To: My Crowd Funders

I hope you are all well. I wanted to update you about the case and where we are at the moment.

So, we were scheduled to have a trial on 8 April 2022. My legal team and I travelled all the way to Manchester County Court the night before. On the day in court we waited and waited but unfortunately there wasn’t a judge available on the day and so the trial was adjourned until 17 May 2022.

Then, right at the last minute, on 9 May 2022, RVA made an application to add another invoice to their claim, for a further £3,308.96 and for the case to be made more important, to place it into the “fast track” with a more senior judge. They also applied to make the Dog and Donkey Ltd liable for their legal fees involved in making this application! Outrageous! 

So, we had to travel yet again to Manchester County Court on 17 May 2022 and the judge granted some parts of RVA’s application. So, The Dog and Donkey Ltd now faces a claim for £13,501.89! However, my brilliant legal team were able to obtain a costs order against RVA for £920 due to their last minute application. We also have another costs order against them for further legal fees as we now have to change our defence and counterclaim. The amount of this will be confirmed after trial.

The case isn’t over yet. We are due to receive confirmation of a new trial date which will likely be for a full day. I will of course update you when I know.

I am very much emboldened in defending this claim thanks to the support of my crowd funders who are helping the Dog and Donkey Ltd financially, Devon Live and the Daily Mirror who are helping to spread the word and my legal team who are doing everything they can to make sure we save The Dog and Donkey.

Best

Nick Stiling

18.05.2022

To: My Crowd Funders

I would like to start off by giving a massive ‘thank you’ to all those who have been so generous to this Crowd Funder.  In these difficult times for everybody, I know how stretched people are and it is so helpful and supportive to know that you are behind The Dog and Donkey.

I can’t believe how stressful litigation can be and we have only just started!

We are currently speaking with Andrew Penman of the Daily Mirror. He has very kindly agreed to publish a piece about the Dog and Donkey and spread the Dog and Donkey’s story to a wider audience. We are also speaking with Devon Live and the Sidmouth Herald and Exmouth Journal who will hopefully also write a piece.

In relation to the case, we have now filed the Defence to RVA’s claim and have also issued a Counterclaim. RVA now have to file their Defence to our Counterclaim. Some months afterwards, we will exchange documentary evidence (called disclosure) and then exchange witness statements.

The trial of the matter will be in Manchester, so we have considerable costs to pay in travelling up there. Our lawyer, Elliot Hammer of Branch Austin advises it will take a long time to get to trial, perhaps taking more than a year given the problems to the Courts caused by COVID.

I will keep you all updated as we go through the case.

Once again let me thank all of you for your support.

Many thanks and best wishes.

Nick Stiling

07.01.2021