has been asked by Julian Hall to retract a headline that appeared on the front page of Thursday?s newspaper which stated ?Hall admits ?lying? in fraud trial? and a headline that appeared on Page 5 of the same newspaper that stated ?Hall admits lying in trial?.

While in Friday?s newspaper reported Chief Justice Richard Ground?s admonition to the jury in Mr. Hall?s trial that the headlines did not fairly and accurately reflect the previous day?s proceedings and that the jury should disregard it, this newspaper yesterday took the additional step of reviewing a recording of the proceedings and the legal arguments concerning the headlines.

accepts that while the report of the proceedings on that day was fair and accurate, the wording of the headline was unfortunate in that Mr. Hall at no time admitted ?lying?. Mr. Hall?s exact words were: ?If I conveyed the impression I was not an attorney in respect of the trust before I met Betty McMahon it was a mistake. I was not telling the truth, but certainly not intentionally not telling the truth.?

accordingly retracts the headline and apologises to Mr. Hall for any embarrassment it may have caused.