing the case papers ordered a Case Management Conference on 24th September 2001 to consider “what order if any should be made consequent upon the Claimant suing in a representative capacity”. The hearing was ordered on the court’s own motion and not in following any application by Jack Bennett. on 24th September 2001 District Judge Buckley ordered that Mark Hamer’s claim be struck out and that Mark Hamer pay Mr Bennett’s legal costs of over £19,000 which we reduced to less than £14,000 on appeal.

Mr Hamer was given 28 days from April 23rd. to pay the costs.