I write to clarify and correct a number of misleading and untruthful statements made both in the item that appeared on June 22 and in the column by I.M. Beck on June 24, concerning a clash between Claire Bonello and Charles Polidano, a clash totally instigated by Dr Bonello, a columnist and a lawyer.

The undeniable facts, witnessed by others, are as follows.

A small group of people were sitting at a table talking peacefully on the terrace of a hotel owned by Mr Polidano. Dr Bonello walked past this table, and was greeted by a lawyer who was having a drink with Mr Polidano. At this point she very rudely and arrogantly asked this lawyer why he was now dining with barons.

When another person seated at table rose to try and calm her down, Dr Bonello went on being unreasonable, and could not be calmed down, saying that "she should be ashamed to be in the presence of such man... and that drug barons all over the world employ a lot of people".

Having verified what Dr Bonello had said, Mr Polidano went to speak to this woman who was causing a small commotion in his own hotel. Her reaction was, to put it subtly, atrocious... she shouted at him repeatedly calling him "drug baron", a totally unfounded remark and a terrible insult to Mr Polidano, all his employees, and any other person that does business or is involved with the Polidano Group.

Mr Polidano regrets losing his temper, but it is incredibly demeaning to be insulted in such a manner and for no good reason. Besides being a blatant fabrication (unless Dr Bonello proves it in due course), one would expect better from a member of the legal profession, and a columnist to boot who, one assumes, if nothing else, is there to champion the truth.

The fact that Dr Bonello provoked the whole incident, insulted Mr Polidano and said untruths about him, not once but repeatedly, and did this in public where it was witnessed by others, are all matters that The Times, its journalists and columnists, should also give due weight to and expose if they want to cover a story truthfully and fairly. The piece written by I.M. Beck is even more one sided. According to him (he never rang up Mr Polidano to listen to his side of the story):

"Various people have something of a healthy respect for their own relevance in the world and make no bones about expressing it, always in their own way... Thus, you get entrepreneurs of some worth thinking they can accost small blonde columnists in public places if the product of the columnists' efforts is not to the liking of the business fellow concerned".

It is Dr Bonello who accosted Mr Polidano and not the other way around! In the event that Dr Bonello had not accosted Mr Polidano the incident would not have taken place.

I.M. Beck is clearly being misleading because he did not bother to check his facts and just believed what he was told by one party. He is implying that Mr Polidano started this whole affair when it was Dr Bonello who, in a most arrogant manner, provoked it. While one understands any gentleman's liking for being a knight in shining armour (especially with "small blonde columnists"), perhaps he, as a lawyer and columnist to boot, should have checked his facts before rushing to print and not brag that he's "condemning out of hand without bothering to listen to his defence". Maybe I.M. Beck will be more interested in listening to Dr Bonello's defence ... in due course.

Mr Polidano supports every columnist's right to express her opinions. What is totally unacceptable is for the said columnist to come to his own hotel and then insult him and say untruths about him, in public, in a very serious manner... and expect to have no reaction at all. Losing your temper is regrettable. But how many of us would keep calm if we were called a drug baron, particularly when this insult has absolutely no foundation in fact whatsoever?

Editor's note: In the item appearing on June 22, The Times also gave Mr Polidano's version of events.

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