Geoff Day’s 52nd TRNC court appearance – in ever decreasing circles

CCL photo credit: miss mass

Court appearance number 52 saw Geoff in the witness stand yet again. The Prosecutor, known affectionately to us a Perry (Perry Wimpole) was in fine form. He started by asking Geoff when he and Mary moved into the house, Geoff answered that in fact an exact date was not possible as it was a gradual process with Geoff and Mary spending nights at a hotel and some of the daytime at the house. The move, a staggered process due to the fact that bricks, wood and other debris were still in Geoff’s house and Geoff was obliged to help the unskilled and at times confused workmen to make it at least habitable. Perry asked Geoff if he lived at the house and hotel with the bricks, Geoff was at pains to explain that his nights in the main were spent in the hotel until his container arrived with his furniture, at which point Geoff wisely had the builder move the bricks out, not a very attractive feature in one’s lounge. As to whether there were bricks in Geoff’s hotel room, I wouldn’t think so, but hey, who knows, this is Cyprus. Geoff did confirm that there was some furniture in his hotel room which he had brought over in his car, which he drove over in. Perry asked Geoff when his container arrived and Geoff made a guesstimate of about June/July 2006. By this time Geoff and Mary’s money was running short and they had no choice but to move into their unfinished house and even to sleep on the floor on occasion.

Now you must remember that today, Perry jumped into different time periods with impunity. Suddenly Geoff was being asked about present living conditions, Geoff explained that because  he had no passport he was living in his house which could be best described as a goat shed, whilst Mary for health reasons was living in the U.K.

Back in time we then went and Perry asked when the furniture arrived and so Geoff told him…again. Geoff also explained that there was never a formal hand over of the keys as the move in had been progressive. So Perry then wanted to know when Geoff checked out of the hotel, Geoff again guessed that it would have been about the May/June 2006. Where are we going with this – God knows! Perry then pounced with what I guess was his killer question: you mentioned 6 pieces of wood in your home in March 2006. Geoff explained that this wood had been delivered and Recaioglu (who we will now call Reg) expressed the intention of replacing some extremely badly fitted wood panelling in the dining room. This wood eventually finished up on the upstairs balcony but not before it had graced the kitchen, the hall, the bedroom until it finally coming to rest on the balcony. Perry then accused Geoff of lying about this, and insisted that there had never been any rubble, bricks or wood left in Geoff’s house. Geoff assured him and the court that he was not lying.

Geoff then reminded the court and Perry of the meeting held on the 27th May attended by Reg and his advocate, and Geoff and Mary and their advocate. The wood had been moved because Mary insisted that the place be left tidy as they were going to the U.K. on June 1st and she wanted the house cleared of Reg’s rubbish so that on their return they could start a new and settled life. Little did Mary know at that time just what she would be returning to. Perry was determined not to let go of the issue of the wood. Why was it kept inside he wanted to know, surely no reasonable person would want six pieces of wood in his house? Geoff patiently explained that this was good quality wood, that at some time in the future he would want it fitted in his dining room, by putting it outside it would get weathered and warped. Even a girlee like me knows that.

Perry then went all round the Wrekin asking Geoff his occupation etc., and finally he then pounced, so you are not a carpenter he asked, how can you say it is good quality wood? Geoff, never one to miss an opportunity, also pounced, ‘so are you telling me this is poor quality wood?’ he asked everso innocently). ‘You are not allowed to ask questions’ retorted Perry. Even the shouterer (you know the man who calls in the witnesses) laughed. The policeman was asleep, although I am sure if you asked him, he would say he was resting his eyes, just like my granddad used to. Perry persisted and put it to Geoff that there were no construction materials in the house when he moved in. Geoff assured him that there was and indeed he had photos. Perry went on to say that Geoff had tried to deprive Reg of materials because he was angry but Geoff assured him he was not a man to get angry and I have to say, having seen the way Geoff has conducted himself, I believe him. Perry said the claim that the wood had been left in the house was untrue. So it went on and on and on. I have to say at this point the Judge looked as if she was quickly loosing the will to live.

We then went through the whole gambit again of the government meeting etc. Then it got a little more interesting when Perry produced Geoff’s petition for his civil case against Reg. Perry referred him to the 4th paragraph on the 2nd page, apparently in Geoff’s claim for unfinished work he had not mentioned the wood panelling in the dining room – here we go again, back to the six pieces of wood. Perry asked Geoff to agree it was not there, Geoff said he couldn’t, it was in Turkish and he couldn’t understand it, but agreed IF it had been missed he would get it amended, I thought it was rather nice of Perry to bring this to Geoff’s attention, but no Perry said it wasn’t there because the work did not need doing. Now come on Perry, you know you have photos proving it does and more importantly, Perry knows of the existence of a hand written list, written by Reg and signed by Reg which Perry and the Judge refused to allow Geoff to produce because it had not been entered into evidence. This list itemises work to be carried out, and yes you’ve guessed it, one of the items is the renewing of the wood panelling in the dining room which Reg calls the eating room, utilising the six pieces of wood.

Perry went on at length about Geoff painting the kitchen and staining the wood in the kitchen. For some reason Perry wanted to know if Mary was aware of this, Geoff said she was and in fact Mary is a painter (artist), so yes there was a lot of paint and brushes around. Now the paint of real interest to Perry was a good quality stain paint, Geoff pointed out it was rarely if ever used on building sites, and that he had bought the stain himself. It was then Perry that really dropped himself in it by suggesting a luxury villa would have quality stain. The cheerleaders guffawed, I did a ladylike titter and I swear even Malcolm the Mastic gun giggled – come on Perry poor quality wood, good quality stain, as if.

One by one Perry went through the items Geoff is alleged to have stolen; one by one Geoff denied it. Even poor old Malcolm the Mastic gun got a mention, I do worry about Malcolm. Perry honed in on Barney the Barbecue, now he seems to think Geoff has too many breeze blocks, that’s Windy or Windies to their friends. Why this is important, I really don’t know because Geoff is not accused of stealing these, even if he has too many, when has over ordering been a crime? Geoff assured poor confused Perry, he ordered exactly the amount the builders, who were going to build it for him had told him. Perry produced a photo of a barbecue and told Geoff again, there were too many Windies; I know, I’m lost too. Geoff explained that Mary was in the UK when he planned the building of the barbecue and suffered a heart attack (May 2007) so all plans had to be put on hold as he had to fly out to be with Mary. When he returned to his home, with Mary, the builder who were going to build the barbecue were no longer there and Geoff was fully occupied looking after his wife. The barbecue has never been built and the materials, as with all the materials Geoff is accused of stealing are in plain view in and around his garden. Especially visible to Adem Recaioglu, brother to Reg who has the plot next door to Geoff. Geoff even provided the recipe for constructing a barbecue, 6 fire bricks, 5 bags of cement 110 Breeze Blocks (Perry disagrees) sand which he was going to obtain locally when he needed it, total cost to Geoff 210 TL.

Hearing number 53 is tomorrow at 10.30 a.m.

You Couldn’t Make It Up.