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By RICHARD OSLEY
 

Barry Sullivan
Round 10 in secret files fight

Lawyer maintains compensation claim is behind bid to see Town Hall emails

A LONG-serving volunteer was described as a “pseudo-advisor” in court on Friday as a council lawyer claimed his ongoing battle to see secret files held on him at the Town Hall was preparation for a compensation claim.
Friends and colleagues of Barry Sullivan, who runs Camden Town Neighbourhood Advice Centre (CTNAC), condemned comments made by lawyer Hamilton Daley as unfair.
Sparks flew during the 10th court hearing in the long-running saga over whether Mr Sullivan can view council files and emails stored at the Town Hall.
The council claims it has already passed on all relevant documents and is only withholding files restricted by legal rules.
But Mr Sullivan and his supporters say that all emails should be disclosed.
The case has run for two years – with hearings at London County Court in Regent’s Park, the Information Commission and the High Court. It follows the revelation in the New Journal two years ago that council workers were circulating suggestions that Mr Sullivan was dealing in drugs and involved in fraud.
None of the allegations has ever been substantiated. The emails were passed around against the backdrop of CTNAC’s controversial eviction from council-owned headquarters in Greenland Road in December 2003.
Riot-squad police evicted charity workers from the building, which, more than two years later, is still being refurbished. CTNAC now operates from St Martin’s Close.
Mr Sullivan told Friday’s hearing at the London Court that he wants to view all the files and have them amended if they contain inaccuracies and unfounded allegations. He said: “I have had this hanging over my head for two years. It has affected my health to a certain extent. It is not fair to keep on going like this.” Mr Daley described Mr Sullivan’s role at the helm of CTNAC as that of a “pseudo-advisor”, adding that the search for documents was based on a planned compensation claim.
He said: “This is the real bone of contention, a search for documents to base a compensation claim on. What else would justify this matter going on so long?”
Judge Charles Harris told Mr Sullivan that the case had been delayed because it was based on an area of law that was rarely explored. He told Mr Sullivan and Cathy Pound, a friend who represented him in court, that he was sorry for the delays
Judge Harris said: “You are paying the price for being pioneers and I am sorry for that.”
He told the court that the file of papers would be reviewed by a judge and a decision would be made on whether the council should disclose them.
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